First time I put in the Db killers in the Termis & MOT tester said to me WTF are they about. After that I just take it as is and never ever had a prob
Aye tell me about it, when I look out the window I'm confronted by a bunch of stalls, a bar and what might be a small stage. Its been blowing like a good un here, gusting hard with rain, pretty wild. Unless the revelers have webbed feet or the weather turns tropical the whole thing may turn out be a damp squib (which suits me fine)
never had any problems with my bikes first mot ,full Termi race system ,small number plate , small independant Ducati Garage in Edinburgh, excellent service, free pick up and return for Mot,service etc .
It's a slightly dumb question in that your premise is that Ducatis would have to change their exhausts for an MOT whereas Harleys don't. I see no evidence for that. We're probably all in the same boat.
To be fair there probably is some license. Ducati engines are complex, technologically advanced engineering marvels capable of emitting a sophisticated exhaust note and MOT testers know this. On the other hand Harley engines are essentially Edwardian pond pumps made from cast iron and rivets and you have to be realistic. If you manage to get one going you must expect spilled oil, a cloud of hydrocarbons and an atrocious racket. The MOT test no doubt takes this into account.
"... a sophisticated exhaust note ..." Rarely have I heard it so described. I must point out the level of sophistication to my neighbours; they are unsophisticated people so probably haven't noticed.
Just put a worn out steel clutch basket on then they won't hear the exhaust anyway! I'm not aware of any difference in treatment by the Police due to bike type around here. However, I am aware of exhausts being raised by the Police when riding could be questioned but would be your word against theirs. It's easier for everyone if the thing they follow up is 100%. Having said that would you rather have a 7 day fix it and get proof from an MOT centre (can't think what they call it) or 3 points for speeding/riding "outside the law"? Generally I think we'd all admit that Ducati owners are more likely be ridden "outside the law" than Harleys, which just cruise around normally. I'm not aware of anyone ever getting stopped for loud exhausts, the Police have better things to do. As far as MOTs go, it's up to the owner to risk it or find a tester who is "friendly". If you turn up with "not for road use" all over your exhaust, what choice are you giving them? I believe that now they are allowed to use their discretion to some degree on whether the noise is excessive, unless the markings on the exhaust say otherwise.
no equipment for testing noise levels can be used during the test.. just the testers opinion of excessive
I prefer a harmonious blend of both. Saw a very pretty Xerox 999 yesterday. Must have had a slipper clutch or one of those multi finger basket thingies because despite an open clutch cover it only made a sort of soft tinkling noise. That's no good. And today I saw a nice 1199 with a full Termi system. Looked brand new but didn't sound right. People who buy Termis should be aware that those metal tubes shoved into the end of the cans are only there for packaging purposes. After fitting they should be removed and discarded. Failure to do so should be an MOT failure. :Smuggrin:
I love Harleys...Im so hard that I wear a leather jacket with skull & bones and pointy studs and a tattoo of my mates step-mother on my forearm, although I need a belt driven bike and not a chain as I don't want to mess me chrome up.
I never have a problem with my 998 which has Titanium Termi's on it. My local dealer MOT's a lot of older bikes but I don't think he sees too many Ducati's possibly none as I have never seen one there for testing or at any other point when I have dropped in. In my case I think they actually think that is what a stock bike should sound like! He failed my sons scooter once on noise though, it had no "not for road use" indication on his sports exhaust. I thought it was unreasonable the way my son described it, then I looked at it and found the expansion chamber had rotted right through. Not much could be said after that.
Why didn't you just tell them it was Italian and suffering from some electrical issues meaning it wouldn't start? Can the police force you to start your bike? How do they know it wasn't trailered to the meet or in a van? Sounds like you got turned over there, friend.
