Frequently Asked Questions
Do you balance the wheels when you change the tyres?
Do you repair punctured tyres?
The main reason being that a British Standard exists for tyre repairs which, amongst other things, specifically states that no repairs must be made to high speed Z-rated tyres – this is most radial tyres fitted to modern day bikes.
A lot of personal insurance policies now also state that you are not covered if you ride with a “plugged” tyre other than for emergencies only.
- Your bike must “have neither front nor rear position lamps” or have such lamps permanently disconnected, painted over or masked that are only to be used in daylight hours and not to be be used in times of reduced visibility.
- If a stop lamp is fitted it must meet the requirements of the inspection
- Registration plate must be fitted
- An audible warning device (horn) A horn is defined as an instrument, not being a bell, gong or siren, capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of the approach or the position of a vehicle.
Tyres are extremely important in keeping you safe on the road and, with only a credit-card sized ‘contact patch’ keeping you shiny-side up, there is not a lot of rubber anyway so you want the best possible tyre/grip available.
Due to the very nature of a part-worn tyre we do not know the history, or hidden condition of the tyre, and therefore cannot guarantee the quality of the internal structure or any damage, etc.
Therefore, for your safety, we DO NOT sell part-worn tyres under any circumstances.
Will you fit tyres that I have purchased elsewhere?
We DO NOT fit these tyres directly to the customer’s bike.
One of the main reasons being that if a problem is encountered with the tyre then the buck stops with us and we, here at SMC, are personally liable.
As the tyre wasn’t purchased through a recognised retail outlet (i.e. bought off Ebay) we have no recourse with the manufacturer under their warranty procedure for that tyre, should it be faulty.
That is a risk we are not willing to take.
I have a new bike. If you service it, will I still keep the Manufacturer’s Warranty?
We can service your bike and it will not affect your manufacturer warranty.
European Block Exemption rules mean manufacturers can’t invalidate your guarantee for not using a franchised dealer – as long as the garage follows the Manufacturer’s Service Schedule and uses Original Equipment parts.
We subscribe to an online system which details every aspect of the service schedules for all the various manufacturers. Therefore, you can rest-assured that your bike is being serviced as it should and all parts used here at SMC are always OE/TUV-approved specification.
Do I need a reflector for my mot?
Help us to help you – always have a reflector fitted and, if you have a small plate, please swap it for the standard size when bringing your bike in for an mot.
I’ve heard that Integrated LED lights are now an mot failure under the new rules, is that right?
Indicators fitted to the bike must have a minimum distance of 240cm between the front indicators and 180mm distance between the rear indicators.
HID (High Intensity Discharge) Lights. Are these now an mot failure too?
As long as the light passes all other aspects of the mot (beam tester, etc) then the bike will now pass an mot with a HID kit fitted.
What happens if my bike fails an mot?
There is absolutely no obligation to have any remedial work carried out by us. You are free to take your bike away and fix it yourself.
The only stipulation is that the bike is returned to the test centre, within 10 working days, for a free retest.
After the 10-day requirement another full test must then be carried out for which you will be charged a half-test fee.
Got any other questions?
Feel free to send us a message using the form and we'll get back to you as soon as we can - or you can always call us on 07803 609216.