Gaps in MOT history

[Cakey_]

Im currently in the market for an early R1 as a modern classic and long term keeper, my budget isn't huge so don't have the pick of the bunch.

I've seen a bike advertised on Facebook which has missed a lot of MOT'S, it ties in with the owner saying he's just kept it garaged and not used it much for the last 5 years that hes owned it but should I be worried by the amount of missed MOTs?
The bikes a 99 and there's nothing on the MOT system before 2006, its then missed MOT'S in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2021 and 2024.
In 2015 the mileage jumps up from 25kish miles to 50k miles then drops again the following year. Clocked or typo?

The mileage is still fairly low 27k which would suit it not being used much and just being parked in garages, could it have been used as a track bike hence the lack of MOT'S?

What do you think? Is this something to be worried about?

The bike seems good value assuming its not a lemon, its clean and tidy although no history but a lot of bikes don't have ive found when buying older stuff at the lower end of the market

[KTMsm]

Fairly common for bikes to be in the back of a garage for the odd year - particularly sports bikes

Highly unlikely anyone is going to do 25k a year on an R1 so I suspect it was a typo

The lack of history is always a concern but again unfortunately fairly common, as long as the bike looks right, rides right and is priced accordingly I'd buy it

[jjones]

50k would be around 31k miles, clocks may have been switched to km reading by the MOT operator when they were looking for the mileage.

[Drabbesttunic]

There won't be anything before 06 as that's when the online records began.

[Rubin215]

Gaps in the mot history don't bother me in the slightest; I have bikes in various stages of project or which I just haven't bothered mot'ing that will have 2 or 3 (or 10 or 15) years between tests.

Likewise, a sudden big jump in mileage followed by a sudden drop the following year doesn't worry me much; testers make mistakes either in recording it or even just reading the numbers in the first place.

[podman]

If your buying it as a classic bike with the intention of keeping hold of it for a few years with it potentially at least holding or possibly appreciating in value, the potential next purchaser will have the same questions as you, if it was me, unless it was markedly less expensive than a similar bike without the queries on it, id find another.

[Dog Star]

It’d be of no concern whatsoever. Plenty of times I’ve bikes with a handful of miles difference on the MOTs between years - the distance to the MOT and back home. In retrospect I shouldn’t have bothered.

My R1 has “gaps” in the service history - it’s a 2017 bike with 10k on it; I’m not getting the bike serviced when it’s spent 12 months under a fluffy cover. I had some non telling me that he wouldn’t buy it if I was trading it in as there would be “moisture in the oil”

[OutInTheShed]

Cakey_ said:

Im currently in the market for an early R1 as a modern classic and long term keeper, my budget isn't huge so don't have the pick of the bunch.

I've seen a bike advertised on Facebook which has missed a lot of MOT'S, it ties in with the owner saying he's just kept it garaged and not used it much for the last 5 years that hes owned it but should I be worried by the amount of missed MOTs?
The bikes a 99 and there's nothing on the MOT system before 2006, its then missed MOT'S in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2021 and 2024.
In 2015 the mileage jumps up from 25kish miles to 50k miles then drops again the following year. Clocked or typo?

The mileage is still fairly low 27k which would suit it not being used much and just being parked in garages, could it have been used as a track bike hence the lack of MOT'S?

What do you think? Is this something to be worried about?

The bike seems good value assuming its not a lemon, its clean and tidy although no history but a lot of bikes don't have ive found when buying older stuff at the lower end of the market

I'm not sure I see 27k as low miles for a sportsbike.

It's an old bike now, condition is what matters.
Even if you had stacks of 'history', you'd never know what you weren't being told.
You see some bikes with no history which have been meticulously owner maintained, you see some with 'full history' which means they see an apprentoid in a shiny showroom once a year.

Could it have done 25k miles in a year? Then had the clocks changed?
Possibly. I've known people do these miles commuting.

Equally a lot of people who've got a bike and hang on to it, SORN it, rather than sell, because they hope to use it next year, or simply like having it in the garage as reserve transport.

It's an old performance bike. The engine might go BANG! next year. There's a lot of other bits that could keep you busy or cost you a lot if you don't DIY.
No guarantees, you could lose money on it. I've always been happy to own bikes and cars on that basis.

[trickywoo]

I’d be having an extra look over with track work in mind. Are the fairings original? If so is the wear consistent with the mileage. I’d be more worried if they are pristine as it would suggest they haven’t been on the bike for it’s whole life.

[Acuity30]

Not much help but once a year or so I like to check the MOT history of bikes I used to own. Some had done as little as 30 miles a year. Presumably to and from the test centre. So it wouldn't surprise me if some owners just hold onto bikes, perhaps hoping they've got a future classic, and so can't be bothered to spend the time and money to insure and MOT/tax.
As long as the VIN matches up and it's had a thorough checking over I wouldn't be too concerned.

[A500leroy]

There's one at Mathewsons this month but it is a cat bike, looks in reasonable fetal though.

[MesoForm]

Acuity30 said:

Not much help but once a year or so I like to check the MOT history of bikes I used to own. Some had done as little as 30 miles a year. Presumably to and from the test centre. So it wouldn't surprise me if some owners just hold onto bikes, perhaps hoping they've got a future classic, and so can't be bothered to spend the time and money to insure and MOT/tax.
As long as the VIN matches up and it's had a thorough checking over I wouldn't be too concerned.

My bike has had a couple of years where the mileage is just to and from the test centre as life has got in the way of spending much time on it. I haven’t got rid of it as it’s not really costing much money to tax / insure it, it’s no longer depreciating (2013 Street Triple R), I don’t need the cash so I’m just keeping it for those days I can use it.