Update 019
Two steps forward and one step backward
As I move nearer to getting the bike ready for the road I have been looking at the procedure for registration here in the UK. Before being able to use the bike “on the road” I will have to have an MSVA inspection (Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval), which will be carried out at a regional testing centre run by central government. By comparison with some of the alarming and confusing regulations that seem to come up in forum posts about the US system, our system is quite straightforward and clearly documented. But it’s not easy! Hence the “one step backward” nature of this update.
When I started the build, there were many parts that I made as experiments. Sometimes this was to try out an idea, sometimes it was to save time, but the outcome was often that the standard of engineering was just “OK”. Now though, I find myself revising my design in some areas as I consider how a vehicle examiner (probably lacking enthusiasm for untried designs) might react to this project. So I’ve built a new (more compliant) front section of the bike. The image below shows the new (grey) front end fitted in place of the first attempt.
Its painful to take things apart! However, it’s a necessary evil. Thankfully I anticipated problems like this at the outset, and I designed the bike in three sections, so it could be taken apart and each section could be replaced individually. Now the new improved, and hopefully legal section is in place I can quickly catch up to where I was.
Next I have to think about the exact specification to present the bike for testing. Many parts of the design are not required by law, but if I fit them they must comply! So the ideal solution is to only do the bare minimum requirement, but do it well. But its gonna look weird!