I have nearly finished the rebuild of my M20 and after some tinkering it starts and runs nicely and on a short trip out I find that it has all 4 gears. Now the strip and final paint.
I need some advice on registration docs for use in UK. I would like to run it on the road. I have the green tax book which shows the bike was first registered in 1966. Henk has shown me the document which shows the bike was passed to the MOD in Nov 1940. Can I have the bike re-registered with a 1940 number and if so how do I do it? Do I need an MOT test? I cannot see it passing today's test. I have had a quote for insurance so that is organised. All help and advice greatly appreciated

email (option): araine11@hotmail.com

Get it insured first then its how long is a piece of string.I would have thought you already had a reg number .If it was first registered in 1966 you will need an mot it has to be made before 1960 to not need a test . If you have no reg number you will need an age related plate from the dvla .But if it says on the paperwork you have that its manufacture was before 1960 you will not need an mot but anyway get it insured first you can get a cover note on the frame number.

email (option): cooperbaumber@yahoo.com

Yes it has a reg no dated 1966. That was when it passed to private ownership.
What I would like is to have it registered as a 1940 model which is what it is.
I do not think it would pass a MOT as it has oil leakng from the usual places like the total loss gearbox bearing without a seal but I have not investigated this yet.

email (option): registration

I think the '1960' MOT exempt bit refers to vehicles registered with Swansea pre 1960. This unfortunately has nothing to do with manufacture date. If however you have sufficient documentation to prove it was made a specific year, which it seems you have, then you can get the DVLA to recognise/accept and record this info. My own bike was first registered post 1960 but was of 1945 manufacture. Swansea has this manufacture date on their records even though there is no reference to it on the V5. For that reason I can quite legally fill in a V(??) form at the Post Office declaring the vehicle is MOT exempt and get taxed etc just with the insurance. Personally I am quite happy to put it through an MOT as it gives me a 'second opinion' on the bits that matter - such as efficiency of brakes. Most MOT testers familiar with old Brit stuff are not going to fail it on a few drops of oil underneath it. I have no experience of trying to get an alternative 'manufacture year' V5 to replace a 'first registered with DVLA' V5. It might be easier to just apply for a V5 on the basis of pretending it is a barn find and just needs a document - and hope that no-one picks up on the frame number already being on record. Unfortunately that does seem to be one thing that computers do reasonably well :). Could be worth going in to your local office and discussing the situation, local offices can be quite helpful.

email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk

Sorry you will need an m o t and the dvla will give you an age related plate in your case 1966 or thereabouts put in motorcyle taxation in the search engine on this site theirs lots of threads about it. Dont worry about the oil leaks wipe them clean before the test it will pass their is no ww2 bike that doesnt leak oil?

email (option): cooperbaumber@yahoo.com

Get a dating letter from the MVT or BSA.O.C. It's possible to reclaim your reg number if it hasn't been sold on. But of course in your case that would probably mean a 'D' plate, which DVLA can change for an age related plate. It doesn't matter what year the bike is registered, DVLA can state "Declared year of manufacture" on the front of your new V5C.
It also doesn't matter what year your vehicle is built, for a first registration of say a barn find. YOU WILL NEED AN MOT!....I've been through all this at least a dozen times. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

adding to that, an MOT test on an older vehicle has different requirements to that of a modern vehicle & is far less stringent.
As for gear oil, with the correct level & the bike upright the gearbox oil is not going to run out of the drive bearing & when motoring the spiral grove in the sprocket spigot should keep it in.
If it has terrible oil leaks for other reasons then you want to sort them regardless of whether you are MOTing it really.

Keep the 1966 number as it's part of the bike's history. Getting a 1940 age related plate will be a hassle and will devalue the bike and confuse things for the next owner. You can still use a black and white plate as it's pre 1971.

I just registered my 1944 Ariel WNG at easter (so a month back)
I had no paperwork or anything to start from.

All hail the ariel club for my dating letter (and inspection).

Armed with this, it was two trips to DVLA
The first to process paperwork (insurance certificate on the frame number, aforementioned dating letter, plus forms of ID and £55) and the second for an inspection by DVLA.
You can avoid the first visit, if you are prepared to trust them with mailing in your forms of ID. I don't.

I did NOT need to present an MOT, as the vehicle was pre-1960.
I did, however, build it to pass an MOT (brakelight, rear reflector etc)

If you wanted to "forget" your 1966 plate then obtain a dating letter/evidence that DVLA will accept and follow the same path I did.
Not all DVLA offices seem to inspect.

Depends on what is more important.
Keeping the 1960's identity or not having to MOT ?
It would appear that a post 1960 vehicle is now slightly less valuable than a pre1960 one because of the arbitary MOT line. Pretty much what the 1972 tax status did .... I am not sure that would extend to an obviously WW2 machine

The othr thing to bear in mind, is that DVLA local offices are closing the end of the year. A month back they could not tell me what the process would be going forward. My advice is to make your decision and get it processed ASAP.

email (option): madoc500@hotmail.com

As usual it seems DVLA staff all have their own individual interpretation of the regulations. In our area an MOT is required for first registration of a pre 1960 vehicle?? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks to all those you offered a comment. I will go to the Norwich DVLA office and have a chat.

email (option): araine11@hotmail.com

If I'm reading it correctly, the bike has never had a modern V5 or V5c registration document and therefore the 1960s registration will not have been added to the DVLA computer.

This number can only be recovered on a non-transferable basis if documentation is produced. You can do this (if you wanted to) with the old log book but there is no compulsion to go through the reallocation procedure.

The simplest procedure will be to request an age-related number which will require an official confirmation of date of manufacture from either the VMCC or BSAOC. Regrettably, Henk is not accredited by DVLA as he probably has more accurate data than anybody. It wouldn't do to trust a foreigner though !

i am a little puzzled is the no MOT is it for vehicles registered before 1960 or manufactured before 1960 a person to contact re re-registering your bike is mike worthington williams a worthycomments@btconnect.com from the old bike mart paper and like john says if you can go to the DVLA in person at your local office they seem more helpful

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

It goes on manufactured date before 1960. If you don't want the 1966 registration I would get an age related number without telling them about the 1966 reg. As Rik said, it wont be on the DVLA computer anyway. I would rather have a 1940's reg than a 1966 "D" reg on a WW2 bike.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

If their is a bsa owners club they will be able to give you a dating certificate
send them a picture of the engine and frame number when you get this go to the dvla tell them you have just restored it and you MIGHT get an age related number take 55 pounds with you for the cost of paperwork. and GOOD LUCK.

email (option): cooperbaumber@yahoo.com

Arthur Norwich DVLA told me I didnt need a mot on a bike manufactured before 1960 to register it for the first time, Also I recovered my B33 original 1949 reg number as I had the RF60 log book also its transferable ( no notes on new V5C).Personally I would register it on the 1966 number as you have old log book then get a dating certificate from BSA owners club and get the manufactures date changed on V5C if they get it wrong, my B reg WM20 is down as 1964 manufactured I havent bothered to change it yet but I do have a dating certificate stating manufacture as 1941. Dave.

I think that is a sensible approach.

email (option): araine11@hotmail.com