Front brakes - Quite useful things, really.

[janno]

My poor old bicycule's front brakes have never been that great. I went from a one year old SV650 to a 19 year old Honda NT650 and just put the difference down to age.

But I'd noticed that grabbing a handful was really not doing much lately. Pussy decided it would be a good idea to change the brake fluids - and discovered that it hadn't been changed since about approximately 1902. Cloudy, sludgey and with pretty bits of crud floating in it. Plus some air to add a bit of excitement.

All of a sudden I can now stop briskly if I have to, and brake lever travel has halved.

The point of all this (apart from saying a big thankyou to Pussy) is that for people like me who have only ridden a handful of bikes (four . . .) it is too easy to dismiss any worries and put it down to your own inexperience, especially if others say - nah, she's right. If something on your bike doesn't feel right, get it looked at! And if you are still not happy, get advice from more than one person.

Brakes is good . . .

[MSTRS:Me]

If something on your bike doesn't feel right, get it looked at! And if you are still not happy, get advice from more than one person.

Excellent advice.
Or, you can get help for paranoia these days....

[Duc]

Who gave it a WOF?

They could have killed you!

[car]

Who gave it a WOF?

They could have killed you!

Meh. Was it on fire at the time of the test? No? Then why would you expect it to fail a WoF?

In the just over a year I've been here I've seen vehicles pass WoF that had cracked fork springs, warped brake rotors, worn suspension bushes, knackered shock absorbers and punctured tyres. Different stations every one, as well, so it's not like I've found just one bad garage. I can only conclude that it's a complete waste of everyone's time.

[Duc]

That maybe so and makes an even greater point. I assume if you say its a waste of time you dont bother getting one then. Good luck but WOFs are not only for the safety of the vehicle owner.

I trust my life to my bike shop to give it a WOF only if it deserves it.

[janno]

I brought this bike over with me from Queensland, where you only do a Safety Cert when you sell it.

It went through the wof fine here, but I suspect people were not to worried about the brakes because it's an old bike, therefore won't have nice, sharp brakes like a new one. Dunno.

Anyway, me got's brakes now. The world's me tasty mollusc.

[car]

I trust my life to my bike shop to give it a WOF only if it deserves it.

I wouldn't trust a WoF to save me from anything.

[car]

I brought this bike over with me from Queensland, where you only do a Safety Cert when you sell it.

Yeah, and in the UK, an MoT test is usually pretty thorough, and should have caught your crappy brake performance. I'd be quite happy with either end of the spectrum, what I find a bit annoying is that I'm required to waste my time and money taking vehicles to get a WoF every six months when they are at best "cursory" and at worst "bloody useless".

[car]

That maybe so and makes an even greater point. I assume if you say its a waste of time you dont bother getting one then. Good luck but WOFs are not only for the safety of the vehicle owner.

[Sorry, I missed replying to this bit.]

I'm not sure where you get the evidence to make that leap, that for some reason I don't get my vehicles WoF'd. I'd have thought it fairly obvious from the list of faults I cited that weren't caught by WoF, that I've visited a testing station or two.

The WoF is a waste of time and money. I waste that time and money because I am legally required to do so. However, I wouldn't trust a fresh WoF as an assertion that the vehicle is safe to use, even on the ride home from the testing station.

[Duc]

Sorry for the previous assumption.

Why not get it done by someone you trust more seeing as its obligatory.

I guess I trust mine a bit more because the guys that service the bike do the WOF and we get a chance to discuss the issues. Being on a first name basis helps.

Even my last service I was told stuff that we need to look at sooner or later and some of that is WOF related.

[nadroj]

Yeah, and in the UK, an MoT test is usually pretty thorough, and should have caught your crappy brake performance. I'd be quite happy with either end of the spectrum, what I find a bit annoying is that I'm required to waste my time and money taking vehicles to get a WoF every six months when they are at best "cursory" and at worst "bloody useless".

A WOF is only an audit to see if your vehicle is being maintained to the required level using the regs & experience of the tester.
Having been a certifier of modified vehicles I can assure you there is a wide range of who thinks what is safe. Unfortunately we all have to live by the same rules & get our wheels inspected - at a price anyone should be prepared to pay incase you miss something & they pick it up potentially saving your & others butts.
I did have a stationary feel of Janno's front brake lever & felt that although it was not 100% that it was safe with the owner knowing it's performance & riding accordingly.

[car]

Sorry for the previous assumption.

Why not get it done by someone you trust more seeing as its obligatory.

I guess I trust mine a bit more because the guys that service the bike do the WOF and we get a chance to discuss the issues. Being on a first name basis helps.

Even my last service I was told stuff that we need to look at sooner or later and some of that is WOF related.

That's good advice, and good service -- I wouldn't mind if my WoF had been to that standard.

[ynot slow]

Agree with you Jan,after I bought my bike the tacho needed attention,was simple fix,but was told my master cylinder was knackered,got it fixed and has passed wof every time since.Comment was that as it's a 21yr old the brakes do lock up for wof stds,but unlike new bike there is a bit of play,not spongy.I thought it was ok when bought so knew no difference.Also a wof no matter where it's issued is only relevant on the day issued,as check is only done on that day,the onus is on us to check the thing.