So how good is the WOF on your bike?

[Dave C]

Had an interesting experience yesterday - I remembered the SV's warrant was overdue, so to get it done quickly just went along to the local VTNZ testing station. What followed reminded me why I stopped going to testing stations years ago, in favour of going to bike shops.

The 'inspection' the VTNZ guy gave the bike was cursory to say the least. A check of the lights and indicators, a bit of a prod at the front brake lever, a general look around. What I am 100% sure he did not adequately check included the swing arm and steering head bearings, the rear brake, the horn, the front wheel bearings. Maybe the guy saw a late-ish model well maintained bike (which it is) and so wasn't bothered, but my worry would be that if a 'newbie' on a typical learner bike (something that has done a few k's and taken the odd knock) got the same level of 'safety' check and was issued a warrant, that person might be fooled into thinking their bike was o.k. even if it had some pretty major flaws.

The moral of the story is - go to a good bike shop for your warrant. They might be more likely to fail it, and we all hate paying out the $$ to put something right, but better that than to have something go pear shaped when you are on the road!

[Indiana_Jones]

i'm with you Dave. Back alley wreckers and testing stations might give you an easy WOF, but any biker with abit of know how, knows what needs fixing and what doesn't etc. I don't take WOFs as a bill of health, but only as a formality for insurance etc.

-Indy

[Steam]

I went to a VTNZ last time, and as soon as they saw my bike they had THREE guys swarming all over it. Perhaps they were taking the time to do some teaching of the new guys, but I was very impressed.
It failed on a few points, easily fixed by me and a spanner, I will definitely go there again.
I have heard terrible things about OnRoad testing stations though, but I guess it changes from place to place depending on who is testing.

[vifferman]

I go to "a good bike shop", but even so, the checking is a a little arbitrary, possibly because he knows my bike well, and checks only things he isn't intimately familiar with from having worked on it.
It doesn't worry me - I am confident that between the two of us we make sure the bike is safe.

And the important thing is my non-OEM zorst passes. I've been told if it was unreasonably loud it wouldn't, but I'm glad to do without the total arbitrariness and bureaucracy I used to endure at the testing station.

[avgas]

i dunno man - i go to bike shops for wof, cos vtnz have fucked me round too much. You must have got a good guy on a good day.

[j_redley]

I'd say it totally depends on the tester, and the day. Some of em are pricks who know next to nothing about cars, let alone bikes. Some of em are good guys who give you a thorough check. Chances are when my bikes first due, I'l take it to a VTNZ same as the car, and see what happens.

[bistard]

I totally agree,avoid testing stations,they dont even ride the bloody thing
I doubt very much whether half of them have ever rideen abike,let alone know whats what,go to BIKE SHOP everytime
Help keep the Motorcycle Industry alive

[slinky]

i needed to set my full.
got out the old 250, make sure it ran (cleaned carbs multiple times)
- it has no 3rd gear.
- it feels unstable at high speed.
the tester pointed out the front brake pads are almost non existent, i said i was getting wof to sit full, so he writes in the needs assistance, front brake pads and said to get some. which was good of him.
both tyres are balled in the centre, so he checks the edge which has planty of tread.
he checked the lights. grabbed a couple of things nad made sure they weren't loose.
didn't check anything else, didn't even check to see if the brakes actually stopped me.
he either had no idea what he was doing. Or he just figured if i could get this bike to a wof station it must be ok to ride.

[bikemike]

I had mine done a couple of weeks ago, also at a VTNZ station.

In the time it took for me to hand over the keys, walk down the hall, pour a coffee, sit down and open a goss mag, the chief came in and said it's all done. I was gobsmacked.

I resent paying for that given that it would be impossible to check for road worthiness in that time. Also, there's no road test, WTF.

So I went home and checked it over again myself. Yes, what about newbies, or anyone not mechanically minded? I assumed my experience was a one off, but seems it's endemic. More easy choices to make it seem like something is being done...

[dhunt]

Well I've had both good and bad experiences at both Bike shops and testing stations. Where they've failed on things that shouldn't have failed and passed on things that maybe shouldn't have passed. A lot of it comes down to the person doing the test and what sort of frame of mind he is in at the time. Personally I expect my bikes to pass where ever I get a WOF because I like to have a safe bike and keep it up to WOF standards.

If they don't pass it's generally on something that the tester has decided isn't up to their standard for the day or some other stupid reason and it gets me annoyed and generally I don't go back again. If they honestly find a problem that I haven't spotted then good on them.

[Motu]

Sounds like there should be an owner inpection option for W'soF - the owner obviously knows much more about the testing criteria than the AVIC....there would be a substantial discount with this option too.

[scumdog]

Shee-it I'm sure there's a certain sector of KB that WANT a tester as per the first post on the thread.!!!

[WRT]

I've had mixed experiences with cars/bikes at both VTNZ/repairers. At the end of the day, I treat a WOF as a formality of the "rubber stamp" variety. AT NO POINT do I rely on THEM to tell ME something is wrong with my vehicle. I take personal responsiblity for the safety of my vehicles, however when getting one serviced I make sure to request that the mechanic gives the whole car a look-see just as an extra set of eyes.

I certainly dont rely on the fulla at VTNZ to tell me my car or bike is unsafe, and I definitely dont complain when his quick check gets me out the door and back on the road in record time. In fact, I'm more inclined to thank the bugger!

[Ixion]

Shee-it I'm sure there's a certain sector of KB that WANT a tester as per the first post on the thread.!!!

Well, I certainly do.

I know my bikes. I know the regulations, as per the VIR manual.

And over 40 years I've learned what's safe and what's not. For me. Most of my bikes are old. Some things are not bright and shiney anymore. You learn what you can ride around and what needs to be up to scratch.

So when I take a bike for a WoF it's not to find out whether it's safe or not. I already know that. And I don't want to spend half an hour arguing with an 18 year old who thinks that the headlamp is dim, and flickers . It was like that the day after it left the factory. It's 40 years old, they had a different standard for such things then. I just want them to apply the rubber stamp and let me be on my way.

Cages, is a bit different, because I can't be shagged to grovel underenath to check things out.

[onearmedbandit]

Sounds like there should be an owner inpection option for W'soF - the owner obviously knows much more about the testing criteria than the AVIC....there would be a substantial discount with this option too.

Sounds like a damn good idea Motu, I second it.