[St] UK Reg, MSVA, and Maximum Road Speed

["Peter Chittum" <motopeter@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ok...several months ago, I wrote about starting the process of getting my CA
spec bike registered in the UK after shipping it over. Here's my status
update, and a question.

It's been slow...mostly due to my being way too busy at work, and partly due
to the bureaucracy of the UK government. For those interested, here is the
list of stuff I have to have in order to register my bike in the UK. It is
complicated by the fact that my bike was manufactured for the California
market, even though, from what I'm told, at the time (2001) the specs for a
California bike exceeded the safety and emissions specs for a UK/EU market
bike. But so it goes. The list is:
1. UK Insurance Certificate (insured against the VIN).
2. Proof of Identity (passport)
3. Proof of residency (any utility bill will do)
4. MOT test (this tests basic road-worthiness of my bike, brakes, lights,
and other stuff)
5. Customs and Excise form stating that I legally imported it
6. Letter from Triumph stating the make, model, VIN, and date of manufacture
7. California Title of Ownership
8. Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval test certificate

It is the last item that I'm working on right now. And this is my question.
The application form asks for a 'Maximum Road Speed'. Here's the thing.
Triumph don't like to give this out. It's too late here to talk to anyone,
and they have been frankly slow to get back to me. So given the following
parameters, what would the maximum speed of my motorcycle be:

Standard Rear Sprocket
18T Front Sprocket
Maximum RPM of 9700
Tire Circumference: 180/55/17 Metzler Z6

Shouldn't you be able to take all of that and come up with a theoretical
maximum speed? Can anyone with decent math skills and data come up with a
reasonable max speed I could put down? If I have to I'll wait until Monday
and call Triumph again, but they won't process my application until I
provide this.

For those interested, you can read on about the other stuff I've had to do.

I was led to believe that the MOT test would require a lot of changes to my
bike. First off, people were saying that I'd need a new set of head lights,
or they would have to tape them off. I'm not sure how, but apparently, my
bike passed...no modifications necessary. I was somewhat puzzled by this,
but when I asked the tester, he said, 'yeah...I'm surprised, but it tested
ok.'. I've learned in such situations not to press for answers! So my MOT
ended up being a complete breeze, and I don't have to shell out for a new
headlight assembly. This also might make it easier for me to cross over into
the continent as technically I have a left-hand-drive-country head light.
We'll see...will report on that later.

So now the MSVA. This test I guess makes sure that the basic components of
my bike meet the criteria that would be adequate to operate in the EU/UK.
It's a relatively new test for imports, foisted upon the UK by their EU
membership. Not that I'm complaining...this is just what all the brits I
talk to say. So here's another question...anyone else out there had to go
through one of these for an imported bike?

In general, the people to whom I've spoken at the VOSA have been helpful,
and have mostly known what they were talking about (unlike a lot of other
people I've talked to in the british utilities, governments, banking
institutions). Unfortunately, Triumph themselves have not been very
responsive either. I did talk to one guy today that was really helpful at
finding out the actual date of manufacture of my bike. And the first letter
of manufacture they sent didn't even have my motorcycle VIN on it...it was
for someone else's bonnie.

Once I complete the process, I'll pipe in again and share my final thoughts
(after a few good few days of riding). Boy, this beautiful fall weather
we've had in So. England is just killing me that I can't take my bike on the
road!!! Happy riding everyone...I'll be out there again soon!

Anyone have a OEM luggage rack they want to sell for a 2001 ST? I missed one
on eBay a few weeks ago and still looking.

Pete
-- 
Peter Chittum
'01 BRG ST
Farnham, Surrey, UK
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