whats it worth

[Doctor Big]

Might be able to offer some proper advice on this one. I`ve been the Tech Officer for the Suzuki OC for donkeys years and I come across this sort of thing on a daily basis. Essentially, if a bike has not been taxed (or sorned) for five years then it drops off their main system onto a secondary system. They either cannot or will not access that system for you at DVLA (though the police etc have access) and you have to go through the following process....
You will need a dating letter from the Honda OC to confirm year of manufacture. This will probably cost you about £20.
You will need to get it MOT`ed on the chassis number.
You will need to get it insured on the chassis number
Fill out form V55A at your local DVLA, who will then come to inspect the vehicle to ascertain that it is indeed as stated and all numbers match. They will then sting you for about £50 registration fee and a years tax and issue an age related plate that is non transferable.
This will probably cost you as much as the bike is worth and is not worth it.
As has been suggested, clean out the carb thoroughly, fill up with super and get it running even if you have to buy a battery. Advertise it as is in the Motorcycle Mechanics or the Honda OC mag or similar, and let someone else have the hassle of registering it. There will be any number of people out there who will pay good money for it if it runs ok.
I recently had one where the bloke had owned a K10P (80cc mini trailie thingy) from new in 1965, but had been ill for some time and hadn`t taxed it for about 8 years. The DVLA made him go through the above process despite him having all the old buff/red/green log books, every MOT, and even the original bill of sale. He would have got a different reg as well if I hadn`t written to DVLA on his behalf saying it was a historic vehicle of some importance....lol
Hope this helps

[plumber carl]

valid points there and im sure the dvla have some rule were there's a fine of some sort involved i think its been off the road since 1979 or 1980 got the tax disk somewhere

[Bill Badger]

Essentially, if a bike has not been taxed (or sorned) for five years then it drops off their main system onto a secondary system. They either cannot or will not access that system for you at DVLA (though the police etc have access) and you have to go through the following process....
You will need a dating letter from the Honda OC to confirm year of manufacture. This will probably cost you about £20.
You will need to get it MOT`ed on the chassis number.
You will need to get it insured on the chassis number
Fill out form V55A at your local DVLA, who will then come to inspect the vehicle to ascertain that it is indeed as stated and all numbers match. They will then sting you for about £50 registration fee and a years tax and issue an age related plate that is non transferable.

I could understand this if there is no V5 or (V5C), but there must be hundreds of enthusiasts out there who haven't taxed their bikes for more than 5 years. There must also be enthusiasts or collectors who don't have their bikes on SORN because they don't legally have to because of the time cut off from when they were last taxed. Are you saying that they may have to go through a registration process in order to tax the bikes even if they have the V5?

If I may also question the inspection side of what you say, I have registered two or three imported bikes using a similar process (V55), but have managed to do it all by post. I am aware that they may want to inspect the vehicle, but that is then up to the owner to take the bike to their chosen DVLA office, should inspection be necessary.

Lastly, obtaining a V5C document for a vehicle that already exists on the DVLA system although the V5C is not in the possession of the keeper should surely not require an MOT.

I realise I've gone off the track of the XL125S in question, for which I apologise, but you've got me worried, Dr Big.

[Doctor Big]

I`ll try and answer your points as best as I can. Remember, it wasn`t me that set up the stupid system, I`ve just had to suffer it for many years like everyone else. I have done hundreds of dating letters etc over the years and managed to guide everyone through the process successfully, though I`m sure I can`t quote every paragraph in the DVLA guide verbatim.

"If I may also question the inspection side of what you say, I have registered two or three imported bikes using a similar process (V55), but have managed to do it all by post. I am aware that they may want to inspect the vehicle, but that is then up to the owner to take the bike to their chosen DVLA office, should inspection be necessary."

Well, it would appear it depends on your local DVLA office, some insist on inspection, some don`t. The last time I registered one personally, a DVLA apparatchik with an attitude problem came out and gave me a hard time before handing over paperwork. From the feedback I`ve had, most are pretty good. DVLA in Swansea are complete and utter tossers though, but everyone knows that.

I could understand this if there is no V5 or (V5C), but there must be hundreds of enthusiasts out there who haven't taxed their bikes for more than 5 years. There must also be enthusiasts or collectors who don't have their bikes on SORN because they don't legally have to because of the time cut off from when they were last taxed. Are you saying that they may have to go through a registration process in order to tax the bikes even if they have the V5?

From my understanding of it, you are committing an offence if you knowingly do not SORN your vehicle, as quoted by the last DVLA person I talked to. Yes, even if you have the V5 and a ton of paperwork you will still need to go through this process if it hasn`t been taxed or SORNed in the past five years. The likelihood of getting your original registration back is approximately zero unless you can demonstrate that the vehicle in question is of historic importance.

Lastly, obtaining a V5C document for a vehicle that already exists on the DVLA system although the V5C is not in the possession of the keeper should surely not require an MOT.

As stated earlier, if it hasn`t been taxed or sorned in the past five years they will not issue a V5. It drops off the system after 5 years and that`s it, tuff matey. They can retrieve off the secondary system but only for Mr Plod etc. I had one recently where a BMW car was spotted with a reg off an old GT 380 that hadn`t been used for years. The bike owner told the police and DVLA who both said it was on the car legitimately. Even though he still had the V5 the reg had been sold to Mr BMW a couple of years previously. It seems you don`t own the reg no, just hire it on an annual basis.

The reason DVLA brought in the new system a few years ago was because a few of our friends out there that like stealing and ringing cars/bikes were abusing the old system on an industrial scale. Apparently there were untold numbers of expensive cars disappearing to eastern europe using the reg no of old bangers and old bikes etc. They have made the system very tight indeed now, which means those of us with "projects" end up jumping through lots of hoops.

If in doubt ring your local DVLA.

Re the original XL 125, there is no way he will get a V5 without going through the process I`ve described.

Hope this helps

[Doctor Big]

I`ll try and answer your points as best as I can. Remember, it wasn`t me that set up the stupid system, I`ve just had to suffer it for many years like everyone else. I have done hundreds of dating letters etc over the years and managed to guide everyone through the process successfully, though I`m sure I can`t quote every paragraph in the DVLA guide verbatim.

"If I may also question the inspection side of what you say, I have registered two or three imported bikes using a similar process (V55), but have managed to do it all by post. I am aware that they may want to inspect the vehicle, but that is then up to the owner to take the bike to their chosen DVLA office, should inspection be necessary."

Well, it would appear it depends on your local DVLA office, some insist on inspection, some don`t. The last time I registered one personally, a DVLA apparatchik with an attitude problem came out and gave me a hard time before handing over paperwork. From the feedback I`ve had, most are pretty good. DVLA in Swansea are complete and utter tossers though, but everyone knows that.

I could understand this if there is no V5 or (V5C), but there must be hundreds of enthusiasts out there who haven't taxed their bikes for more than 5 years. There must also be enthusiasts or collectors who don't have their bikes on SORN because they don't legally have to because of the time cut off from when they were last taxed. Are you saying that they may have to go through a registration process in order to tax the bikes even if they have the V5?

From my understanding of it, you are committing an offence if you knowingly do not SORN your vehicle, as quoted by the last DVLA person I talked to. Yes, even if you have the V5 and a ton of paperwork you will still need to go through this process if it hasn`t been taxed or SORNed in the past five years. The likelihood of getting your original registration back is approximately zero unless you can demonstrate that the vehicle in question is of historic importance.

Lastly, obtaining a V5C document for a vehicle that already exists on the DVLA system although the V5C is not in the possession of the keeper should surely not require an MOT.

As stated earlier, if it hasn`t been taxed or sorned in the past five years they will not issue a V5. It drops off the system after 5 years and that`s it, tuff matey. They can retrieve off the secondary system but only for Mr Plod etc. I had one recently where a BMW car was spotted with a reg off an old GT 380 that hadn`t been used for years. The bike owner told the police and DVLA who both said it was on the car legitimately. Even though he still had the V5 the reg had been sold to Mr BMW a couple of years previously. It seems you don`t own the reg no, just hire it on an annual basis.

The reason DVLA brought in the new system a few years ago was because a few of our friends out there that like stealing and ringing cars/bikes were abusing the old system on an industrial scale. Apparently there were untold numbers of expensive cars disappearing to eastern europe using the reg no of old bangers and old bikes etc. They have made the system very tight indeed now, which means those of us with "projects" end up jumping through lots of hoops.

If in doubt ring your local DVLA.

Re the original XL 125, there is no way he will get a V5 without going through the process I`ve described.

Hope this helps

[Bill Badger]

Staying off topic slightly Dr Big, if the registered keeper of a vehicle has a V5 (or perhaps more importantly, a V5C), and has been the keeper for the last ten or fifteen years, will they be able to tax the vehicle ok? Just checking on this one since this is probably more relative to collectors, ie they aren't new keepers. Does a lack of activity mean the DVLA wipe off the record?

The SORN thing that was touched on only came into force since 31st Jan 1998, so if your vehicle tax expired before this date, SORN is not applicable.

[Doctor Big]

Does a lack of activity mean the DVLA wipe off the record?

From my experience of quite a number of angry owners, the answer is yes. I just think the system is set up so that 5 years of inactivity will ensure you lose your registration. I wouldn`t argue with you about the need for sorn if it`s pre 98, though the DVLA may take a different view. As you say, there are hordes of collectors out there who probably don`t realise their CB750/GT750/H2750 or whatever, can`t go straight back on the road if/when they restore the old girl.
Of course, it all about about this hateful government making lots of money from us, but I digress...................

[Lumiya]

All V5's should have been automatically replaced by V5C's within the last few years

[MCsanandreas]

All V5's should have been automatically replaced by V5C's within the last few years

some slip thru the system. my XL250S had been off the road since 1986 and did not have the new V5C until i put it in my name. i did get to keep the original reg.no without any probs tho.