Street legal Norton Manx? Has anyone done it?

Fast Eddie said:
Well yeah, I kinda got that!
But is it the same for a daytime only bike?
Just seems kinda strange that we can ‘self declare’ a bike as roadworthy with no lights etc!

Or does raking the lights off constitute significant enough modification to make it require an MOT ??
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You are required to keep your bike legal in terms of the Road Traffic Act Construction & Use Regs. The so-called “daytime MoT is just an MoT with an advisory note saying it’s not for use in darkness (or something like that, I’ve never seen one).

So far as I have seen and can recollect, your bike can be disqualified from free tax and MoT exemption, by major modifications. Don’t take my word as law, but I don’t call removal of ancillaries like lights a major modification.

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles

“You do not need to get an MOT if:

  • the vehicle was built or first registered more than 40 years ago
  • no ‘substantial changes’ have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years, for example replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine to change the way the vehicle works
If you’re not sure if there have been any substantial changes you can:


There is a list of modifications somewhere. I bet the VMCC and the owners’ clubs are well up in it.
 
Yes, I was aware the change of vehicle description (taxation, or more accurately: exemption from, class) had to be requested, but I'm sure there was another 'tick box' somewhere along the line for the MOT exemption too...
 
"he’d spin the back wheel by hand to start it up."
I regularly started my Manx this way in the workshop. I put the ease down to considerable valve overlap. Jam a pencil in the twistgrip to give a small throttle opening, and let her rip.
A four step push start would probably work, I always used six, and by four steps I would hear the opposition making plonking sounds behind me. I'd ignore this and at six I'd drop the clutch and get aboard side saddle. It never failed to start. There was no power to speak of below 5,000 so I'd hold the throttle full open and control the revs with the clutch, keeping the needle on 8,000. Front wheel in the air, and when it started to come down get the leg over and into second gear.

A well-known member of an officially frowned on motorcycle club here in New South Wales rode a Manx on the road in the early 1970s. The story is that he would stick a handkerchief in the carburettor bellmouth to keep the rain out when parked, and one night he came out of the pub and forgot to remove the handkerchief before he started it. Had to lift the head to get his handkerchief back.
 
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