www.zxrworld.co.uk

Not to do with a ZXR but hope someone may be able to point me in the right direction...

After I've finished my ZXR rebuild I'm going to make a start on restoring one of my old trials bikes (a Cotton with a 197cc Villiers 11E two stroke). Would love to get her on the road for green laning and the odd ride out but it's never been registered before. I want to avoid a Q plate - does anyone know how I can go about getting it road registered? Don't think the frame has a number although I'm sure the engine will have an engine number on it somewhere.

Cheers
Phil

To get a date-specific plate on an unregistered bike you have to get a certificate of dating from one of the approved clubs for that bike. They will charge for the service. They will need frame / engine number etc and will work out when the bike was made. You're going to have a problem with that as you don't have a frame number so I can't see how you can get anything other than a Q plate. The date goes on the frame, not the engine (which can be swapped).

However, when you apply to have the bike registered I'm pretty sure it is a legal requirement that the frame is numbered, so if there is no number on it I don't believe it can be registered at all. If you are caught with an un-numbered frame on the road I believe it's an offence as that's how nicked bikes get around.

Happy to be corrected but that's my understanding of the law.

Cheers for the info Tirpitz Think you are right in what you are saying. Been in touch with a couple of chaps in the Cotton Owners Club who've told me where to look for the frame numbers (stamped vertically on the headstock) and said they may be able to help with dating, so fingers crossed!

I suspect that if you look closely enough you will find a frame number...................I'd be surprised to think the Cotton would make a bike without a frame number of some kind on it.

Of course it could have also been removed in the past if say it had been stolen ( unlikely) but certainly the number could have been painted over

cargo wrote: but certainly the number could have been painted over

Yes, and definitely powdercoating obliterates frame numbers.

My old man stripped the bike down in '78 and painted the frame with primer so the chances are it'll be under the primer somewhere! Will try to get up there this weekend for a proper look.

how pleasing to have a civilised thread to read.

That number will be under there somewhere time to get the sander warmed up

When i applied for V5 for the frame i bought, It was registered as frame only.

I explained i had rebuilt the bike, they replied i would have to have it checked as i had used parts from different vehicles to rebuild it.

This is the test it had to go through. (passed by the way) to register it for road use, dvla issued the original plate for the frame.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Bu ... /DG_071781

Good luck

thats champion, cheers for the info and the link! Got my fingers crossed to find the frame number now! Won't be the end of the world if I don't find it as I have access to plenty of farm land to ride on but would definately be a bonus - will be able to fill the lanes around my manor with the pleasant scent of Castrol R! Will let you know what I find this weekend!

incidentally, this is what she looks like now:
....and this is what she should look like when finished (found this on the Cotton Motorcycles facebook group)