2016 Rieju MRT 0.1L Petrol · PL66 UPS

The most recent DVSA MOT test, conducted on 28 March 2025, resulted in a Pass, though a notable advisory was issued regarding slight play in the rear wheel bearing, recorded under section 5.1.3 (a) (i) of the inspection manual. The immediately preceding test on 5 April 2024 was a clean Pass and free of any advisories or defects. While the vehicle is fundamentally roadworthy and has not yet tipped into the failure category, the emergence of a suspension-related advisory on the most recent examination suggests that the maintenance trajectory is shifting from a stable, clean record towards the early stages of mechanical wear. Prospective buyers should not view the Pass as a definitive clean bill of health; instead, the advisory must be treated as an early warning that warrants thorough physical verification prior to purchase. The recorded mileage of 1,729 miles against a vehicle of approximately ten years of age equates to a remarkably low annual usage rate of around 173 miles per year, which is exceptionally low even for a small-capacity machine of this type. This usage profile strongly suggests a vehicle that has either experienced prolonged periods of standing or has been used only intermittently for short journeys, both of which carry distinct mechanical implications. Unlike high-mileage examples where component fatigue and wear are the primary concerns, a low-mileage motorcycle of this age is far more susceptible to time-based degradation, including the drying and perishing of rubber components, internal corrosion of braking surfaces, oxidation of exposed metalwork, and the natural degradation of lubricants and fluids irrespective of whether they have been turned over regularly. Given the low annual mileage and the ten-year age of the machine, a prospective buyer should undertake a methodical physical inspection focused on age-related deterioration rather than conventional wear patterns. The tyres should be examined closely for sidewall cracking, perishing, and brittleness, as rubber compounds degrade significantly with age even if the tread depth remains adequate, and any tyres fitted for more than five or six years should be replaced as a matter of safety regardless of remaining tread. The braking system requires particular scrutiny, as prolonged standing can lead to corrosion on the brake discs and pitting of the friction surfaces, alongside the risk of seized or binding calipers; the brake fluid should also be considered due for replacement purely on a calendar basis, as hydraulic fluid is hygroscopic and loses effectiveness over time. The rear wheel bearing flagged in the recent advisory should be inspected for any lateral play, roughness, or notchiness when the wheel is rotated by hand, and the swingarm pivot, suspension linkages, and linkage bearings should be checked similarly for stiffness or free play resulting from inactivity. Further inspection points should include a thorough check of the 12-volt battery, which is highly likely to require replacement or at the very least a professional load test, given the typical service life of three to five years and the standing time the vehicle will have endured. The fuel system should be evaluated for stale fuel residue, varnish deposits, or degraded flexible lines, and the carburettor or throttle body should be inspected for blockages or sticking controls. All electrical functions, including lighting, indicators, and instrument cluster operation, should be verified, as corrosion on connectors and switches frequently develops during long storage periods. Finally, the oil and filter should be changed as a matter of course, and the drive chain, sprockets, and cables inspected for surface corrosion and stiff operation. Given the cumulative effect of a decade of low usage on multiple systems, a pre-purchase inspection by a motorcycle specialist familiar with small-capacity European machines would be strongly recommended to identify issues beyond those captured in the relatively sparse MOT history.