New EU legislation nearly there

[MrGrumpy]

Thank you Mr Data

Since you've obviously know rather more about the legislation than most, perhaps you could enlighten me a bit.

My impression from reports on the legislation would be that it would effectively rule out the fitment of any non-standard or even non official manufacturer part, even if it was only a pattern part and not a part designed for tuning. Is this true? (I realise the rules now only apply to smaller bikes). There is of course a rather fine line in scooter terms between a replacement exhaust (I dunno from GPR or someone) and a more tuning orientated one from Akrapovic! And what what about things like K&N air filters, or even EBC brake pads and disks, which are pure replacement parts and not intended to improve performance? How will the legislation affect them?

If it does outlaw such things, I think this is way OTT - I would have thought that EU competition law should enable us to make such choices not restrict them. And I would have thought that us as owners have a right to modify our own vehicles as we see fit - as long as they are not a safety hazard to ourselves and other road users (try defining what 'safety hazard' might mean in these circumstances!!!!).

And OK there are idiots who modify their bikes and cars very badly, but I guess this is what the MOT should be about. The link that seems to be made between 'tuning' and 'safety' is controversial to say the least. France banned bikes with more than 100bhp on safety grounds, with no evidence, and are now dropping the 100bhp limit. And the fact that the legislation doesn't apply to the more powerful bikes underlines the curious thinking behind it! Most accidents happen at quite low speeds (at junctions especially - he says, with the scars to prove it) easily achievable by any 125 scoot. Banning mods will not do anything to avoid most accidents, the majority of which are caused by bad riding and driving .

[Data]

Watcha Grumpy,

As far as I am aware from my conference the rules will not affect aftermarket things like pads and bulbs as long as they meet the same standard as the original parts for quality and performance. At least that was my take on what was said. Doesn't matter who makes em. This is in contradiction I realise with some of what you may read in some of the childrens mags. So who is right? My conference on this was in April this year so some things may have changed in the final stages of the proposal negotiations, but as I understand it there isn't much to worry about on that score so far. Exhausts will almost certainly be the same in that you can fit any make if it meets the same standard as the original for noise and emissions. At the time of the conference exhausts were a sticking point with some difficulty being encountered about the planned route on those. It may be that they will eventually be controlled more strictly with only a manufacturers original unit able to be fitted. I'll find out in a couple of weeks for sure when I get an update. This would bring us bikers into line with car owners who are also about to get a much tougher stance on exhausts and CAT removal which is common amongst car boy racers, and which filthies up the exhaust gases (and generally noise too). I think there are still some grey areas but personally I don't feel the need to worry about those as most of the regs seem genuinely useful so far especially in my own area of expertise. I guess we will have to wait and see for a few more months for the actual final proposals.

[MrGrumpy]

Watcha Grumpy,

At the time of the conference exhausts were a sticking point with some difficulty being encountered about the planned route on those. It may be that they will eventually be controlled more strictly with only a manufacturers original unit able to be fitted. I'll find out in a couple of weeks for sure when I get an update. This would bring us bikers into line with car owners who are also about to get a much tougher stance on exhausts and CAT removal which is common amongst car boy racers, and which filthies up the exhaust gases (and generally noise too)..

Well, if these regs stop chavs and moronic power-ranger and off-road bikers putting stupidly loud exhausts on, then this could be the silver lining to this cloud!!!

[Data]

Watcha Grumpy,

At the time of the conference exhausts were a sticking point with some difficulty being encountered about the planned route on those. It may be that they will eventually be controlled more strictly with only a manufacturers original unit able to be fitted. I'll find out in a couple of weeks for sure when I get an update. This would bring us bikers into line with car owners who are also about to get a much tougher stance on exhausts and CAT removal which is common amongst car boy racers, and which filthies up the exhaust gases (and generally noise too)..

Well, if these regs stop chavs and moronic power-ranger and off-road bikers putting stupidly loud exhausts on, then this could be the silver lining to this cloud!!!

You're not wrong!

[Mr Angry]

Capitano's going to be in trouble then, drilling through the cat is a no no

How are they going to deal with custom builders, trikes etc, SVA is going to be busy I think.

The good new is that yet again NABD were consulted and obtained exemptions for adapted bikes for disabled riders.

[Data]

Yep...any non standard stuff like that will be a definite no go. Special builds will be ok to but will have to pass some extra testing that shouldn't pose too many problems for anyone as long as they stick to the rules. So far, I can't see anything that will cause 99% of us any problems whatsoever.