Modifying your bike could be made illegal: New plans that could make fitting non-OEM parts a crime

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yeah pretty much, but you're reliant on the judgement of the MOT guy....and we all know about "friendly" MOTers right?

[DefTrap]

Yeah pretty much, but you're reliant on the judgement of the MOT guy....and we all know about "friendly" MOTers right?

It's always a mixed bag - my MOT man passed my TT with an advisory "needs new tyres". The very next day the local garage tried to write it off, to my missus, with a list of further "dangerous" issues as long as your arm. Back to the MOT man and we looked at it together up on a lift, and the MOT man was shaking his head and laughing.

So, who are you meant to believe?

My TT has got loads of non OE parts by the way (curling tongs holder and "I'm fabulous" stickers ), doesn't everyone's?

[weeksy]

Yeah pretty much, but you're reliant on the judgement of the MOT guy....and we all know about "friendly" MOTers right?

It's always a mixed bag - my MOT man passed my TT with an advisory "needs new tyres". The very next day the local garage tried to write it off, to my missus, with a list of further "dangerous" issues as long as your arm. Back to the MOT man and we looked at it together up on a lift, and the MOT man was shaking his head and laughing.

So, who are you meant to believe?

What were the issues they listed ?

[DefTrap]

What were the issues they listed ?

All rather vague stuff about collapsing shock mounts, dangerously rusted crossmembers, engine mounts "about to fail" etc.
They put on a bit of a show for my missus, in forrin, and seemed to get a bit carried away. They only calmed down a bit when my missus called the MOT guy so they could explain it to him.

I mean, this isn't about OE / nonOE, parts but rather more about the differences of opinion that can occur as to what is ok and what is downright dangerous.

[Yorick]

What about things like paddock stand bobbins ? radiator guards ? Things that are non performance benefit.

I suppose they'd be OK.

I'm also assuming things like KTM power parts, Yamaha/Ducati performance parts like a KTM/Ducati branded Akra ?

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

[weeksy]

I suppose they'd be OK.

I'm also assuming things like KTM power parts, Yamaha/Ducati performance parts like a KTM/Ducati branded Akra ?

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

[Taipan]

MAG have been spreading these scare stories for as long as I've been riding motorcycles (1983),

They are their own worst enemy for this.

For example, there was the Harley with the dustbin-sized exhaust that warned off what would happen if the EU got harsher rules imposed. Ok, years later, standard exhausts nowadays are hardly svelte, but ...

Or there was that series of protest rides, across the UK, one Saturday. Protesting against ... well, who knows, remembers or cares?

Bottomley's leg protectors!

[Bigyin]

Yeah pretty much, but you're reliant on the judgement of the MOT guy....and we all know about "friendly" MOTers right?

It's always a mixed bag - my MOT man passed my TT with an advisory "needs new tyres". The very next day the local garage tried to write it off, to my missus, with a list of further "dangerous" issues as long as your arm. Back to the MOT man and we looked at it together up on a lift, and the MOT man was shaking his head and laughing.

So, who are you meant to believe?

My TT has got loads of non OE parts by the way (curling tongs holder and "I'm fabulous" stickers ), doesn't everyone's?

I always believe the MOT guy as the one i use does not have a garage attached to it so has no financial interest in rectifying "faults"

I know of a garage owner who took an MOT tester course in order to generate more business for the garage ..... never trusted him before he did that but doing that summed up what he was all about which was ripping people off. His elderly neighbour needed a car and asked him to help find one, which he did. I know how much it was listed for so was amazed a few months later to find out that he told the neighbour it cost a grand more. Fucking leech

[Taipan]

When I worked in a garage nearly all our repair work was generated by our MOT fails. It's generally regarded as a licence to print money, or was when I was in the game.

[Mussels]

I'm also assuming things like KTM power parts, Yamaha/Ducati performance parts like a KTM/Ducati branded Akra ?

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

Wiring that doesn't catch fire would be a good start, imagine owning a dangerous vehicle that you aren't allowed to make safe.

[ogri]

We all going to be 1%'ers

[Rockburner]

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

Wiring that doesn't catch fire would be a good start, imagine owning a dangerous vehicle that you aren't allowed to make safe.

Isn't that where you throw the bike back at the dealer and demand your money back?

[Mussels]

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

Wiring that doesn't catch fire would be a good start, imagine owning a dangerous vehicle that you aren't allowed to make safe.

Isn't that where you throw the bike back at the dealer and demand your money back?

I don't think that worked well for many BMW owners.

[Skub]

We all going to be 1%'ers

All 60% of us.

[The Spin Doctor]

Not too long ago, someone on a FB group reported fitting a set of Chinese brake and clutch levers to his bike. He said they felt a bit stiff but he assumed they'd bed in. First ride out he had to brake hard... the brake lever didn't return when he let go of it. The front locked, and he crashed.

I've had a cheap pad delaminate on a s/h bike

I've also had a braided front brake hose fail on another newly bought bike because it was marginally too short and didn't fit the guide, and rubbed on a bolt.

And dare I mention the car tyre on the scooter hack?

I don't particularly want any kind of legislation like this but frankly we are often our own worst enemy!

[Horse]

MAG have been spreading these scare stories for as long as I've been riding motorcycles (1983),

They are their own worst enemy for this.

For example, there was the Harley with the dustbin-sized exhaust that warned off what would happen if the EU got harsher rules imposed. Ok, years later, standard exhausts nowadays are hardly svelte, but ...

Or there was that series of protest rides, across the UK, one Saturday. Protesting against ... well, who knows, remembers or cares?

Bottomley's leg protectors!

IIRC, that was mainly a BMF campaign.

[Yorick]

I'm also assuming things like KTM power parts, Yamaha/Ducati performance parts like a KTM/Ducati branded Akra ?

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

It applies to all vehicles. Trucks, buses, cars bikes etc.

Too many buggers modifying them dangerously.

So now nada. Bugger all. Standard.

[Taipan]

All banned. Need standard cans. Unless they came with them out of the shop, like mine did.

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

It applies to all vehicles. Trucks, buses, cars bikes etc.

Too many buggers modifying them dangerously.

So now nada. Bugger all. Standard.

So no custom bikes, cars, or monster trucks etc?

[Yorick]

Which is OK then assuming the manufacturers supply the parts in advance.... not a massive issue then mostly.

Things like tail tidies i can happily live without, but other things are fairly useful like paddock bobbins, but i guess i could remove...

I'm not massively into mods.. but you could argue that companies would need to make the bikes better first. Like decent shocks/brakes/forks/etc.

It applies to all vehicles. Trucks, buses, cars bikes etc.

Too many buggers modifying them dangerously.

So now nada. Bugger all. Standard.

So no custom bikes, cars, or monster trucks etc?

Nope. Europe wide.

They all change stuff as we do, but pre MOT time is silly

[Dickyboy]

Manufacturers have probably been lobbying for this for years in the background, it used be pitched on the basis of safety but now it will be the environment. If they succeed and you can only buy from the manufacturer then they can drive up prices and push you into buying new bikes sooner

This is most likely, I've had very limited experience of manufacturers campaigning for euro regs but its all been about protecting vested interests.

I can remember MAGs previous campaigns against anti tampering, leg protectors and 100bhp limits and attended the demo in Paris in 1994, so they have had some successes in the past but since they went through their period of infighting and our local group went all greebo I've not been involved.