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

[The Spin Doctor]

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.

If I remember right, a significant amount of the push behind the previous EU attempt to lockdown bikes actually came from the manufacturers of the TuV TESTING equipment!

The bike manufacturers want as little to change as possible for as long as possible. That way they can continue to sell old models with minimal investment to bring them up to date.

It's also worth looking at the global picture. China and India have gone from being a dumping ground for old tech to having some of the toughest emission regs in the world.

[slowsider]

Isn't that what MOTs are for? Even an OE part can be fitted dangerously. Presumably OE parts can, in theory, be worse quality than OE replacements?
Are we really making roadside plod in charge of spotting aftermarket parts?

Yeah. Oh.

I hate standard bikes. I reckon anything Draconian like tuv and I probably wouldn't bother any more.

Luckily over here they don't even have bike MOTs.

[The Spin Doctor]

As far as I can see the rules are aimed at 'anti-tampering' and the emissions (as well as modding the software and hardware on autonomous cars). So fitting a non-legal exhaust, ditching the cat and hacking the electronics to remap would be made an offence.

I don't see anything about changing levers or seats, which people seem to be reading into the MAG briefing - which is what all the shock-horror reports are based on.