EU angers bikers with latest great idea....

[dave87]

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...torway-mayhem/


Seems the EU would like to make bike modifying a thing of the past through restrictive ECUs and ABS being made compulsory. Also raises issues as to whether it will be possible to continue servicing bikes at home if the ECU reading/diagnostic tools are not readily available.


So, who's going to see the value of their current bike rise if these plans come into force? Especially if you buy the model just before they introduce these new requirements.

[PetrolHead]

Oh dear, no doubt it will be cars next.

[kalniel]

Oh dear, no doubt it will be cars next.

Already happened with cars - ESP is mandatory from November this year.

[mycarsavw]

Oh dear, no doubt it will be cars next.

Engine modification is forbidden (!!!1) in a few EU states already.

It'll come, eventually.

[dave87]

Engine modification is forbidden (!!!1) in a few EU states already.

It'll come, eventually.

I know Germany is very strict - in that modifications have to be TUV approved, but I didn't realise some states had expressly forbidden it?

AMG/Hartge/AC Schnitzer etc must be facing a few problems then?

[mycarsavw]

I forget which countries it is, but (I think) there are certain laws regarding altering the engine capacity/power from the standard, factory fitted specifications.

It's why a few car scenes in Europe focus so much on the bodywork/interior (with questionable results) and leave the asthmatic 1 litre engine alone.

[roachcoach]

Already happened with cars - ESP is mandatory from November this year.

That bothers me less than the almost guaranteed followup legislation making it impossible to turn it off.

Dusting of snow...RWD car....it say no (until you turn esp off)

[Hoonigan]

AMG/Hartge/AC Schnitzer etc must be facing a few problems then?

I'm pretty sure these companies will just standardise their cars, much like what Orange County Choppers had to do to be able to sell their bikes in the EU.

This is definitely gonna annoy a lot of motorists in the UK though, as a trainee mechanic I love to tinker with my car...

[Yosh]

I'm sure i read somewhere it was all because of tax bands, if your car costs £200 a year standard, its going to produce more carbon if modified? So, that would put it into a different tax band, and thus more money! I think.

[roachcoach]

Certainly hope not, cars will spout different amounts depending on how they are driven...you can see where that one leads...

[chuckskull]

Getting rather tired of unelected plonkers in another country setting British law.

We have elected our own set of British plonkers, thank you.

[Phage]

Completely unfounded knee-jerk rubbish legislation. Where are the detailed studies on the effectiveness of these measures on road safety ?

[roachcoach]

Well, the ESP one in cars is, by and large, a very good thing (caveat: so long as it is still able to be turned off). Might see less cars parked in the hedges.

Not modifying is a bit stupid, but ABS surely can't hurt?


Is there a link to the actual proposals anywhere, perhaps it's not as horrible as the original article fears?

[pauldarkside]

Already happened with cars - ESP is mandatory from November this year.

Don't think I like the sound of that, what if my car turns out to be a charlatan?

[Phage]

Well, the ESP one in cars is, by and large, a very good thing (caveat: so long as it is still able to be turned off). Might see less cars parked in the hedges.

Not modifying is a bit stupid, but ABS surely can't hurt?


Is there a link to the actual proposals anywhere, perhaps it's not as horrible as the original article fears?

The dynamics of a bike are completely different. ABS has been available for many years (BMWs), and I am not aware of any improvement in the safety of those models. In fact, I don't believe that ANY studies have been done.
It's a case that everyone says 'surely ABS is a good thing....', I'd like to see any evidence. That's all.

[roachcoach]

I know, different dynamics entirely, leaning/contact point changes etc.

I imagine front wheel slides are quite rare too - isn't the front wheel where the main stopping force comes from when stopping 'in anger'? On that basis I assume the tech is a bit different to cars. Can't endo a car, so it slides, a bike...on the other hand... Perhaps there's enough weight in a bike to keep the back wheel down? I'd be surprised but I am not a biker

I don't know if it would have benefit at all outside a lab but equally I can't imagine manufacturers continuing to invent/invest in stuff like that if its totally pointless.


But without seeing the actual proposal it's all conjecture, might be much ado about nothing. Chances are the proposal would cite studies (at least one would like to think).