EU Parliament votes for anti-tampering laws

[LordShaftesbu...]

"So, in the EU Parliamentary vote yesterday, the Type Approval Regulation was roundly supported by MEPs; our elected representatives.

643 of them voted yes in fact, which illustrates that many of them didn't have time to read it in their own language and as such blindly did as they were told. Hurrah for democracy and Parliamentary scrutiny.

The text was finally produced in all languages just before the vote, but without time to read and consider the text in their own language and compare it to the concerns constituents may have had, the Parliament was led by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) of MEPs. Yes indeed, those tasked with protecting consumers didn't really want to hear from us, the consumers. Even the public hearing they had in Brussels all that time ago to gather opinions from stakeholders, didn't include a single dedicated riders representative group. None of us were invited to speak.

In the end 16 MEPs voted against and 18 abstained. Perhaps the abstainers were at least mildly embarrassed.

As MAG has said all along, much of this Regulation was consolidating 15 pieces of earlier Type Approval legislation and we could never take issue with that.

We have also always praised the idea that part of this Regulation would force manufacturers to list the emissions produced by every new model of motorcycle. The knock-on effect of that will be that we will be able to campaign for road tax in line with the Government's sliding scale charges which reflect lower emissions. It is after all, bonkers that a mode of transport which doesn't congest or wear out the road surface, should pay more road tax than one that does!

Similarly, we have always been pleased that the 100bhp limit that the Commission introduced back in the 90s and which only France chose to implement, has been over turned by this regulation, now that everyone finally acknowledges that there is no correlation between power and accidents.

Of course there is still no evidence pointing to any correlation between modifications and accidents either, but rather than let any evidence or proof get in the way of the urge to legislate, the Commission and Parliament pressed on regardless.

It was article 18 that we had the most issue with and I have included below, the final text that was approved.
Still harping on about emissions and safety being the reasons why no power train modifications would be permitted, the text exempts all those bikes over 48hp, or those which fall into line with the new category A licence, which comes into force in January.

Instead, a bike falling into the new A2 licence category, bought by someone like me who has ridden over a million miles, will not be able to have a remap, an exhaust or a washable hi-flo air filter fitted and it will be up to the manufacturers to ensure these parts can't be substituted, unless they are happy to prove an aftermarket part won't compromise safety or the environment. And why would they?
If I chose to buy a bigger, nay thirstier bike, I'd be allowed to change these parts and the bike will remain safe and will not pollute any more. Magical isn't it?

If the text is meant to align anti modification rules, with licence category, why doesn't it say so?

If manufacturers have to make some parts of an A2 bike tamper proof and those same parts fit an A category bike, then consequently they'll be making them tamper proof too.
If manufacturers want to remap a machine so that they can sell it in either category, making different power figures, they'll have the expense of Type Approving both as different machines and have to gain approval for the modification to move the bike between categories, should someone decide to buy the bike in A2 form and then after a few years in the saddle, release some more of that power rather than buy a whole new bike - which is hardly the green alternative.

With absolutely no basis to force these restrictions on modifications, what will be the justification to stop them doing it later to all bikes? That's not scaremongering. The Commission acknowledge they have no proof to justify the anti-modification laws. In direct questioning they have failed to provide any. No national government has found any, and the research companies who've looked at this, say that some should really be done, even if it's just to find out if there is a problem or not!
Without a shred of evidence why won't the Commission just use the fact that it did it before and the Parliament were happy, so it makes sense to simply roll out the idea across motorcycling in its entirety.

The justification we've seen from IMCO, is that because tuning parts are available on the after market, people must be buying them, so that's the proof that we must stop the practise. No link to safety or emissions is necessary. Amazingly, they then say that there will be no effect on the after market industry as people can still make standard modifications even though no impact assessment has been done.
Standard modifications? A little oxymoronic don't you think. On questioning, no one has been able to tell me what a standard modification is.

It is true that compared to the original proposal and first amendments as tabled, we have made great gains. All bikes won't now be fitted with compulsory ABS. All bikes won't be subject to bans on power-train modification and all the ideas about possible roadside enforcement didn't make it through either. But then the Super MoT proposals have been launched instead. (news is coming on the developments with that)

For such a tiny lobby we have done well, but perhaps just not well enough. No doubt we'll be slagged off by all those riders who never bothered to write a letter and who aren't a member of MAG, but if I was you I'd ignore them and be proud of the fact that you got involved and didn't just grumble down the pub. We've heard for years that MAG should do better, but only from those who don't want to contribute.

During the debate in the Parliament the night before the vote, even the Rapporteur from IMCO said he hopes that the Commisssion will get the delegated acts finished in good time so that everyone can get to see the technical and administrative details of the law that he commended to the chamber...

The manufacturers were obviously pleased just to get a move on because it's they who are needing to work out how to build these new machines meeting the new emissions standards and now also how to ensure that the components they build can't be tampered with.

An ACEM press release can be read here, but it still calls for early clarification of the delegated acts so that the industry can see exactly what it has to do.
https://acem.eu/index.php/media-corner/press-releases/126-motorcycle-industry-welcomes-vote-of-the-european-parliament-on-the-type-approval-regulation

The FEMA report on the vote can be read here, and it includes a good break down of the new emission limits and bike categories.
https://www.fema-online.eu/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=335&cntnt01returnid=57

Text of article 18, approved yesterday. You'll notice it doesn't have a paragraph 1. !


Article 18
Measures for manufacturers regarding modifications to the powertrain of vehicles

2. Vehicle manufacturers shall equip L-category vehicles with the exception of subcategories L3e-A3 and L4e-A3,with designated features to prevent tampering of a vehicle's powertrain, by means of a series of technical requirements and specifications with the aim:

(a) to prevent modifications that may prejudice safety, in particular by increasing vehicle performance through tampering with the powertrain in order to increase the maximum torque and/ or power and/or maximum design vehicle speed which have been duly established during the type-approval procedure as followed by the manufacturer of the vehicle, and/or
(b) to prevent damage to the environment.

3. The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 76 concerning the specific requirements regarding the measures referred to in paragraph2 and in order to facilitate compliance with paragraph 4a. The first such delegated acts shall be adopted by 31 December 2014.

4. After a modification of the powertrain, a vehicle shall comply with the technical requirements of the initial vehicle category and subcategory, or, if applicable, the new vehicle category and subcategory, which were in force when the original vehicle was placed on the market, registered or entered into service, including the latest amendments to the requirements.

and finally, the definition of a power train:
‘powertrain’ means the components and systems of a vehicle that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, including the engine(s), the engine management systems or any other control module, the pollution environmental protection control devices including pollutant emissions and noise abatement systems, the transmission and its control, either a drive shaft or belt drive or chain drive, the differentials, the final drive, and the driven wheel tyre (radius) "

[bikertomm]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152493859830107&set=a.188069385106.246713.178362315106&type=1&theater





EU.
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[N cee thirty]

so when they banning 2 strokes?
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Kris]

[J.M.]

[cimbian]

So now we need a range of self-assembly kit-bikes to get around type-approvals. So much safer than manufactured machines!

The sooner we get away from the EU the better, IMHO.
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22PlusY
Current: Moto Guzzi 1100 Breva. Previous: Honda XL650V TransAlp
Bearded, Balding, Born again Buddhist Biker

[Nick_Giles]

I don't take it then that any of the advocates of this proposal have any mechanical knowledge and how they think the manufacturers are going to engineer such a machine.?

Are they going to insist that engines, gearboxes etc are sealed units unable to be opened.

If so this would mean if it goes wrong you have to scrap it. Yup, that would be really good for the environment.

I don't think they have thought this one through (yet again) and taken a scrap of advice form anyone with an engineering background.

Nick
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Peter Cook: "I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly".

[J.M.]

[Pol Anorl]

So, when does this come into affect? and what bikes? all bikes over 125cc or all new bikes over 125cc?
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Jewlio Iglesias: You live in Liverpool - Chances are, the front door has already been kicked off the hinges

[Andy_Pagin]

[Rogerborg]

[nightshaddow]

[Nick_Giles]

I would like to know what they would do if Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki all said get stuffed.!

Ban imports from them.?


Nick
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Peter Cook: "I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly".

[LordShaftesbu...]

Where's Daemonoid? I was expecting him to have told us all about how awesome these new rules are by now.

[Kris]

[Rogerborg]

[cdlxxvi]

[J.M.]

[cdlxxvi]

[J.M.]

[Vracktal]

From this point on, I hereby declare the EU's tamper-proofing requirements, whatever mechanical form they eventually take, to be

CHALLENGE

FUCKING

ACCEPTED.

[daemonoid]

[Vracktal]

So wait, this new legislation covers existing bikes under 48bhp as well as new ones?

So will people with older <48bhp bikes bought before these rules have to return them to stock?

Because if that is the case i'd have to give up motorcycling D:

[krarkol]

Stupid rules if you ask me. If its to stop A1/A2 riders from getting more power out of their bikes then it's pointless as they'd be breaking the law just as much if they took the restrictors out. Chances of getting caught are also on pretty much the same level, unless they have a loud exhaust on when they aren't meant to.

If they are going to attack the minorities, why don't they clamp on 4 wheel drive cars? There's a lot of crashes round here in them, most are (dare i say it?) of the asian ethnicity and after witnessing the way they drive these 4x4 sports cars they drive them like they are pretty much invincible from crashing due to the technology in them. Why not ban cars like these and off-road vehicles from the road unless you're actually using them for their built purpose?

[sarcasm]We all know there's nothing greener than a v8 4x4 stuck in traffic doing the school run [/sarcasm]
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Bandit 600 - deaded

[dransy]

I don't understand
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Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles