Reprieve for high-powered bikes in anti-tampering plans

Anti-tampering measures on new bikes will be limited to machines up to 47bhp, MEPs have agreed. 

New motorcycles are to get so-called on-board diagnostic systems capable of registering modifications as faults to be rectified by a mechanic.

The aim is to make it impossible to modify motorcycles which comply with power restrictions for new riders from next year. The measures will apply to 125cc bikes for learners and machines up to 47bhp for newly qualified riders.

But machines over 47bhp are not included under a provisional agreement by MEPs.

All new bikes over 125cc must have ABS under the rules, to be introduced gradually from 2016. Smaller bikes can have combined brakes instead.

MCN staged a protest ride to Brussels over anti-tampering proposals in November last year.

The Motorcycle Action Group said: ‘The provisionally agreed text still needs to be formally endorsed by Council and Parliament.’

The group’s Nich Brown added: ‘Because many high-performance motorcycles will share power-train components with medium-size bikes, there remains a concern that larger bikes could carry some of the engineering required to achieve anti-tampering.’