France’s government has just repealed plans for compulsory periodic technical inspections (PTI’s) – and to say the motorcycle community is relieved is a bit of an understatement.
But first, a bit of background.
Back in Q2 of 2021, RideApart tells us that a decree for mandatory motorcycle inspections was being bandied about between the French government (who wanted the PTI’s), and the motorcycling industry proper.
Apparently, members of the government were of the opinion that necessary inspections of motorcycle accoutrements (including the state of each bike’s lights, tires, brakes, sound and pollution levels) would make the road a safer place.
While inspections ARE great to regulate our roads (nobody wants a wheel flying off into next Tuesday), an inspection of this grade would have done more than a little damage to the customized or modded bike community; after all, aftermarket parts aren’t necessarily the topic of choice when chatting over tea with your insurance agent.
The decree could have also targeted the vulnerability of vintage, retro and classic motorcycles; should they take the PTI’s and conform with everybody else, certain older units could be taken off the road if conformity wasn’t an option.
Sure, the decree isn’t ideal for yesterday’s two-wheeled machines – but what about making the road a safer place?
About that…a French road accident statistics report from 2009 (via RideApart) shows 0.5 percent of crashes ‘were found to be the result of technical, machine-related failures.’
The report may be a tad old, but 0.5 percent isn’t a big statistic at all; so what’s the problem?
Well, it’s possible that today’s bikes are being built to such a standard that every new bike widens the gap between the modern way and the traditional.
As motorcycle regulations tighten up, the percentage of modded, customized or vintage bikes that can’t pass the test will also likely spike.
Begin the battle of the bikes – specifically, who stays and who goes.
The repeal of mandatory PTI’s may be tossed, but Transport Minister, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari has also mentioned that ‘alternative measures will be put in place.’
We have yet to be filled in on what those alternative measures could look like, but you can bet your bottom dollar (or at least half of it) that biking regulations will get tighter from here on out.
Stay tuned for updates, drop a comment below letting us know what you think, and as ever – stay safe on the twisties.