The end of home servicing?

Home servicing and modifications will be prevented and anti-lock brakes made compulsory under drastic new proposals from Brussels.

A raft of measures aimed preventing modifications will include so-called ‘onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems’ which register a fault when components are changed.

Engine control units (ECUs) which govern fuel supply could become sealed to prevent tampering and exhausts could get bolts which can only be removed by dealers with specialised tools, according to the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA).

The OBD systems – to be on all new bikes from 2017 – will report faults in code which only dealers can decipher, denying owners the information needed for home servicing.

All new bikes over 125cc will have ABS from 2017 under the plans, while smaller models will have to have either ABS or linked front and rear brakes.

But the document also offers a reprieve from Europe-wide power limits. It proposes banning countries from having their own 100bhp power limit, instead, as was feared, of making all Europe adopt the 100bhp limit already in place in France. 

It sets out tough new emission limits to be introduced between now and 2020, with a requirement for models to undergo a second test after 31,000 miles to ensure they continue to comply.

A Fema spokesman said: “Starting from 2017, all powered two-wheelers will be equipped with OBD systems to monitor failure and deterioration of engine and vehicle management systems.

“The Commission wants to prevent or at least to strictly hamper any private technical modification of the ‘powertrain’ aimed at improving torque, power or maximum speed of road legal bikes.

“Before the development of any detailed measures, a study will be conducted in order to clarify whether modifications represent any significant danger to the environment or to the safety of riders.”