Motorway demo over restrictive EU rules

A Motorcycle lobby group is planning to bring disruption to motorways across the country in protest over restrictive new legislation from Europe for bikes.

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) wants bikers to meet at service stations all over the UK before holding up traffic in 45mph motorway rides on September 25.  The group is opposing a raft of European Commission proposals including compulsory ABS and measures to stop us modifying our bikes.

The demo aims to send a “warning” to expect more of the same.

Tuning could become impossible and even home servicing severely hampered under European Commission plans.

All new bikes could get so-called on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems capable of detecting non-standard parts and triggering a warning light until the ‘fault’ is rectified by a dealer.

One aim is to prevent any modifications to the ‘powertrain’ which rider groups fear could include anything from the throttle to rear tyre.

MAG also aims to show “solidarity” to French riders, who face new requirements for high-visibility armbands and retraining after a five-year break from riding.

Paddy Tyson, MAG’s campaigns co-ordinator, said: “Even 50 bikers together will cause disruption, but happening everywhere this will be powerful and will have traffic alerts discussing it.

“Riders will disperse as rapidly as they appeared but after riding for just a few junctions below the speed of trucks, our impact should be felt.

“There will be no need for marshals and no speeches. The threat that we can do it again will be established.”

The demo currently has 62 starting points but the number is growing as more riders arrange to take part. Details are posted on a Facebook page called ‘Action Now! EU Hands Off Biking’ and at www.mag-uk.org.

Jeff Stone of British Motorcyclist Federation (BMF) said there was a danger of the demo’s message being lost on drivers.  He said: “It could make motorcyclists feel good about the cause but if the message isn’t getting through it’s just a nice day out.

Read more on this in MCN, on sale tomorrow.