Don't panic! New EU vehicle regulations don't apply to motorbikes

Contrary to frightening, dystopian rumours circulating on the internet, the latest proposed changes to EU vehicle law will not affect motorbikes.

In case you haven’t seen it, the regulation is concerned with fitting ‘intelligent speed assistance’ devices to vehicles in an attempt to reduce accidents. Luckily, it only applies to vehicles of categories M, N and O (motorbikes are category L).

What’s more, even the four-wheelers concerned will only need to have a system that can be overidden by depressing the accelerator, rather than making it impossible to break the speed limit as being reported by some news outlets. 

Many of the regulations are aimed at protecting ‘vulnerable road users’, a category in which motorbikes are included, such as the fitment of driver drowsiness alerts and advanced distraction recognition systems.

MORE FROM MCN

• Yamaha OW-01 turns 30
• 5 ways to own a Yamaha motorbike
• Honda VTR1000 Firestorm, buying guide