Motorcycles up to 125cc excluded from new EU law on technical inspections despite risks of tampering and defects

ETSC says excluding mopeds and motorcycles up to 125 cc from mandatory technical inspections is a major missed opportunity to improve road safety. 

The European Commission has today announced an update to rules for mandatory motor vehicle technical inspections in the European Union.  

The European Transport Safety Council has welcomed the proposal to close the current loophole that has allowed a handful of EU Member States including Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands to exclude all motorcycles from regular testing requirements.  Portugal also announced last year that it would cancel plans to introduce regular checks on all motorcycles. Under the new EU proposals, excluding all motorcycles from tests will no longer be allowed.   

This change only affects testing of heavy motorcycles. ETSC is very concerned that the Commission proposes to continue to exclude mopeds and motorcycles under 125cc from mandatory testing.  Studies show both high levels of speed-related tampering in this category, as well as brake and tyre failures that play a role in many crashes.  

According to a survey in Austria, up to half of mopeds (47%) were tuned in a way that enables them to travel at higher speeds. 

In Denmark,17% of all moped collisions resulting in death or serious injury involved vehicles that had been tampered with – some 800 vehicles.

In the Netherlands, an in-depth study into factors influencing collisions involving ‘slow mopeds’  found that in 8-14% of cases, poor quality tyres or brakes was a factor. 

These collisions might have been prevented if compulsory technical inspections had been in place. 

Ellen Townsend, ETSC Director of Policy commented:
“Mopeds and motorcycles under 125cc are a high-risk mode of transport, and are often used by young people. Failing to check that tyres, brakes and lights are working and that the vehicles haven’t been tampered with for higher speeds, is just adding to the risk.  We urge the European Parliament and Member States to require these vehicles to be checked regularly.”

The European Parliament has previously called for all types of motorcycle to be subject to regular mandatory checks.  

ETSC is pleased to see that older vehicles (above 10 years) will now require annual checks, but says the requirement should be introduced earlier, after six years at most.  

Other positive changes include a requirement to regularly check that new mandatory safety technologies, required on new types of vehicle in the EU since 2022, as well as other vehicle assistance systems, will be subject to regular checks to see that they are still functioning correctly. 

The European Commission also wants roadside checks on commercial vehicles to include inspection of how cargo is secured – another welcome development according to ETSC.