One of the best things about owning a scooter (or bike) is the individuality an owner can create. Fitting aftermarket parts, exhausts, bigger carbs and tuning kits is all part of that process but it’s under threat thanks to a planned change in the law.

New offences for “Tampering with a system, part or component of a vehicle intended or adapted to be used on a road” are proposed as part of the government’s modernising vehicle standards legislation. The proposal itself is worded to help confuse matters and after a series of meetings with motorcycling organisations in November the DFT tried to reassure us that ‘it is not the government’s intention to stop motorcycle customisation, modification and adaptation where this does not relate to the environmental performance or design speed of a motorcycle.’

In a nutshell they’re saying that much of the legislation is designed to stop devices being fitted to increase the speed of e scooters/bikes and that they’re more concerned with parts that will affect the environmental impact of a vehicle (not sure how that relates to speeding up your e scooter though?). So if the part you’re planning to fit will increase emissions, use more fuel etc. then it’s likely that it will be outlawed if the proposals are passed. To us that sounds like most engine modifications will fall into that criteria, although it’s not yet known how this will affect older/classic vehicles.

The NMC’s Craig Carey-Clinch said; “Although we are pleased to learn that riders will not be banned from modifying their bikes if this does not reduce environmental performance or increase speeds beyond a particular motorcycle’s design specification, this leaves several areas where legitimate reasons to modify could still be denied. There is also a large question mark about how the proposals will affect older motorcycles.

“We welcome the DfT’s willingness to discuss these matters in more detail and to include the NMC and its members in work to design regulations that are proportionate, but we remain strongly concerned that the proposals have been inspired by issues that do not apply to the majority of motorcycling, but to a much narrower range of mainly electric products. Engine modifications often improve how a bike runs and the freedom to be able to make these changes must remain.

“But it does seem clear that in the drive to reduce vehicle emissions and to decarbonise all vehicle types, it seems that at the very least, modifications that lead to increased emissions from petrol motorcycles and cars are likely to be outlawed.”

During the consultation period, which ended in November The Government received 7,891 responses. As at 15th December Parliamentary Under Secretary for the DfT advised “The Government will consider all responses received and publish a consultation response summarising the responses and setting out the next steps”. So we’ll have to wait for the results.

Sign the petition

In the meantime there’s a petition going around on behalf of motorcyclists and the aftermarket parts industry. If we all sign it there’s a very good chance it will be debated in Parliament. The petition is currently on 69,000 signatures and needs to reach 100,000 for it to be heard.

If you’d like to still be given the freedom to modify and tune your beloved machines you’d better get on and sign it, feel free to share this around your social media as well and comment below this post…