Thousands of angry bikers gathered on avenue Foch in Paris on April 13, 2024, to protest against the introduction of mandatory technical inspections for motorized two-wheelers. The demonstration, organized by the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC), aimed to boycott the new inspection requirement, which was set to come into effect on April 15, 2024. Critics of the measure, such as Isabelle Lebret from the FFMC, argue that it is simply a form of extortion, pointing out that other European countries like Ireland, the Netherlands, and Denmark do not have similar requirements for two-wheelers.
The implementation of this technical inspection for two-wheelers was mandated by a European directive dating back to April 2014, which required member states to introduce the measure. However, legal challenges had delayed its implementation in France, despite it being adopted in almost all other European countries before the deadline of January 1, 2022. Although the French government initially resisted implementing the inspection, citing concerns about burdening French citizens, they eventually had to comply with a decision from the Council of State in October 2023.
The first vehicles subject to the new technical inspection requirements are those registered before January 1, 2017. Previously, over three million scooters, motorcycles, tricycles, and mini-cars were exempt from inspections imposed on cars in 1992. These vehicles must now undergo 78 inspection points, with major defects requiring a reinspection within two months of being repaired. Additionally, checks for noise levels and vehicle restrictions, often bypassed by scooters, will only be enforced starting in the summer of 2025.
Despite efforts by the FFMC to challenge the technical inspections in court, they were unsuccessful in convincing the Council of State to suspend the measure. The organization argues that accidents involving motorcycles are typically not due to the condition of the vehicle, which is well maintained by riders, but rather to the state of the road surfaces. As the deadline for inspections approached, many bikers opted to sell their vehicles in order to avoid the new requirements, resulting in a 6% increase in the used market in the first quarter of 2024, according to insurer Solly Azar.
In response to the protests and calls for a boycott, French lawmakers have been urged by both majority and opposition members to reconsider the technical inspection requirement and explore alternative solutions. However, the government has not yet responded to these requests. While some politicians have criticized the measure as unnecessary bureaucracy, the inspection centers in France have been working diligently to obtain the necessary accreditation to carry out the inspections. Despite initial challenges in finding inspection centers, nearly half of the required facilities are now operational, with 3,000 inspectors ready to conduct the mandatory checks on two-wheelers.
In Spain, where technical inspections for two-wheelers have been mandatory since 2006, the mortality rate among moped drivers has significantly decreased. However, this improvement has not been seen among motorcyclists, with a substantial number of vehicles failing inspections due to major faults related to lighting, emissions, and noise. In France, all category L vehicles must now undergo inspections every three years, with drivers facing fines or vehicle immobilization if they fail to comply with the new requirements. Despite concerns and pushback from the biking community, the French government has moved forward with the implementation of mandatory technical inspections for motorized two-wheelers.
