On Saturday 22 April 2023 French motorcyclists will take to the streets to protest mandatory periodical technical inspections of motorcycles.

Following the decision of the French Council of State of 31 October 2022, the establishment of a periodical motorcycle technical control seems irrevocable. Yet, French riders are not giving up their fight. They believe that the government can still grant the possibility, opened by European directive 2014/45 on technical inspection, of avoiding periodical technical control by introducing alternative measures which would be more likely to improve both safety and environmental impact of motorized two-wheelers.

The fight against motorcycle periodical technical inspection has been keeping bikers busy for two years. Since 2021, French motorcyclists’ organisation FFMC – a member of FEMA – has been quite active trying to avoid it; no less than three meetings with the Minister of Transport, hundreds of letters to members of the French parliament, who, in 2012, spoke out against the motorcycle technical inspections. Also, to the credit of the FFMC, massive demonstrations, including that of 26 November 2022 which brought together more than 35,000 bikers in 60 regional gatherings. These gatherings followed the decision of the Council of State to oblige the government to establish the technical control of motorized two-wheelers.

‘You take care of the roads, we will take care of our motorcycles’.

FFMC says: “Let’s not be afraid of big words: we are close to an institutional crisis. Regulations should not be decided by the Council of State. The French Council of State is supposed to ensure the legality of political decisions, and not to go out of its role by judging the merits of the decision of the government to repeal the motorcycle technical control.”

The French riders are organising a big demonstration on Saturday 22 April 2023. Their motto, aimed at the French government: ‘You take care of the roads, we will take care of our motorcycles’.

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FFMC notes that road condition is responsible of 30% of accidents (Source ONISR, FLAM study), compared to 1.1% for the condition of the motorcycles (source: maids-study.eu – table 5.31), as a contributing factor. These figures go down to 3% and 0.3% respectively, as a primary accident factor.

According to a study by the World Economic Forum, France has gone from first to 18th place on a ranking based on road condition. The motorcyclists therefore invite the French state to take its responsibilities and not to choose the wrong priority.

The list of gatherings: http://manif.ffmc.fr
The FFMC directory: http://annuaire.ffmc.fr

Source: FFMC

Top photograph courtesy of FFMC

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