Hitchcocks Forum

So I think this means lower emissions (getting tough for air-cooled engines, but the new Guzzi V9's are air-cooled and compliant), mandatory ABS on anything over 125cc, and OBD port. I presume new compliant Enfields will be out sometime later this year or early next... any views on what's likely to happen when, or what the implications might be?

The mandatory ABS appears to be a figment of the motorcycling press's imagination.
NO official announcement from the UK government has been made about it and nothing official has been issued to dealers.

I’m told (so I don’t really know!) that it is EU Law. UK Government is irrelevant. (There’s an ‘issue’ there for consideration!!) Dealers won’t need to be told because they will not be able to purchase any other stock than that which is EU compliant.

Presto dealers still have to be issued with official notification, they have not been issued with any notification.

From what I've read, Euro IV also requires the ECU to be protected against remapping. Of course that won't matter to us as we use the Power Commander anyway, so perhaps it's a bit of a moot point.

I guess we all have our enfields, but what I am curious about Are the ABS brakes.



Do we have a couple of bikers here that have experience of them, as it would be helpful to know the good and bad points from people that ride them, as opposed to a beauroprat from the EU.

It will only affect dealers with unsold stock of non-compliant bikes towards the end of this year. So we can look forward to some really good deals on 2016 bikes and a lot of preregistered bikes in the market. I support these rules. Lower emissions are a good thing. It also means better fuel consumption, which given the pathetic size of most bike fuel tanks must be useful. As an all weather biker my next bike will have ABS whether it is compulsory or not, so compulsion might mean it could be another Enfield. The OBD port rules will give home mechanics and independents access to the engine diagnostics that currently give some main dealers a monopoly on servicing, so that is a real benefit. As far as leaving the EU is concerned this is a non issue. If we vote to leave it won't happen before these rules come in, the UK market is too small for manufacturers to make different models and what makes you think a UK government will not pass similar or even more restrictive rules?

I really am losing the will to live about the issue of ABS. Unless and until official notices to dealers are issued, it is NOT happening.
Also ABS could be deadly in some situations unless the back brake can still be used independently.

papasmurf you insist on this point - but I can't see that anyone - press, insurance companies, etc - adopt the position you have. 'Everyone' seems to accept that this is happening. We shall see.

Presto, I insist on the point because no official government notice has been issued to dealers.
ABS was allegedly supposed be compulsory one over 125s from Jan 16 2016. It did not happen. From spending several hours searching the government website thus far it appears it MAY be introduced in 2018.
I have grave concerns about safety issues with reguard to ABS unless the rear brake pedal remains independent for those rare times when just using the rear brake is necessary.
Like a light application when a corner has been entered too fast, riding on a gravelly surface, and going downhill in mud or on wet grass. (Then there is the case of a light application of the rear brake to stop a tank slapper.)