Two-wheel technology inspection becomes a reality

France, after long delays and facing the mandate of a European directive dating from 2014, is finally preparing to align motorized motorcycles and quadricycles with the same technical inspection requirements already in place for automobiles.
The directive, initially planned to be transposed into French law before January 1, 2022, aimed to standardize road safety measures within the European Union, but its implementation has faced stiff resistance from the public. The French government, wishing to adapt these measures as best as possible to local specificities, first tried to push back and adjust this obligation, but in vain: Europe considered that France did not do enough to ensure the safety of motorcyclists and that it complied with continental law. had to do
It is in this context that the decision of the Council of State of June 1, 2023, finally ordered the effective implementation of this regulation, an injunction with which the government complied by publishing decrees and orders to this effect. official newspaper From 24 October. Thus, technical inspection of two-wheelers will become a reality from April 15.

Sequential deployment

From this auspicious date, owners of two-wheelers, three-wheelers and motorized quadricycles will have to adhere to a specific schedule of regular technical inspections. For vehicles registered before 2017, the window for carrying out this first check extends from April 15 to August 14, 2024, if their circulation is between January 1 and April 15 of the reference year, with an extension to December 31, 2024 for the other measure after 2027. will be implemented in a phased manner until, depending on the year of vehicle registration, an initial inspection will be conducted 5 years after first registration, then renewed every 3 years. The cost of this check is estimated at around €50, which is a significant amount for owners, not including the cost of a second inspection.
Checkpoints will include critical safety elements, such as braking equipment, steering, lighting, as well as wheels, tires and suspension, without forgetting aspects related to visibility and noise and environmental pollution. In total, 77 inspections will be conducted and 161 potential failures will be analyzed. In 2025, this exam will evolve somewhat with a total of 78 checkpoints and 165 error checks. In case of major but non-critical failure, a second examination will be required within 2 months; A serious failure will result in a traffic ban.
Since the beginning of this wide range, this move has been strongly criticized by motorcyclists who see in this regulation a new administrative burden and, above all, a new checkout, which, according to them, is not justified in any way. Drivers’ associations highlight that less than 0.4% of accidents involving two-wheelers are due to technical faults in the vehicle. In any case, the MLA has taken a decision.