In February 2021, the European Union announced that it would soon require alliance member countries to include motorcycles in future annual inspection regulations. To say the least, some parties disagreed with the decision. Finland, France and Denmark mainly criticized the decision with the support of the Federation of European Motorcycle Associations (FEMA).
While France and Finland categorically rejected the idea of periodic inspections of motorcycles, Denmark believed that a different method would prove more effective. After investigating the matter in parallel, the Danish Transport Authority drafted a bill to remedy the situation.
“Motorcycle noise is a problem. The Danish Transport Authority now has the possibility to carry out roadside checks of motorcycles, and I expect that the new effective control tool, combined with high fines, will reduce the number of noisy motorcycles. At the same time, it was important for me to find a solution on the implementation of EU rules so that they remain less intrusive for motorcycle owners rather than requiring regular periodic inspections,” said Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht.
Under the new directive, Danish authorities started motorcycle checks on January 1, 2022. During each inspection, officers check the motorcycle's operational condition and measure the motorcycle's noise emissions. If the vehicle fails to pass the inspection or exceeds noise limits, the owner faces a fine. The first offense will result in a fine of €330 while the sixth offense will result in a fine of up to €2.
The Danish motorcycle association MCTC is satisfied with the introduction of roadside inspections rather than Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI). Lene Michelsen, President of MCTC, said: “There is nothing in the statistics to show that accidents are due to technical faults of the motorcycles, which means that MOT is just an additional cost and inconvenience for motorcyclists.”
While Benny Engelbrecht's decision may have circumvented the EU decree, motorcycles with an illegal and noisy exhaust cannot change it to legal equipment before inspection. Of course, only time will tell if Denmark made the right choice, but it's a solution that meets their needs for now.
