France limits motorcycles to 100hp

[pdog]

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/european-commission-horsepower-limit-law/

And the EU is considering making it standard in all of Europe. If they are doing this for safety, it would seem that limiting power for new riders (like the UK limits new riders to 25hp?) would be more effective than limiting power for all riders.

[SteveP]

That is a bit extreme.

[Rangerscott]

I love how they show moped police. LOL

[Homeslice]

Retarded. What's stopping them from doing this in the US as well? I bet the big 4 sell more in Europe than they do here.

[pdog]

The fact that the US is not part of the EU? :D

What's stopping them from doing this in the US as well?

[quackPOT]

What's with the global nanny state bullshit? Gov't all over are making bullshit laws "for our own good".

Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. C.S. Lewis

[smileyman]

Frogs. They have been subjugated by every country in Europe. Now they pussify themselves for our amusement. I'm thinking of moving there since it would be nice to be the only man in a nation with a dick and balls.

[BobTheBiker]

I'm not gonna even BOTHER cause well, who the fuck wants to be such a pussy? living isnt REALLY lving until you've got a nice 600RR between your legs leaning over scaping pegs in the alps or something is it?

[goof2]

I can't imagine manufacturers will take the time and spend the money to modify existing bikes solely for France. It isn't like there is a thriving French motorcycle industry willing to cater to that individual country either. If the EU doesn't implement the ban as well I hope the French enjoy getting virtually no sportbikes.

If the EU goes along I suspect they will see a number of 100hp bikes where the most effective performance modification will be done with wire-cutters. I don't know why Germany (BMW) or Italy (Duc, MV) would want to get involved in it.

[pauldun170]

<insert cliche or quote here>

[Gas Man]

Its France. They are just admitting defeat.

[Mikey]

I'm fairly certain that this isn't new. Didn't France do something very similar back in the late eighties or so? IIRC, the manufacturers just fit the bikes with restrictor plates on the carbs to limit power output- restrictor plates which were promptly removed by everyone as soon as the bikes were brought home. ;)

[Particle Man]

Its France. They are just admitting defeat.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/victories.html

[Rider]

Balls, the French have none.

[Dave]

Balls, the French have none.

and yet you wouldnt have a free country without them. Thats gratitude for ya. Pretty sure this has been around for a while, i remember some old posts on a kawi forum talking about how the zx10 was limited to 100

[Amber Lamps]

and yet you wouldnt have a free country without them. Thats gratitude for ya. Pretty sure this has been around for a while, i remember some old posts on a kawi forum talking about how the zx10 was limited to 100

Yea I'm with you, this is not news.:idk:

Devil's advocate here but isn't 100hp enough for the street in reality? I mean to be honest, wouldn't a 100hp, 300lb bike kick ass?:idk: Heck, my V-Max barely made over 100 ponies and that bike rocked!!!

[smileyman]

Ninja 250 is fun if your riding it hard enough. Still there are few middle class sportbikes that don't have 100+.

They would all be on Ninja or SV650s, Motards, FZ6s, couldn't enjoy a Ducati unless it was a baby monster or Sport Classic.

[pauldun170]

I can't agree with the government interfereing in market inovation or openess in the name of nanny laws.

Considering that 100hp bike can do cause the same amount of drama as a 190hp bike, those HP limits are both retarded and pointless BS that accomplish nothing.

If French manufacturers actually operated in the 100hp+ sport bike space this wouldn't even be considered.

[pdog]

Yea I'm with you, this is not news.:idk:

The news part is how the EU is considering expanding it across all of Europe.


Devil's advocate here but isn't 100hp enough for the street in reality? I mean to be honest, wouldn't a 100hp, 300lb bike kick ass?:idk: Heck, my V-Max barely made over 100 ponies and that bike rocked!!!

That's my view too - 100hp will wheelie, get you to 150mph, etc. But I am concerned about arbitrary limits when it comes to the government. They tend to get only more restrictive, not relaxed, over time.

[azoomm]

and yet you wouldnt have a free country without them. Thats gratitude for ya. Pretty sure this has been around for a while, i remember some old posts on a kawi forum talking about how the zx10 was limited to 100

:lol: And, they would be speaking German if it weren't for our help.... we could go around and around on this all day.

We all know it isn't the POWER of a motorcycle that makes it inherantly dangerous. Perhaps the human race needs a bit of bleach in the pool every now and then... eh?

[pauldun170]

:lol: And, they would be speaking German if it weren't for our help.... we could go around and around on this all day.

We all know it isn't the POWER of a motorcycle that makes it inherantly dangerous. Perhaps the human race needs a bit of bleach in the pool every now and then... eh?


Actually, they would be speaking Russian.

[Dave]

eh their own fault for versailles. Much as id like to blame wilson for some of that

[Homeslice]

The fact that the US is not part of the EU? :D

So? If this spreads to the entire EU, why wouldn't they just say "Cut down on production costs by selling the same low-power version everywhere"

I mean, the EU is probably responsible for 50-60% of their sales anyway.

[pdog]

Because there are four Japanese factories. The first one that did this, would see their sales plummet. For example, do you think a liter bike buyer would buy a Gixxer limited to 100hp when he can buy an R1 with 150?


So? If this spreads to the entire EU, why wouldn't they just say "Cut down on production costs by selling the same low-power version everywhere"

I mean, the EU is probably responsible for 50-60% of their sales anyway.

[smileyman]

KTM, Ducati, Triumph, BMW...I don't think those companies would allow this to slide unchallenged thru all the EU.

[Trip]

It will be interesting to see where 600 tech goes with this if they make this pass. I can forsee much lighter 600s right at the 100hp limit.

[Rider]

It will be interesting to see where 600 tech goes with this if they make this pass. I can forsee much lighter 600s right at the 100hp limit.

Or go back to super light 250 2 strokes? :rockwoot:

[smileyman]

Whats the old rule of thumb? 7 lbs is worth 1 hp? So a 400 lb middleweight with 110 hp would have to drop 70 hp to feel as peppy? Not that the braking and handling wouldnt make a diff. but wouldn't it be better to have 110 hp and 330 lbs?

[EpyonXero]

I bet a lot of companies will just stop selling new bikes in France and people who want 100HP bikes will just cross the border to get them.

[goof2]

The fact that the US is not part of the EU? :D

The US wasn't putting pressure on car manufacturers to limit top speeds to 155 mph (250 kph) but most European cars sold here are governed to that speed anyway. As I remember the pressure also came from Europe to limit bikes to 186 mph (300 kph) but it carried over to here as well. We often have to deal with the same restrictions even though we aren't a member nation.

[Dave]

Or go back to super light 250 2 strokes? :rockwoot:

smokes will never come back as long as we have emissions laws

[goof2]

smokes will never come back as long as we have emissions laws

Unfortunately I think you are right. At the time I really hoped Bimota's V-Due was going to do well. Instead it killed the company. If Honda had decided to do the same thing at the time I think they could have pulled it off. Even with stricter emissions today I don't think it would be impossible, just too expensive to bother.

[derf]

Thank you europe for pussifying us some more, whats next man purses?

[Particle Man]

smokes will never come back as long as we have emissions laws

they have been doing a lot of good things with snowmobiles on that front... today's 2-strokes actually do better than a lot of 4-strokes out there.

[101lifts2]

Frogs. They have been subjugated by every country in Europe. Now they pussify themselves for our amusement. I'm thinking of moving there since it would be nice to be the only man in a nation with a dick and balls.

Small as they may be. :lol

I wonder they they even care if a few people die.

[101lifts2]

I can't imagine manufacturers will take the time and spend the money to modify existing bikes solely for France. It isn't like there is a thriving French motorcycle industry willing to cater to that individual country either. If the EU doesn't implement the ban as well I hope the French enjoy getting virtually no sportbikes.

If the EU goes along I suspect they will see a number of 100hp bikes where the most effective performance modification will be done with wire-cutters. I don't know why Germany (BMW) or Italy (Duc, MV) would want to get involved in it.

Oh course they will. It isn't all that hard. Not sure why they think limiting it to under 100hp is going to do anything. My 2009 ZX6r is 109hp and absolutely flies. I'm sure it would still fly with 100hp.

[Amber Lamps]

:lol: And, they would be speaking German if it weren't for our help.... we could go around and around on this all day.

We all know it isn't the POWER of a motorcycle that makes it inherantly dangerous. Perhaps the human race needs a bit of bleach in the pool every now and then... eh?

Oh so it can be more white eh? RACIST!!!!:lol:

[pauldun170]

Oh course they will. It isn't all that hard. Not sure why they think limiting it to under 100hp is going to do anything. My 2009 ZX6r is 109hp and absolutely flies. I'm sure it would still fly with 100hp.

I can think of a ton of bikes that meet a 100hp restriction that fly

[OneSickPsycho]

My guess is the bike makers will just slap some ridiculously restrictive electronics on there.... Nothing a Power Commander can't fix...

[smileyman]

I can think of a ton of bikes that meet a 100hp restriction that fly

Well back in the day we managed to get killed on F2s and Katanas, all pushing 80hp with 100 more pounds than some of these new fangled croth missles, har har har...

[pauldun170]

Well back in the day we managed to get killed on F2s and Katanas, all pushing 80hp with 100 more pounds than some of these new fangled croth missles, har har har...

Haven't 600's and Cruisers been the key types for on the road whoopsies? (as per data )

[Rider]

smokes will never come back as long as we have emissions laws

The 2 stroke sleds of today are pretty good emissions wise. :idk: Plus they get just as good of gas mileage according to my snow snowmobiling friends.

[karl_1052]

I can't imagine manufacturers will take the time and spend the money to modify existing bikes solely for France. It isn't like there is a thriving French motorcycle industry willing to cater to that individual country either. If the EU doesn't implement the ban as well I hope the French enjoy getting virtually no sportbikes.

If the EU goes along I suspect they will see a number of 100hp bikes where the most effective performance modification will be done with wire-cutters. I don't know why Germany (BMW) or Italy (Duc, MV) would want to get involved in it.

Norway has had a law in place like this for a while now, and the manufacturers follow it. If they want to sell bikes in those countries, they will comply. And France is a huge motorcycle market.

Remember, it was France that was able to convince the big 4 to restrict their bikes to 300km/h.

[Dave]

The 2 stroke sleds of today are pretty good emissions wise. :idk: Plus they get just as good of gas mileage according to my snow snowmobiling friends.

arent those considered off road only?

[goof2]

Norway has had a law in place like this for a while now, and the manufacturers follow it. If they want to sell bikes in those countries, they will comply. And France is a huge motorcycle market.

Remember, it was France that was able to convince the big 4 to restrict their bikes to 300km/h.

From what I understand that was the EU, not just France.

[smileyman]

Haven't 600's and Cruisers been the key types for on the road whoopsies? (as per data )

Actually I think I member in the Hurt report it was big cc cruiser bikes like 1200 Twins that crashed to most. maybe France should limit torque or weight?

[smileyman]

From what I understand that was the EU, not just France.

Yup, gang tackle. But you gotta think this was a speed limiter not a hp limiter. Public roads might be safe to exhibit high hp but not insanely high speeds.

[papapoi]

i ride an sv 650 i dont care what they do over there i dont have that many ponies anyway lol

[Dave]

Yup, gang tackle. But you gotta think this was a speed limiter not a hp limiter. Public roads might be safe to exhibit high hp but not insanely high speeds.

ya know ghost rider is french...

[Avatard]

maybe France should limit torque or weight?

Maybe they should limit man-purses and butterfat.

[derf]

This proposal surfaces regularly on different levels. It seems so easy: Less power, less dangerous. The FEMA argues no study has ever found a link between horsepower and risk. A statistical study done in Norway in the 90's (later studies show the same) showed a possible link between a motorcycles "image" and risk, but that's absolutely not connected to horsepower. For instance a 110 hp Kawasaki ZX7 had ten times higher risk of being involved in an accident as a 150 hp Kawasaki ZZR 1100. They also like to point to France, where they've been enforcing a 100 hp limit for twenty years, with no effect on accidents. It's hard to imagine a proposal with no real effect passing, but it does have one effect: it makes politicians look like they're really doing something, and that's not to be underestimated.

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/03/the-truth-behind-europes-pendi.html