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Brussels says: “You will have anti-Lock Brakes and like them.”

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Riders will have anti-lock braking systems (ABS) with no option to disable them whether they like them or not if the European Commission gets its way. The Commission plans to enforce the fitment of ABS to all new bikes above 125cc.
 
A compromise that might have enabled riders to switch their ABS off has been rejected by the Commission on the grounds that ABS will offer safety benefits far more often than it will pose safety problems. The Commission is concerned that what they describe as false anxiety about ABS, may lead riders to disable their systems in normal on-road use and thus lose the benefits these systems offer.
 
The Commission acknowledges that ABS may pose disadvantages in off-road situations but considers the number of citizens living in areas with a high percentage of unpaved roads as negligible compared to the broader riding population.
 
MAG President Ian Mutch said, “This is typical Commission bullishness of the ‘one size fits all philosophy.’ Very few road accidents have anything to do with the machines themselves.  Unless we can steer the Commission away from this obsession with technical solutions then we are just going to face a lot of expense with no certainty that it will reduce accidents at all.”
 
The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) argues that in addition to the limitation of consumer choice, the fitment of ABS will significantly increase the purchase cost and maintenance cost of motorcycles.
 
On a positive note, following FEMA’s suggestion, the Commission proposes to prohibit member states from applying national power limits like the 100hp limit currently in place in France.
 
NB MAGUK is a founder member of FEMA . One Euro from each £25 MAGUK membership subscription goes to help fund the cost of running FEMA.

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