A new study is sounding the alarm on the hidden threat all motorcyclists are aware of: the steel safety barriers lining thousands of kilometres of roads. Motorcyclists across Europe are familiar with the dangers of slippery curves and unexpected obstacles. Researchers confirm that these barriers, designed primarily to protect car occupants, are a serious risk to motorcyclists in a specific type of accident: upright crashes. When a rider hits a barrier in an upright position, their chest or abdomen often slams directly into the sharp upper edge of the guardrail. The research paper calls for better guardrails to protect motorcyclists in these upright crashes. While ‘motorcycle-friendly’ barriers already exist to reduce injuries from sliding crashes, where riders slide into the barrier after

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) published its 19th PIN annual report, analyzing the 20,017 deaths on EU roads in 2024. In this report, the ETSC again calls for periodic technical inspections for all motorcycles and mopeds without offering any proof of safety gains. The ETSC recommends to extend testing to cover all motorcycles, including mopeds, without exemptions: as a minimum, first inspection after four years, subsequent inspections every two years, then every year after that. But more on that later, let's look at the road safety numbers first. The EU has set a target to halve the number of road deaths by 2030, based on their level in 2019. Most European countries have similar national targets. The 19th PIN report paints

Council of the EU says mopeds and motorcycles should be included in the end-of-life vehicles regulation. The Council of the EU has adopted its position on the end-of-life vehicles (ELV) regulation, legislation that dictates how vehicles are recycled, reused, and disposed of when they reach the end of their life. The Council of the EU represents the member states' governments. It is where national ministers and experts from each EU country meet to (amongst other tasks) negotiate and adopt EU laws. The Council’s position increases the level of ambition of the regulation, including in its scope heavy-duty trucks and two- or three-wheel bikes and quadricycles. The Council wants the scope of the Regulation to be expanded to include: vehicles of categories L1e to

To increase recycling targets, the European Commission wants to expand the scope of the End-of-Life Vehicles directive to include motorcycles. The European Union is in the process of revising its End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, legislation that dictates how vehicles are recycled, reused, and disposed of when they reach the end of their life. The proposed changes for a new regulation are part of a broader push towards a circular economy. But there's a catch for us motorcyclists: for the first time, motorcycles may be included under these strict regulations. This move has triggered alarm bells across the riding community, and for good reason. The European Commission wants to expand the scope of the End-of-Life Vehicles directive to include motorcycles (L-category vehicles), as

A provisional deal on EU driving licence rules introducing a mobile licence and driving disqualification for reckless drivers was approved in the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN). A revamped EU driving licence rules, agreed by Council and Parliament negotiators, led by EP rapporteur Jutta Paulus (Greens, DE), in March 2025, seek to contribute to road safety and EU’s digital transition. Digital driving licence Under the provisional agreement a digital driving licence, available on a smartphone with EU-wide digital wallet technology, will become the main format in the EU. However, MEPs managed to ensure that drivers will continue to have the right to request a physical driver’s licence. Novice drivers and health checks EU rules will set a probationary period of at least

The European association of motorcycle manufacturers ACEM welcomes the new anti-tampering provisions for the non-original replacement exhaust silencing systems for motorcycles. When an aftermarket silencer is fitted the sound may not exceed that of the bike with the original silencer. There are many silencers on the market that can be adjusted, for instance by a valve that can be opened or closed. Within the bandwidth and in the gears that are used with the type approval test, the valve is closed and the silencer does not exceed the sound limits. However, these silencers are programmed to have the valve opened outside this bandwidth and in other gears and then make much more sound. ACEM acknowledges the concerns of citizens, policymakers and regulators

Initially it looked like the EU tariffs would only concern motorcycles under the 500cc limit, but the reality is a lot worse. As reported earlier, the European Commission is responding to the United States' decision to impose tariffs by implementing countermeasures designed to match the economic impact of those tariffs. After the U.S. decided to impose a 25% tariff on up to €26 billion worth of European Union (EU) steel, aluminium, and related products, the EU plans to reinstate tariffs that were previously introduced in 2018 and 2020 on certain U.S. imports, effective from 1 April 2025. Additionally, the EU is planning to introduce further measures by mid-April to maintain 'economic balance'. One specific countermeasure confirmed by the European Commission is the

In response to the imposition of new US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imports, the European Commission has launched countermeasures on US imports into the EU. In response to new US tariffs affecting more than €18 billion of EU exports, the Commission is putting forward a package of new countermeasures on US exports. They will come into force by mid-April, following consultation of Member States and stakeholders. In total, the EU countermeasures could therefore apply to US goods exports worth up to €26 billion, matching the economic scope of the US tariffs. On the list of products which could be subject to possible measures are: Motorcycles, incl. mopeds, with reciprocating internal combustion piston engine of a cylinder capacity <= 50 cm³

FEMA held its Annual General Meeting 2025 in Switzerland, during the three-day FIM Commissions Conference, which was held from 7 to 9 February. The conference brought together 370 members of the FIM Family for three days of high-level discussions aimed at sharing ideas and expertise to advance motorcycling and motorcycle sport. The first-ever annual general meeting of the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) as an FIM Associated Member also took place on 7 February, with the attendance of FIM President Jorge Viegas and other FIM representatives. For FEMA and its members this conference offered an excellent opportunity to get fully acquainted with the work the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) does on a global scale. Top photograph: ©FIM/Víctor Arroyo.

At the Annual General Meeting on 7 February 2025 the members of FEMA, together in Switzerland, elected a new board. The FEMA board now consists of Olea Anett Kvalsvik (president), Eric Maldiney (treasurer), Jesper Christensen, Hans Jørgen Hansen, Jari Kielinen, Michael Noonan and Kristrún Tryggvadóttir. Photographs by Wim Taal & Torben Stephan.

On 5 December the Portuguese parliament voted against a mandatory technical inspection for motorcycles, which was to be introduced from 1 January 2025. Portuguese riders' rights organisation GAM (Grupo Acção Motociclista) said: "The decision to impose a mandatory technical inspection for motorcycles in Portugal, on 1 January 2025 is definitely buried. The wait was long, but it is here: Portugal will not introduce mandatory periodical technical inspection for motorcycles. After more than 12 years of fight, to bring awareness to the reality of the facts surrounding the subject, we finally got the Portuguese government on our side: mandatory periodical technical inspection for motorcycles was repealed yesterday by the Portuguese parliamentary majority." Source: GAM Top photograph courtesy of GAM This article is subject to FEMA’s

The European Council has adopted a negotiating position to improve road safety by addressing driving disqualifications across the EU. The proposal requires that a member state which issues a driving licence must enforce driving disqualifications imposed by another member state for serious traffic offences, improving road safety by removing dangerous drivers across the EU. The next step is negotiations with the European Parliament.The European Parliament earlier said driving disqualification should apply in all EU countries (click here for an article from 29 November 2023). Key points include: The proposal aims to ensure mutual recognition of disqualifications for non-resident drivers. Certain disqualifications (less than three months or with under a month remaining) will be excluded. Information will be exchanged digitally via the EU