Motorcycle Inspection: Riders in Full Resistance Mode
Since April 15th, motorcycle inspections, also known as CT2RM, have landed in France, and trust me, not everyone is thrilled. If you’re a biker, you couldn’t have missed the news: from now on, all bikes must pass a technical inspection to stay on the road. But as is often the case in our community, this rule hasn’t been warmly welcomed, sparking major opposition. According to the FFMC (French Federation of Angry Motorcyclists), over 80% of bikers decided to skip the inspection. And honestly, it’s causing a stir. So, what’s the current status of this situation? Let’s break it down.
Motorcycle Inspection: A Rule That’s Rubbing People the Wrong Way
You might already be familiar with car inspections. Essentially, it’s a check-up to make sure your vehicle meets safety and environmental standards. So far, so good. But since April 2024, the same check applies to motorcycles and scooters. In theory, it seems like a good idea: ensuring our bikes are safe and not overly polluting. Yet among bikers, it hasn’t been a hit. Between costs, paperwork, and the feeling of being constrained, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Motorcyclists Speak Out
This is where the FFMC steps in. They refuse to go along quietly and have called for a total boycott of this inspection, and it appears to have resonated. According to their data, nearly 80% of bikers ignored the rule. That’s huge, especially considering there are about 2.3 million motorcycles on the road in France. To give you a clearer picture, fewer than 500,000 motorcycles reported for inspection in nearly 7 months. In other words, a significant portion of the biker community outright refused to comply with this test. The FFMC makes it clear: this resistance goes far beyond its own members. It’s a genuine rejection.
Why Does This Boycott Make Sense?
So why such a boycott? The FFMC and motorcyclists argue that this inspection is unnecessary, costly, and above all, burdensome. On one hand, they believe that motorcycle safety isn’t genuinely ensured by this check. On the other, it becomes a real administrative and financial headache. Going to an inspection center costs an arm and a leg, and often you have to plan for repairs to meet standards. End result, the FFMC advocates for a radical reform. The goal of the boycott is to complicate things for inspection centers. They’ve invested in equipment and trained their teams, but without the bikes showing up, it’s going to be difficult for them.
Resistance for a Fairer Inspection
The purpose of the boycott is to force authorities to reconsider. According to the FFMC, motorcyclists want regulations that are fairer, less restrictive, and more attuned to real-world conditions. Some even dream of the outright elimination of the CT2RM. But the FFMC doesn’t stop there: their message is clear, the more we boycott, the more inspection centers are likely to struggle. And that’s a powerful statement.
Ultimately, this boycott highlights a significant gap between bikers and the authorities. Decision-makers seem completely disconnected from the reality of our roads and the needs of motorcyclists. The longer the boycott lasts, the wider this rift may grow. If the authorities remain unresponsive, we might witness a citizen uprising against what they see as a disproportionate law.
What Does the Future Hold for Motorcycle Inspections?
For now, everything’s up in the air. If the resistance continues to gain momentum, it’s likely that the authorities will have to reconsider their stance. It wouldn’t be the first time a mass movement changes the game. The big question is whether this boycott can lead to a complete revision of the law, or even its total repeal. In any case, the CT2RM saga is only just beginning.
