The BMF has warned that aftermarket accessories could be under threat by a new UK Government consultation which aims to outlaw 'tampering products.' The consultation document suggests creating new offences for tampering with systems or components of road vehicles. Reply to the consultation now!
The consultation seeks views on areas of vehicle standards regulation that are outdated, a barrier to innovation or not designed with new technologies and business models in mind. However it is clearly aimed primarily at items such as re-chipping or non-catalysed exhausts, but the ‘legalise’ language used is fairly broad and could be interpreted in different ways by different authorities.
This could also affect motor sport as it also targets non-road mobile machinery meaning off-road motorcycles. You wouldn't be able to tune your race bike, track bike, or MX bike for example.
If the full extent of the consultation is realised in law then you can say goodbye to fitting exhausts without catalytic converters, goodbye to removing the SAIS systems, goodbye to switching off ABS or traction control. The consultation is poorly worded, has repetitive questions, takes multiple diverse options together as one, and is generally designed to promote the ideas. It takes a while to work your way through it but the key part is to strongly disagree with the anti-tampering proposals both on road vehicles and on off-road vehicles.
Please answer the consultation and have your say.
