freeamfva: How Brussels could kill off the motorbike

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The European Commission plans to set steep emissions requirements that only zero-emission vehicles will be able to meet. So far, the policy only covers cars and vans, but riders are worried that the Commission will eventually come for them — despite motorcycles being absent from the Commission's massive Fit for 55 climate package released this summer, the bloc's 2050 target of cutting emissions from transport by 90 percent includes every part of the sector.To get more news about davincitech, you can visit davincimotor.com official website.

A ban on internal combustion engines "Would be a disaster ... and would lead to the death of motorcycling as a hobby for many," said Michael Lenzen of the German Motorcyclists' Association (BVDM).Although motorcycles only account for 2 percent of the European vehicle market, there is some reason for the sector to worry. Traditional motorcycles tend to be more fuel-efficient than cars and emit fewer greenhouse gases, but are still large emitters of pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.

When the U.K. announced its own plans for decarbonizing transport by 2035 this summer, these included L-class vehicles, a category that covers motorcycles, in mandating they have to be "fully zero emissions at the tailpipe" by 2035.

“While cars and vans outnumber motorcycles on U.K. roads," said the U.K.'s Department for Transport, "motorcycles are an important and sizeable vehicle population, with 1.4 million licensed in 2020 — and we do not want to see them remaining fossil-fuelled as the rest of the vehicle fleet cleans up.”

Bans are already starting to happen in some cities, with Paris, London and Barcelona introducing access restrictions for certain types of motorcycles. “And one must expect that these will be tightened even more in the coming years,” said Rolf Frieling, chairman of Germany's Biker Union.

Electrifying two-wheelers is something that can be done for motorbikes and scooters used for daily urban commuting, where distances aren't long and recharging is easy. That's not the case for those riding off into the sunset on the open road.

"If I want to go to France and ride a few nice curves but have to take an hour-long charging break after every 150 kilometers, that's no fun at all," said Frieling. Add carrying a charging cable and varying plug or payment systems, he said, and a ban on internal combustion engine vehicles would effectively "kill" motorbike touring.Most would give up riding rather than switch to a zero-emission vehicle, according to a survey by the Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA) in September. Although 47 percent of respondents said they would switch to a zero-emission motorcycle, 89 percent were unwilling to pay more for one than for a classic motorcycle.

A grouping of motorcycle and scooter makers — including Honda, Yamaha, KTM and Piaggo — formed a consortium in September to establish a standard for swappable batteries, which would allow for a quick replacement of a flat battery rather than waiting for a recharge. But that's largely aimed at small motorcycles.

ACEM, the industry lobby, called on the Commission "to consider the use of (electric) powered two-wheelers in urban areas as a valuable contribution, along with public transport, walking and cycling."There is some activity at the higher end of the market, with bigger, faster bikes aiming to appeal to traditional motorcycle enthusiasts.

The Tesla of the industry is Zero, a U.S. startup that only makes electric bikes, but traditional manufacturers like Harley Davidson, with its new LiveWire line, are also edging into the market.