Browsing: law

EU driving licence reform, French speed limit crackdowns, US legislation and international court rulings: All legal and political developments that affect motorcyclists worldwide.

Speeding results in fines and penalty points. But can police directly seize a motorcycle? The Administrative Court of Appeal in Rhineland-Palatinate has set clear limits to this practice.

The US Supreme Court has declared the controversial IEEPA tariffs to be unlawful. Kawasaki and numerous other companies had filed lawsuits, and now there could be billions in refunds.

A bill in the US House of Representatives aims to tighten the nationwide definition of motorcycles. Three-wheeled autocycles such as the Polaris Slingshot would then no longer be considered motorcycles and would face an uncertain future.

Since February 14, 2026, French speed cameras have been automatically checking whether vehicles caught speeding are insured. The measure also applies to motorcycles and is set to be extended to all speeding offenses in the long term.

At the beginning of 2026, Iceland fundamentally changed its road transport financing system. The new mileage-based toll also affects tourists and has a particular impact on rental cars and longer journeys.

In the state of Washington, there are renewed discussions about changing the traffic rules for motorcycles. A draft bill proposes allowing motorcycles to temporarily use the right-hand shoulder in traffic jams.

The European Union is once again discussing mandatory periodic technical inspections for all motorcycles. Representatives of motorcyclist organizations point to accident statistics that call into question the safety benefits of such inspections.

Copenhagen has submitted a new proposal to introduce zero-emission zones for public consultation. The motorcycle organization Danske MotorCyklister is analyzing the plans in detail, as they could have a significant impact on motorcycle access to the capital.

After reviewing the previously withheld administrative files, the lawsuit against the partial motorcycle ban on the Sudelfeld route was significantly expanded. The documents now available cast a critical light on the actions of the Rosenheim district and raise doubts about transparency, proportionality, and proper administrative work.

The European Parliament is once again discussing mandatory general inspections for motorcycles. A current draft report goes significantly further than the previous proposal by the EU Commission.

France has classified excessive speeding as a criminal offense since the end of 2025. Anyone driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit faces imprisonment, heavy fines, and other consequences.

The EU Council and EU Parliament have agreed on new guidelines for the circular economy for vehicles. For the first time, motorcycles will also be covered by the rules for end-of-life vehicles.

Starting in May 2026, numerous Austrian cities plan to introduce new access restrictions that will be monitored by cameras. The measures also apply to foreign vehicles and could prove costly for tourists.

The EU wanted to require older vehicles to undergo an annual roadworthiness test in the future. However, the member states have clearly rejected this plan, as the benefits for road safety appear doubtful and the additional costs would be considerable.

Tesla wants to introduce its Full Self-Driving system in Europe as quickly as possible, but serious accidents involving motorcycles are raising questions about safety. The Dutch registration authority RDW is demanding that the protection of motorcyclists be a priority—only then can approval be granted.

The Administrative Court of Hanover has provisionally confirmed the temporary driving ban for motorcycles on the K74 between Westendorf and Bernsen. The decision is based on a series of accidents which, according to the court, constitute a qualified hazard.

The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) is using the National Road Safety Conference in the United Kingdom to call for a fundamental change in transport policy. Instead of continuing to treat motorcycles as a nuisance, the NMC is campaigning for them to be accepted as an equal and sustainable part of the transport system.

In October 2025, motorcycle noise in the Danube Valley was once again the focus of political attention: the Petitions Committee of the Baden-Württemberg State Parliament dealt with a petition calling for a ban on combustion engine motorcycles on State Road 277 between Fridingen an der Donau and Sigmaringen on Sundays and public holidays, as well as the targeted promotion of electric motorcycles. According to the petitioners, the aim was to reduce noise pollution for the local population and those seeking relaxation. However, I do not know exactly who submitted the petition, what demands it contained in detail, or how many people supported the cause, as I have not yet been able to find the petition.

By lowering the minimum age for 125cc motorcycles to 16 in 2021, Switzerland adopted an EU regulation. Since then, the number of serious accidents involving young motorcyclists has risen significantly. According to the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU), the number of serious accidents involving 16- and 17-year-olds has almost tripled. Last year, 156 young people between the ages of 15 and 17 were seriously injured in motorcycle accidents, six of whom died. The average number of seriously injured young people in the four years prior to the change in the law was significantly lower, as confirmed by the BFU. The advisory center had spoken out against lowering the age limit in advance and sees its fears confirmed by current developments.