I'm copying a post (with permission) from Steve Mann on the 'MCN back-off EU' Facebook page.. It's not about a particular event/rally. I'm hoping that by posting it here more people will see & read it through, and (hopefully) help ensure the answer to the Subject question is a firm 'NO'.

It's an insight into what has already happened in Europe, and what is about to happen in the UK, 'unless'...

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Stephen Mann says:

20th September 2011 at 12:32 am

I am a retired Policeman, and Police motorcyclist. A member of the Blue Knights MC, and several other motor cycle clubs, and I have been riding for over 40 years, and almost every motorcycle I have owned, has been modified in some way. I live in Spain, and I ride a BMW R1100GS. (Modified) I am totally against the anti tampering laws on principal. We have more than enough ‘big brother laws’, both in the UK and the EU, and like most people, I have had enough of domestic and foreign interference with basic freedoms of the individual.

I write this more as a warning of what is to come, rather than just a protest. We, as motorcyclists, whether individuals, club members, or any other group, are NOT dealing with a democratic organisation, when it comes to the EEC. Some of us have voted for MEP’s, but once in the EU parliament, we have absolutely no control whatsoever, and no influence on the decisions made on our behalf.

If past EU legislation is studied, it will be found that no matter what the recommendations by proffessional bodies, or groups such as the farmers, the EU will make the decisions that they want to suit their agenda, and their agenda is total uniformity across all member states, in all things.
Living in Spain, i can give you first hand experience of anti tampering.

The first experience was importing a Harley Davidson softail custom into Spain. I had fitted a Harley 19? front wheel in place of the 21? wheel to improve the handling, and larger mirrors. When it came to the ITV (MOT), it was failed for having a non standard wheel, and being too wide, because the mirrors extended out further than standard. The S&S carb, drilled out mufflers, and gas shocks were not noticed ! This was after spending almost a hundred euros, on a compulsory, detailed engineers study of the machine.

If you want to modify any vehicle, you must only fit EU approved, AND Spanish, and EU, homologated parts. These must be accompanied by the relevant certification. But wait, that’s not all. These parts must then be fitted by a qualified vehicle technician, who then has to supply further certification, showing that he is qualified. So to recap, you have to pay inflated prices for the homologated parts, and the certificates. Then pay to have them fitted by an engineer, and for his certification. You then have to pay to re MOT the machine, and have the parts added to the technical part of your registration document. In addition you have to do this every time the machine is modified. The proverbial cash cow ! Of course, if you have everything done at once, you only have to do this once !!!

Another example is tow bars for a car, 4×4 etc. The parts must be homologated, fitted by a certifcated engineer, and the vehicle inspected at an MOT station. There are some highly modified 4×4's here, that are actualy used off road ! Their technical registration document run into pages, and it has to be remembered that, it is law, that you must carry all the original documents for the machine with you. Both registration documents, (One for ownership and one technical) MOT, Insurance and proof that you have paid next years road tax. Also your driving licence of course.

Most dealers carry stocks of parts to enable machines to pass the MOT, after which everybody re fits the non standard parts, but this leaves you open to prosecution, and you have to pay the dealer to MOT the machine for you.

This is causing huge problems in Barcelona, where up to 400 harleys, are in danger of being confiscated, and or the owners fined, because their machines come nowhere near the Spainish MOT requirements. I know of one dealer who imports Harleys, and other custom machines by the container load, and more than half are not standard. they all pass the MOT when they are sold, and I can honestly say, that he would never let an unsafe machine out of his premises.

However, even though this dealer may not be involved, the process is simple. Most, but NOT all MOT stations are government owned and run. However, because of the volume of machines, some have been turning a blind eye, as long as the machine is safe, because of the revenue invloved. The Guardia Civil, are being blamed for the crack down, but of course it is in fact the government, who have ordered the action to start with.

It gets worse !

The situation is similar to the illegal housing farce in Spain. The owner gets prosecuted, and his vehicle confiscated, and legal proceedings are instigated. This will take a minimum of 2 years, during which time the vehicle will be stored, as is, in an open, fenced pound. Or a shed if you’re lucky. Sometimes for 4 years or more. If you win, the vehicle will be returned to you with no right of compensation ! NONE ! If you lose, the vehicle will be sold for it’s current value to pay the fine, or returned to you after paying the fine. Then of course you have to return, what is likely to be a pile of scrap, to manufacturers spec, and then go through the whole process of homologation, engineers and MOT, to put the machine back on the road. The dealer will by then have gone bankrupt, and re-opened in his wifes name, so no hope there then. The cash cow, has now become a cash herd ! To make matters worse, the Spanish have a nasty habit of crushing illegal vehicles anyway.

The whole point of the proposed legislation, is that we will be compelled to ride standard, or modified EU approved machines, wearing high visibility flourescent clothing. To do so, we will have to pass ever more stringent tests, with the final result being that nobody will want to ride motorcyles, which is precisely the aim of the EU transport policies that we do not see. FACT.

The EU parliament have railroaded legislation through parliament many times, despite protest and lobbying. The ever more complex reports, and studies, are simply a smoke screen to keep us busy and complacent, and we will almost certainly find much of the legislation goes through, before we are even aware of it, and with studies etc, still gong through the motions.

Should we then continue to protest ?

DAMN RIGHT WE SHOULD, with ever increasing vigour, and with a close eye on what certain MEP’s that supposedly support us, are really doing. Remember they earn a huge salary, and will do as they are told, even if it means lulling us into a false sense of security. (With apologies to the few genuine ones)

You have been warned !

SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO RIDE WITH ALL THE MEANS AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

I posted this on the Right to Ride site. It just gives an indication of what is to come. Somehow these protests must get better press and TV coverage. I've spoken to Marta Andreason before. She is a very capable politician, and if she says she is going to do something, believe me, she will. She is the lady who told her own prime minister, Zapatero, that she would give him a time limit, to sort out the illegal housing problems in Spain, or she would hound him out of his job, in front of the whole EU parliament. Zapatero is now not running for re election ! (I'm sure she did not help his cause !)

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It would seem that the only way is out (of the EU).   For those that say that the benefits of being in far outweigh the benefits of being out, I say, GO TELL THE GREEKS!                                                                                                                                                                             

Seig heil, the fourth reich is coming, total uniformity the German way.
Who do you think pulls the strings, where does all the unaccounted EU money go [the auditors don't know] look at all the countries in the EU, a couple were neutral, and all but two were taken over, the UK and Malta, were the only two without jackboots on their shores, this is the political way to form an empire, form a euro army that can't fight back and job done.
why are we always at the shit end of any EU decisions:- because we beat the ?uckers and they don't like it up em. Wake up and smell the coffee rant over.
                                                                                                                                                                             

This may not be the right place, but well worth showing..

[url]http://youtu.be/NOzR3UAyXao[/url]

priceless...
                                                                                                                                                                             

Cannot get that address to work.                                                                                                                                                                              

try this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOzR3UAyXao                                                                                                                                                                             

thanks Lisa (still haven't figured out links! lol)                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                              

you want to stop this. then vote for a party that will stand up for this country and british people. theres only one party for that                                                                                                                                                                             

This is causing huge problems in Barcelona, where up to 400 harleys, are in danger of being confiscated

OH MY GOD how are they going to plough their fields

As per the other thread with a few MEP replies on them i think it's been over hyped as to it being EU led.  It's not it's some individual states wanting to bring it specific legislations for their own bikers. 

When it becomes something that is being looked for Uk riders then i'll protest not when MCN dramatises something to up their sales
                                                                                                                                                                             

heh, if the EU passes legislation it becomes the 'rule' for All members, including UK.  It's not a case of MCN dramatising something to up their sales - the whole bike industry is concerned, the accessory industry is concerned, everyone it seems except the majority of bikers..(?)

When it comes to 'something that is being looked for Uk riders' it'll be too late - the legislation will already be in place, to be implemented as & when. Best of luck with that ;)
                                                                                                                                                                             

Sorry Disagree the papers if you read them are individual states wanting specific rules brought in.

What your saying is because France has 130km speed limits that's law here also...doesn't work that way   Member states still have the right to bring in it's own laws that in turn doesn't affect the other EU members states as a whole.

High
Visibility Jackets

Concerns have been raised that it will be mandatory
for all riders to wear high visibility jackets. This lies outside the scope of
the report, and as a result does not feature. There is a level of discussion in
some Member States to introduce proposals related to high visibility jackets but
please be reassured that this will not happen in the UK and the rumours that it
will are completely untrue.

Banning of older motorcycles from Urban
Areas

Older motorcycles will not be banned from urban areas in this
report. Again, this rumour has surfaced from discussions by some national
Governments in Members States but rest assured the UK will not ban older
motorcycles from being used anywhere in the UK.

Anti Tampering
legislation

Labour MEPs are aware of the value to the single market of
aftermarket sales and servicing. Further, we understand that there is a deep
rooted cultural history of self-maintenance and modification. Please be
reassured that this regulation is not intended to stop this practice. The
anti-tampering legislation is designed to stop dangerous modifications from
taking place and to put a stop to those practices which put riders lives at risk

High vis jackets..
Outside the scope of 'this' report, yes, but any "statistics" garnered from other countries can be used as ammo for future do-gooders & publicity-seeking MPs.. not a big concern this time around.

Older m/c, urban areas..
Agreed, won't happen (this time around).

Anti Tampering Legislation..
This is a biggie. 

"Labour MEPs are aware of the value to the single market of
aftermarket sales and servicing. Further, we understand that there is a deep rooted cultural history of self-maintenance and modification. Please be reassured that this regulation is not intended to stop this practice. The anti-tampering legislation is designed to stop dangerous modifications from taking place and to put a stop to those practices which put riders lives at risk."

Read: They are Not going to fight the ATL, they will Not be in a position to decide what is 'dangerous', and they Will be forced to take a back seat when any restrictions are placed.  Please be in doubt, should the ATL be passed anything and everything can come under scrutiny.

To quote part of the original post: "The EU parliament have railroaded legislation through parliament many times, despite protest and lobbying. The ever more complex reports, and studies, are simply a smoke screen to keep us busy and complacent, and we will almost certainly find much of the legislation goes through, before we are even aware of it..."
This has already happened, and is still happening in other parts of Europe, and to sme degree the UK. Read back on the state of affairs in Spain.. If bikers genuinely believe their MPs, MEPs, and whatever smoke is fed them then they only have themselves to blame. (jmho)

too much for my poor lil 'ead right now

                                                                                                                                                                             

There are many groups in the UK who have been warning for ages about the powers that the EU could POTENTIALLY exert over here.

I am an Englishman, and that has got nothing at all to do with any of the shite that comes from EDL/BNP racist bigotted eejits.

However, we are supposed to be able to rely on our ancient english common law rights, one of which is that the people of england can never be ruled by an organisation like the EU.  unfortunately tptb ignored that law in 1973 when they signed the ECC.

Everyone, i feel, knows that something is absolutely wrong about how the world is going atm.  From bankers profits to illegal wars to political corrupion.  something is wrong, innit??

try this link http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=george+carl...m&aq=f

this guy has it totally sorted imo and this should be our starting point for any discussion on english, EU or world affairs.  what a rant.  fingers are sore now.

Wes pu hal

Duke                                                                                                                                                                             

+1 mate, all the way.