Devon TRF Group Forum

The Government is consulting on regulating vehicle emissions control systems (ECS) for vehicles registered after Jan 1st 2001 and this link < here > provides details on their intentions. It's a long read but there may be implications that affect our bikes and cars.

In a nutshell it seems they want to ensure vehicle emissions remain no higher than when first manufactured by outlawing:

• removal or 'deletion' of diesel particulate filters (DPF) in diesel vehicles or gasoline particulate filters (GPF) in petrol vehicles

• removal of 3-way catalysts (TWC), commonly known as catalytic converters, often accompanied by alteration or removal of sensors and sometimes engine control unit (ECU) remapping

• manipulation of the selective catalyst reduction (SCR) systems and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) in diesel vehicles through a process often referred to as 'AdBlue Delete'

• manipulation of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system in diesel vehicles, whether physical (such as obstructing the gas tubing or disconnecting the valves and rewiring to a device which mimics their operation) or remapping the ECU.

They intend to legislate for this by updating regulation 61A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 but, currently, motorcycles fall outside the scope of 61A but the plan is that they will, in future, be included.

Currently bike emissions are not tested and there is the uncertainty of whether a replacement exhaust will fail the tests but some, such as my BMW GS, have replacement systems that removed the CAT probably would.

Logically testing for compliance would take place at the annual MOT but that appears not to be the case as the consultation says this:

Once the law is active, we can properly enforce, taking appropriate and proportionate action against those who do not comply. All enforcement is expected to be carried out by DVSA. 

Some aspects of emissions can be assessed during annual roadworthiness checks, but the scope of what can be assessed is limited.

Therefore, our focus will likely be upstream and focus on addressing practices that involve illegal modifications to the ECS of vehicles.

Some of this is positive and simply enforcing current rules so it may not be as black as it appears but the implications to bikes coupled to such a short consultation time giving so little time for consideration and response is worrying.

These are the pertinent dates:

Updated: 18 August 2026

Consultation ends: 6 September 2026.

Implementation anticipated: summer of 2027

Cheers,

John