Technical inspection of two-wheelers: in this center which has invested in dedicated equipment, bikers are not yet jostling each other

78 checkpoints on the program. Long contested, the measure comes into force from this Monday, April 15. Motorcycles, scooters, carts and quads must now go through the technical inspection box. Three million category L vehicles are affected. Those registered before 2017 – the vast majority – will have to undergo an inspection from 2024. A small revolution for technical inspectors, who until now only dealt with cars.

But here, in Dourdan, in Essonne, everything is ready at Joël Mendes. The technical controller will take care of his first two-wheeled vehicles this week. “We have a whole area set up with specific tools: the stands to hold the motorcycle, the wheel unit… We had to invest in specific equipment, between 5 and 10,000 euros.”

It took ten years and numerous appeals to enforce this 2014 European directive, already implemented in several countries on the continent. It is supposed to increase safety and reduce pollution.

Joël and his colleague also had to train: three days of intensive learning to know the 78 control points like the back of their hand. Excessively worn brakes, fuzzy handlebars, leaks, smooth tires: 87 major failures require a second inspection, i.e. returning within the following two months with the repaired vehicle. Control of noise but also of vehicle restraint, often bypassed by scooters, will not be effective until summer 2025. “On the motorcycle, we will already check everything that is identification, the license plate, the serial number which is engraved on the chassis...” Without forgetting the condition of the tires, chain, shock absorbers: “Wear of pads, discs, condition of all brake pipes, all brake hoses“.

The lighting will also be scrutinized, as will the electrical cables and mirrors. “We we will also control pollution“, specifies the mechanic.