Euro Emissions rating?

[Sadanorakman]

Just bought one of the last gl1500's to be manufactured; pristine with just over 10,000 miles on the clock.

Was also in Paris two weeks ago on business, and on reflection it would have been lovely to ride over from the UK.

Thing is, Paris has a low emissions zone which effects bikes registered after June 2000. My bike was first registered September 2000.

I cannot find a Euro Emissions rating for a GL1500 anywhere, so can only assume this model doesn't have one (not having fuel injection).

Can any of our European GL1500 owners shed any light on this situation? Have I fallen down a crack in the legislation? I also have a 1991 GL1500, and at least I know where I stand with that.

[overboost]

Located in Germany, 25km north of the Alsace border and very often driving through Strasbourg on the A35 and A4 to get to the curvy mountain roads I tried to familiarize myself with the crit'air website. But for once, the french were able to f**** it up even more than us germans to complicate it.
Have a look for yourself: https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/
You could be lucky with the 2000:

How can I determine my vehicle’s classification?
In accordance with the Decree of 21 June 2016, the information about the Euro standard appearing in field V.9 of the registration document is used to classify the vehicle, the date of first registration being used only when information about the Euro standard is not supplied when placing the order.

My registration certificate does not show the EURO standard
The vehicle’s Euro standard is recorded in the “V.9” field on your registration document. If the field has been left blank, your vehicle will be classified according to the date of first registration.

The official website is the place to do it, as it is only 5€ and far cheaper than anywhere else.
In short: I think most (if not all) our 1500s are out of luck for any vignette, as the cutoff date without emission EURO is 01. Juni 2000 for them - only later registered bikes are ok. You can try, as you have to upload your registration and they decide.

With Paris this way of dealing may not be ok, but for the Strasbourg region for now I just ignore it, as only in Paris you ALWAYS need the vignette. In all other regions you only need it if there is pollution alarm ("pic de pollution"). Then the fine is 68€.
Tip: Use the Green-Zones-App to know you alarm status.

The A35 and A4 are not concerned by alarm: https://www.france.fr/de/nuetzliche-tip ... strasbourg.

IT IS A MESS !

Bikes with Euro 3 are forbidden during alarm there from January 2025 onwards (yellow vignette, crit'air 2) - Euro 4 is not decided yet. See here if you want to use google translator, site is french and german only: https://www.cec-zev.eu/de/themen/auto/f ... tplakette/ and https://www.france.fr/de/nuetzliche-tip ... frankreich

[Sadanorakman]

WOW!

Thank you for such a detailed and comprehensive answer.

I confess to still being a little confused about the matter though!

...It seems I might have one of a very few bikes to get past the legislation, or I may have one of a very few bikes to fall into a gap in the legislation!

I've looked at the sites you linked to, and re-read your advice several times.

Still waiting to receive the log book (V5 vehicle registered-keeper document) from our DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency), so don't know if it will have any euro classification on it, but I severely doubt it.

The bike was first registered on September 1st 2000, which is the day that the next registration (letter 'X') was released.

We used to have one registration letter change per year in the UK, so it was quite a popular request to order a new vehicle, and have the dealer register it on September 1st, to get that newest letter.

In 1999 though, they movd to 6-monthly changes (adding 1st March), to smooth this yearly vehicle buying-surge out a bit!

This would I think be one of the very last registered GL1500's in the UK, unless any made it through to 2001.

I'll come back here when I have received the registration doc, but I think the bike falls into a hole in the French system, as it's new enough to require a Euro rating, but old enough to have not been given one!!!!

[DenverWinger]

I don't envy you guys in Europe for the stringent regulations required to register a bike. Seems a little "Over the Top" to me for just a motorcycle.

Many states in the US require complete vehicle safety inspections when registering, at least for the first time.

The state of Colorado has no such requirements that I know of. Provide proof of insurance, VIN verification if a transfer of title and you are good to go. New Tags and out the door. I've never had to have a bike inspected. No emissions requirements. But if your bike smokes like a volcano you are likely to be stopped by the local constabulary.

But any conscientious bike rider would be sure his vehicle is safe and in top running condition, regardless of any mandated inspections.

I hope your registration sails through smoothly without a hitch!



Of course, there's always those "Zoom-Splat" idiots on their 17000 RPM 2-stroke 750cc crotch rockets that scream down the interstate highways in second gear at 75MPH splitting between traffic lanes in stop/go city rush traffic that ruin biking for the rest of us. May they *splat* into the nearest convenient overpass pillar without damaging anyone else.

[Sadanorakman]

I don't envy you guys in Europe for the stringent regulations required to register a bike. Seems a little "Over the Top" to me for just a motorcycle..

I hope your registration sails through smoothly without a hitch!

Thank you DenverWinger.

Private cars and motorcycles in the UK must pass an 'MOT' (Ministry Of Transport) road-worthyness test at 3yrs old, then annually after that. For cars, this includes an exhaust emissions test.

Cars and motorcycles no longer need an MOT test after 40 years of age, as long as engine or chassis not replaced in last 30 years!

We must also pay Vehicle Excise Duty (formerly road tax), or complete a statement every 12 months to state a vehicle is being kept off the road.

Also, we must be insured to drive our vehicles.

The government/police use automatic number plate recognition systems, both fixed, and on patrol cars. These query government databases in near-real-time, and flag uninsured, untaxed, and mot-expired vehicles. They will tow and impound a vehicle if you are caught driving it without tax or insurance. They may be a little more lenient about an expired MOT, but strictly, your insurance is void if the vehicle does not have a valid MOT road-worthyness certificate in place. The only journey you can legally take in a vehicle who's MOT has expired, is driving it to a (must be pre-arranged/booked) MOT test!

London has a congestion charging zone, and both low, and ultra-low emissions zones to discourage vehicle use all together, and particularly more polluting vehicles.

Many congested cities throughout Europe are turning to these emission-regulating regimes, to try to keep a handle on air quality.

When I said I was waiting for my GL1500's log book, it's just a simple change of registered owner: I get given a small part of the original 'V5' document when I buy a vehicle, as a temporary indication that I will be the new registered keeper. The seller them sends the rest of the document back to the DVLA, where they will issue a new instance with my name and address on, and send it to me in the post.

My original post was just about how my 2000 GL1500 might be classified to be allowed (or not as the case may be) to enter Paris, due to their emissions restrictions.

I'd forgotten quite how bad the exhaust fumes could be from a 1500cc engine which has no catalytic converter fitted! Kind of take it for granted these days how clean car exhaust fumes are!

[Sadanorakman]

My V5C registered keeper document arrived from the government today for my 'new' 2000 GL1500.

As I expected, it has no Euro-rating listed, nor does it have any emissions data filled in for NO2, CO, etc... Etc...

From what I can see then, I couldn't ride this bike into Paris, as they expect any vehicle from June 2000 onwards to have a Euro Emissions rating.