I am very sad to report a great loss in my life. I have parted company with my beloved Triumph Rocket 111. This machine has been awesome and a real pleasure to own. However, I am moving to live in France soon and the French authorities do not allow motorcycles to have more than 100hp. You can have a bike de-tuned to meet the regs but de-tuning a 2,300cc Rocket 111 to a mere 100hp makes a nonsense of owning one and negates the point of an intergalactic, hooligan megacruiser capable of blowing away sports bikes in the traffic lights grand prix (only when I have the odd childish moment!). I shall miss the days out with the "talking luggage" who enjoyed the bike as much as me. I have not been able to ride the bike much this year due to two hip operations so it makes the parting a little easier. For those of you not familiar with the beast here is what it looks like (a day out with management last year).

Click image to enlarge

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

That is one hell of an ugly motorcycle JST.

now i really cant have a ride on the back When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car

sorry to hear your having to let the Rocket go

But the life in france will bring difference pleasures, like cheap wine and frogs legs and better roads than here in the UK

Maybe a few lanes to take the series 1 along too  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Is it cos the French only make scooters they dont like proper motor cycles It would be a difficult call for me to let go of my old Kwacker just to go and live in the sunshine, enjoy local food an vino. Lower rates and taxes etc etc.. dont even bother with the series one, take a FL2 with aircon ENJOY YOURSELVES ( not a bit jealous. ) good luck  lucan400

Sorry to hear the Rocket's leaving you...I borrowed one for the day whilst my Speed Triple was being serviced...it was definitely an experience that I enjoyed!

France seem to be going down the stupid health and safety route we did a few years ago...I remember speaking with some French bikers last year who were rather vocal about the pointless 100hp limit to bikes. They were adament they wouldn't be limiting theirs! Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

I will be taking the FL2 as well as the Series One! Fun comes in many forms......0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds on the Rocket, 0 to 60 in a fortnight in the Series One (if indeed you ever get there!).... but both a whole heap of fun! And yes, it had not escaped me how many lanes there are where I am going to live. The French "Ramblers" and farmers have a much more laid back approach to laning than we have here.

Dave, I know of one guy who took his Rocket to France, had it compulsorily de-tuned by a main agent (not by choice) and then re-tuned it using TuneBoy. However, if caught you are in big doo doos. Nowadays you have to take your bike to a main dealer to have a kpm speedo and EU headlights fitted and certified or you will not get a certificate of conformity required to register the bike. If it is a Triumph, the dealer will de-tune it without being asked. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

Oh dear, what a pointless ruling! One of my Triumphs is the rule breaking 147bhp Daytona 1200 that was launched when the importers had a voluntary 125bhp limit. There really doesn't seem to be any correlation between excessive amount of power on a motorbike and safety, otherwise my insurance renewal would have been more than the £120 it was last year

Seriously, the power output is irrelevant, it's the way it's used that's vital, but that's difficult to explain to ignorant legislators!

Just to illustrate the point, here's someone hurting themselves with a full bloodied 2.5bhp

"That is one hell of an ugly motorcycle JST."

Just take a look at the latest BMWs! The Triumph is just lovely compared to the new GSs! Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

Tigger wrote:

Oh dear, what a pointless ruling! One of my Triumphs is the rule breaking 147bhp Daytona 1200 that was launched when the importers had a voluntary 125bhp limit. There really doesn't seem to be any correlation between excessive amount of power on a motorbike and safety, otherwise my insurance renewal would have been more than the £120 it was last year

Seriously, the power output is irrelevant, it's the way it's used that's vital, but that's difficult to explain to ignorant legislators!

Just to illustrate the point, here's someone hurting themselves with a full bloodied 2.5bhp

JST - Awesome bike. Quite stunning. How dare you get rid just for France?

Surley that motor has enough grunt to drag France wherever you want

Good luck
I'd pile weight on in France, good food and great wines. With some exeptions. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

I know that this is all from the long past... It just shows how sad I am on a Saturday nigh in the middle of France...
I thought that the 100 limit was enforced only if the bike didn't have ABS?





Emma x 2009 Jaguar XF 3.0
2011 Jaguar XF 3.0
2007 LR2 i6 3.2 HSE
1980 Moto Guzzi 850 T3 California

I too am under the impression that the 100 bhp law was scrapped a few years ago. As a result ( from memory ) the sales of new bikes went up by around a third.
As I recall, the "law" was of France's making ( not the EU ), and France were actually fined by the EU each year for enforcing the law.
I could be wrong however......I have slept since then .....

Indeed:

“ A vote in the EU parliament has opposed the French 100bhp limit which was introduced in 1985 as a bizarre way to try and cut motorcycle accidents. France is the only EU member state to apply the 100bhp rule, which has been voted out it doesn't stick to the rules of a uniform European Union. Research has proven that the 100bhp limit has had no effect on accidents or fatalities.�

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.visordo...oked%3famp

It’s good to know that “research� has caught up with what was blindingly obvious in the first place 🙄 The Daytona 1200 may have gone, but I’m still have two Triumphs, each over 130 bhp and I’m still here!

Mind you, the French authorities will always think of something new to impose, even if there’s no evidence that it’s beneficial:

https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/motorcycling-france/

Hi Grimdog and Tigger,

ah when did sense become part of legislation!! The same as the 80/90 debacle and the most recent banning of filtering in heavy traffic. Mind you, rush hour on the Boulevard Périphérique, having high speed passes on both sides was always a bit scary!

My Blackbird days are over, The Cali would never break any records, (well except for gorgeousness ) and for local baguettes it's the Majesty 400.

Ex 2009 Jaguar XF 3.0
2011 Jaguar XF 3.0
2007 LR2 i6 3.2 HSE
1980 Moto Guzzi 850 T3 California