Two or three-wheels motor vehicles: maximum design speed, torque and net engine

1) OBJECTIVE To harmonize national laws and establish a type-approval procedure with regard to maximum design speed (measurement method), maximum torque (measurement method) and maximum net engine power (permissible limit value and measurement method) of two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles. 2) CONTENTS 1. This Directive forms part of the type-approval procedure for two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles covered by Council Directive 92/61/EEC. 2. The vehicles covered by the Directive are divided into the following types: * mopeds: two- or three-wheeled vehicles fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cm3 and a maximum design speed of not more than 45 km/h; * motorcycles: two-wheeled vehicles with or without sidecar, fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 and/or having a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h; * motor tricycles: vehicles with three symetrically arranged wheels fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 and/or a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h; * quadricycles: four-wheeled vehicles whose engine cylinder capacity does not exceed 50 cm3, whose maximum design speed is not more than 45 km/h and whose unladen mass is less than 350 kg are considered to be mopeds, while other quadricycles are classed as tricycles. 3. Requirements relating to the method of measuring maximum design speed and covering test conditions and procedure and the maximum speed of the vehicle. 4. Requirements relating to the maximum permissible power and methods of measuring maximum torque and maximum net engine power: * a study is planned to check whether there is any connection between accidents and maximum engine power of more than 74 kW; * specific requirements concerning spark-ignition engines for mopeds, motorcycles and tricycles and relating to: * accuracy of torque and power measurements under full load; * the measurement test and the test report; * the correction factors for torque and power; * the maximum torque and maximum net power measurement tolerances. 5. Procedure for adapting requirements to technical progress. 6. Procedure for granting type-approval: * the application for type-approval is submitted by the manufacturer to the competent authority of a Member State; * the competent authority grants type-approval in respect of the maximum design speed, the maximum torque and the maximum net power if these conform to the technical requirements of this proposal and to the data provided by the manufacturer; * to this end, it fills in the type-approval certificate contained in the annex to the proposal. 7. The requirements relating to the maximum design speed, the maximum torque and the maximum net power form part of a list of 47 characteristics set out in Council Directive 92/61/EEC all of which have to be complied with for two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles to be approved and marketed in the Community. 8. Restrictive clause: in their territory Member States may reject the first registration and subsequent registrations of vehicles with a maximum net power of more than 74 kW. Source : European Commission - Info92 - 02/96�