Just In Time

**southfrance** · 23 Jul 08, 07:43 AM

The Euro is really bad at the moment, 1.25 to the pound. I just realized that if I had bought my 695 today at Ducati Montpellier it would have cost me £ 6000 instead of the £ 5000 I paid 8 months ago. Did you know the maximum horse power allowed on a bike ( French Registered ) in France is 100, if I ever want a bike that exceeds that I'll have to buy and insure in the UK and bring it down here.

You learn something every day.

**749_MON** · 23 Jul 08, 10:25 AM

I thought they were trying to scrap that ruling.

I know that the bikes from Bologna were restricted for the French market, but couldn't you just modify it slightly...?

**southfrance** · 24 Jul 08, 09:28 AM

The law is for any bike, in France they have a terrible problem with motorcycle accidents, very high death rate. Most French people you talk to have a bad bike story to tell about a friend or relation. As many of you know Frances B roads are lined with Poplar trees, planted by Napoleon so his armies could march in the shade. These trees claim hundreds a year, car and bike accidents. There is a lobby in the French government to have them removed, but this is unlikely, they do however remove them from ¨black spots.¨ Near me there is a great road which all the bikes use, long straights and sweeping bends, it is lined with trees and known locally as ¨route de la morte¨ Death Road. So anyway they decided to limit bikes to 100hp in order to help with all this.

**Paivi** · 24 Jul 08, 05:41 PM

Because one cannot kill oneself with a 60-odd bhp bike?

**southfrance** · 24 Jul 08, 08:07 PM

Yeah I know, anything can be dangerous used in the wrong way, on holiday 1 year ago I dived into a swimming pool that was only 3 foot deep, OUCH ! joking apart I was lucky not to have been paralyzed. I think the 100hp law in France was a quick-fix attempt not very well thought out. I read the Spanish are heading the same way.

Bon Route

**749_MON** · 24 Jul 08, 08:14 PM

That's it, cheer us all up

I was under the impression that the 100Bhp ruling was losing support, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

**Rudolph Hart** · 04 Aug 08, 06:13 PM

Just back from 2 weeks in Mallorca. I looked out of the plane window as we flew towards the Pyrenees but couldn't see you on your bike or in your pool Southfrance.
Perhaps we were flying to the west, closer to Narbonne? Did see a couple of 695s in Mallorca though, a black one & a red one.