Spare tyres to get the boot under amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules
An amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules will now allow vehicle manufacturers to skip out on providing an emergency spare tyre, if the vehicle comes fitted with tubeless tyres and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Additionally, such vehicles, as manufactured after 1/10/2020, will need to be provided with a puncture repair kit.
The fine print states that this amendment is applicable to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, under the M1 category. Most vehicles (if not all) nowadays are fitted with tubeless tyres, and this could be seen as a move to free up boot space. In our experience though, the spare tyre can prove to be invaluable in cases where the punctured/damaged tyre is beyond repair through puncture sealant kits.
More often than not, impacts against sharp-edged potholes, or debris on the road can impair tyres with sidewall damage, and such tyres are unsafe to be driven on for any period of time. Manufacturers would do well to continue to provide spare tyres, or smaller-sized 'spacesaver' tyres for use in emergency situations.
The amendment also brings with it safety stipulations for motorcycles manufactured after 1/01/2022, which are required to have specific pillion grab rails and foot rests, apart from limiting the size of containers that can be fitted to motorcycles. Specifically, containers larger than 550mm length, 510mm width and 500mm height and weighing in excess of 30kg (including carried load and mounting hardware) will be deemed against the rules.
