According to the Nepali Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Act 2049 B.S., “it is illegal to perform any kind of modification on vehicles.”
The above statement alone simply states that any sort of vehicle modifications are illegal in the context of Nepal. No certain limitations or variations are specified and this rule definitely is very vague and unsettling to many motorbike enthusiasts and riders.
Regardless, we can observe many two-wheelers and sometimes even four-wheelers with modifications on their exhausts, acceleration and the power it exerts.
Making vehicle modifications illegal, was done parallely with the ban of horns in public places in the early 2017’s.
The reason behind implementing such a rule was to control the outrageous noise pollution that was increasing in the valley. Vehicle modification is directly proportional to the loud exhaust modifications according to the traffic department and the government. On this day, if an individual is caught riding a bike with a loud exhaust; supposedly with bike modifications, they are subject to a hefty fine of Rs.7000 which can hike up to Rs.25,000.
No doubt that this is a responsible move by the Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Department on actions against noise pollution, but there must be limitations to every provision the government implements. Declaring vehicle modifications as an illegal act would require provisions to stop the flow of any object or element related to this act.
Instead, there are authorized stores and modification houses that provide various services to modify and amplify the vehicle's performance. This is a conflicting situation for both the modification service providers and the motorbike enthusiasts who continue to consume this service.
Modification devices and amplifiers are freely imported into the country.
This situation contradicts the government's law stating vehicle modifications to be illegal. There are numerous moto vloggers and youtubers creating videos about vehicle modification and where it stands in Nepal. It merely depends upon the traffic personnels mood to determine whether the modified vehicles will be confiscated or not. Sometimes these modified vehicles easily escape from the traffic personnel’s sight and sometimes they are punished with fines as heavy as Rs.25,000.
In conclusion, the authorized personnels still have not specified on the extent to which the bikes can be modified, creating a bubble of confusion that ultimately affects everyone.