new bike rules in SA.....

[Smitty]

not sure if this has been posted up

but as per here -
http://www.dtup.sa.gov.au/pdf/mcsafety2.pdf
there are new bike rules
along with the inevitable press release-

"Motorcycle fatalities increased 62 per cent last year compared with 2003 figures - and this carnage just has to stop," Michael O'Brien, Parliament Secretary to Transport Minister Patrick Conlon, said.

Mr O'Brien said the new Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme would ensure novice motorcyclists were restricted to riding bikes with an engine capacity of up to 660 millilitres, with a power-to-weight ratio of 150 kilowatts/tonne. Previously, novice riders were limited to machines with a capacity of 250 millilitres or less, with no restrictions on acceleration.

Bikes with a higher power-to-weight ratio are able to accelerate very quickly. Some 250 millilitre motorcycles have a high power-to-weight ratio that makes them unsuitable for novice riders. "The revised restrictions are a marked improvement on the previous system," Mr O'Brien said.

"Introduction of a new power-to-weight ratio for novice motorcyclists will mean that riders are prevented from riding high-powered motorcycles that conflict with the learning process."

The plan - developed with the SA Road Safety Advisory Council's Motorcycle Task Force - makes 21 recommendations, including:

EXPANDING the use of high-skid resistant water-based pavement markings on roads.
UPGRADING roadside rest areas to be more amenable for motorcyclists.
IMPLEMENTING an improved training model to complement the licensing system for motorcycle riders.
Encourage targeted on-road enforcement to ensure motorcycle road-worthiness (including checks on carriage of licence)

details courtesy of MRA

[z900/zx9]

Hey at least they got something right incresed use of anti skid markings wow there clever in there offices who ever would have thought of that mmmm calling mr bracks to the stand

[diesel]

here here.

i dont fit good on a 2fiddy moite.
i needs a bigger bike moite.
thats a smarta rul moite.

[Steve_TLS]

Millilitres just doesn't sound right. Wonder why they didn't use cubic centimetres?

[stevew_zzr]

Even that rule is kinda stupid...a heavier bike with more power will still be quicker because when you chuck the rider on top of it the power:weight ratio won't drop so much.

If they want to stop rider deaths, why don't the educate some *other* road users to not be such derelicts.

[aardvark]

If they want to stop rider deaths, why don't the educate some *other* road users to not be such derelicts.

What they really want to be doing, is teaching people how to f*cking ride bikes!!

A lot of people think "Cool, check out those bikes hooting around in the hills. I might get one."

They go and do the weekend course and learn to weave around cones and how to stop without falling off, then they buy a bike and go fanging off through the hills. Suddenly it's not as easy as it looks and people fall off!

It's all very well and good for us as bike riders to start blaming the driver's of cars for driving like tools, but seriously, have a think about the last time you went riding like a tool (either well above the speed limit, on the back wheel, weaving through traffic etc). We've all been there and done that.

Education will never over ride human stupidity.

[mick_dundee]

Jason, I think you're point is VERY valid. Sure in a weekend I can learn to ride a motorbike well enough to get my learners permit, but that's done in an enclosed car park, none of them 4 wheeled things around, no road rage, no traffic lights, it's a very sterile environment, then you pay your $150 or whatever it costs and voila, you're allowed out on the road with the rest of the world.

Motorcycle license trainers need to teach people how to ride, not necessarily how to pas their learners permit per se.

[stevew_zzr]

If they want to stop rider deaths, why don't the educate some *other* road users to not be such derelicts.

What they really want to be doing, is teaching people how to f*cking ride bikes!!

A lot of people think "Cool, check out those bikes hooting around in the hills. I might get one."

They go and do the weekend course and learn to weave around cones and how to stop without falling off, then they buy a bike and go fanging off through the hills. Suddenly it's not as easy as it looks and people fall off!

It's all very well and good for us as bike riders to start blaming the driver's of cars for driving like tools, but seriously, have a think about the last time you went riding like a tool (either well above the speed limit, on the back wheel, weaving through traffic etc). We've all been there and done that.

Education will never over ride human stupidity.

Okay i can honestly say that I have never weaved through traffic, gone more than 10 kays above the speed limit (80 cause i'm on my Ls) or rode on the back wheel (clutch is rooted on my 250 so there's no hope). I know very well how inexperienced I am on a motorbike, I know very well the condition of my bike and I am very aware of the risks i take.

People ride bikes like idiots and take themselves out of the gene pool, i realise that. Alot of the time it's just bad luck - it won't happen to everyone who rides like an idiot - but anyone who has had any motorvehicle accident (and actually paid attention to what was going on) will tell you that it's always a combination of factors, and whenever you increase your risk (innappropriate speed, aggressive behaviour/attitude, tooling around on the back wheel) you are more likely to come to grief if something *does* (god forbid) go wrong.

What does concern me is when someone *else* gets killed from completely incompetent/innattentive/irresponsible driving. Unfortunately, because we are on motorbikes - if someone else hits us we are in deep shit. It's true that education is lacking - and there are things that motorcyclists should be made aware of early on, but I don't think any amount of education is going to teach someone who already has a risk-taking attitude to *not* ride like a fool. You just can't change people that easily I'm afraid.

It's not like riding fast isn't fun, i'd love to do it more often - but the smart side of my brain tells me that on the road I have to keep the level of risk i take very low - that means slowing down when coming to intersections with poor visibility, keeping good distances between me and other cars, making sure i'm in a good frame of mind before i get on the bike, making sure the bike is in good nick, riding defensively, watching out for other road users, pedestrians, cyclists ... (the list goes on and on and on!).

On the track - I have the opportunity to learn more and ride faster (without undue risk), and that's where i enjoy my bikes more.

[stevew_zzr]

Actually - i'll rephrase the term 'riding like an idiot' to 'taking risks whilst riding' cause i don't think that anyone who has a bit on fun on a motorbike is an idiot