Australia bike laws

samj6 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Karma :

Anyone been to Australia for a fair amount of time? I'm heading over there soon to work for a year just wondering how different things are if i was to buy a bike out there? I'm guessing a UK licence is alright or do you need to take a test out there as well?

At the moment i'm still on a prov license but if all goes well i'll get my full licence before I go. If I don't get the full licence what would i be restricted to as i know New zealand is 250cc? If i do get the full licence I should be restricted to 33 bhp over here but does that apply over there? Also other things like do bikes go for a similar price to the UK? insurance/tax...?

Cheers
Sam

Mystery · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Jul 2009 Karma :

tax and insurance will be the same i would guess but not sure about the whole test if you past you test here you should be ok over there, but i would contact there motorbike companys via email and might be able to help you
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Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

This may be a decade out of date not. Spent 3 months in Aus back then and had a bike to get round on.

As a UK learner I suspect you wouldn't have a licence for anything there. Suspect you would need to go through getting an Aus licence. Don't think provisional UK licences give you anything at all abroad. Full UK licence should be fine (not sure on for how long, but think you will be OK for a year). Not a clue on what the situation would be with the 33hp limit. Might not apply at all there, might be that it means your licence isn't regarded as a full licence.

Insurance in Victoria was dirt cheap. I paid half what I was in the UK. Worse that was fully comp there and compared to tpft in the UK, and in the UK with a full licence and full no claims. However rego (there equivalent of VED) was far more expensive (4~5 times the UK equivalent for a bike). Petrol was far cheaper.

They were very hot on speeding. That said the drivers were pretty slow (beaten into them I guess) and pretty asleep even in the cities.

Hook turns in Melbourne were a pain (using the left lane to turn right on the junctions with tram tracks through the middle).

Roads were pretty horrible and slipply when it rains.

All the best

Keith
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samj6 · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Karma :

Cheers Keith. Gives me an idea anyway. The best option is obviously to take the full licence along with me.

When your restricted for the two years is there actually anything physically written on your license card bit? Would have thought that there's hardly any chance of them knowing about the restricted license anyway because as far as i know there arn't many countries that have this restriction law.

Surely there's someone on here that has lived in Australia for a bit??

Cheers
Sam

johnsmith222 · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Dec 2008 Karma :

Im-a-Ridah · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Oct 2006 Karma :

johnsmith222 · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Dec 2008 Karma :

Alex A · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Karma :

I spent a year in Australia back in 2004/5, but not with a bike. I have, however, just returned from 6 months in New Zealand, and as far as I can see the law and regs are broadly similar. Although the issue is further complicated by a diversity in terms of both regulations and authorities between Australian territories, I'd advise contacting the relevant agency in the state in which you're staying or beginning your travels. This is the relevant Q/A page for Queensland, for instance.

I can only say for certain that this is how it works in New Zealand:

A full foreign licence in any category can be used for upto 12 months on a single visit. You could leave for a week and come back and, so long as you aren't applying for or claiming residency or citizenship, that's classed as a new visit and you have another 12 months. I'm 99% certain that applies both in NZ and Australia.

In order to obtain a local licence in NZ, you have to have held your full licence for 2 years, take a basic road code test and hand over $60 (or something similar), and you'll get a shiny new one in the post, no practical test necessary. If you haven't held your full UK licence for 2 years at the point you wish to obtain a local NZ licence, then you must also take a practical test, but you can skip the otherwise obligatory learner licence minimum periods that locals must observe.

I suppose the most important point for you is whether your A2 is classed as a full licence or not. I suspect that it is, but that you must stick to the restrictions of your licence:

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Alex A · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Karma :

Hi Keith,

In New Zealand the scheme is called AAC and is funded through a proportion of the Registration fees and through a proportion of fuel duty. Incidentally, bikes are charged more AAC fees on registration than cars or other vehicles because bikers generally 'cost' the scheme more if and when they need to claim (in case of accident and/or loss of earnings), regardless of whether bikers tend to be responsible for accidents in which they are involved.

But yes, the result of non-compulsary insurance is that it's much more competitive and considerably cheaper than it is in the UK where companies need not sell the product.
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