Unfair/dangerous?

[Frost]

It's childs play to increase the milage on a bike so thats probably not a good idea

I remember the outrage in MCN when a 33bhp limit was proposed. They said the range of bikes available was laughable.

Half of the new bikers have had to put up with that shit for years

Ahem, i think a reasonable step would be to increase the limit to 65bhp and make it 2 years for under 21, and a year for over 21. That way people can legally ride sports 400's and 500 commuters nrestricted making the choice alot greater whilst still keeping new riders away from the quick stuff till their ready for it.

The biggest problem at the moment is with those who passed their test 20+ years ago, and have never ridden anything biger than a 250 diving on todays latest sportsbike.
Simple solution would be with insurance. Companies could make it so that before you can ride a 1000 you need expirence on a 600, and expirence before you could ride one of them.
It wouldn't effect most of us, but it would be a real spanner in the works for those who've not ridden in many years who wanted a big bike.

[lilredmachine]

Hmmmm....

You have a point there. My dad used to ride a little 250 single cylinder backin the day, gets on my 125 and nearly ends up in the shed, scared himself shitless.
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

[Scooby]

I can see what you're saying. On paper, I have not owned or ridden anything bigger than an NSR125, and yet I am looking at a litre class bike.
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A big enough hammer fixes anything!

[Fruit'n'nut]

[instigator]

6 months compulsory restriction to a designated bhp is what I would prefer. 12 months if you pass the test and the initial 6 month period is spread over "winter"

[fuzz]

[G]

[Bespoke]

All these additional safety measures proposed on top of the already stifling red tape bureaucratic nightmare cost money. The bottom line is that spending millions to save a couple of hundred lives a year only stands up to a cost-benefit analysis in a socialist/communist totalitarian police dictatorship (yes that's us).

The engine (the economy) won't get enough air to run properly! It already does'nt, actually. And like the speedo on my C90, the economy is'nt moving as fast as you're all being told. Politicians compare our economy to France or even Japan. They get away with this blatant cooking of the books because most people have not visited either country. That's why you're all in support of more red tape and restrictive measures.

Job creation is a point in favour, if you look at things that way. People to administer the red tape (driving officials) and people to enforce the silly rules about BHP outputs or whatever (more cops). Might as well pay a man to dig a hole, and another to fill it up again. I believe more than 1 in 5 British people are now civil servants of some kind. Where does the money for this nannying come from?

From a free market perspective, people are a factor of production. If people are as free to move around as raw materials or goods, that's considered a good thing. We will become richer. If you make it more difficult to move around, we will become poorer. Simple as.

Of course, if you think that we're in the same or better fiscal position as other European countries, then it probably won't matter to you. You think we can afford more red tape. Thus the politicians will give you the laws you've been brainwashed into thinking you "need".

Use your head. People will take steps by themselves to avoid injury or death, but nevertheless injuries and deaths will continue. Question is how much money you want us to throw down the toilet for a placebo effect that will give you peace of mind.

[Fruit'n'nut]

[G]

[Fruit'n'nut]

[Jrod]

I'm 17 and had NEVER ridden a bike before. I did my 5 day course and then I hop onto a 33bhp ZXR400. I agree with the 33bhp restriction, BUT It shouldn't be so long. After 3 months I think my restrictor kit might of fallen out but I didnt suddenly go and 'bin' my bike. 33BHP for 6 months would be fair imo.

[Davo]

I'm 22 had my licence for less than a year.

Passed my test in July and pottered around on a GPZ550 for a couple of weeks, went out and bought a Hayabusa.

Haven't crashed it yet, no near misses etc..

I think the attitude of the rider is most important aspect of staying alive on the bike, and I think that maturity is a big reason for the restriction period.


(Although agree 33bhp for two years is too long, maybe having a 33bhp then 60 bhp etc..)

[lilredmachine]

That would require more restriction plates etc. bit too much hassle for my liking. Just stick it at 33 for a year. For everyone.
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

[JonB]

[Fruit'n'nut]

[paulyzf600]

I reckon a big problem lot's of bikers are going onto public roads with no experience of how roads work. I thought about this whilst driving through Oxford last week as loads of push bikes just rode in front of busses and cars and did'nt have a clue. This is pretty much how ppl come out of a CBT no fucking clue!! then lot's of ppl jump on bigger bikes and go on an intense course for a three day period and pass thinking I know the road systems and how to use a bike...................thats bullshit I think and I reckon intense courses should be banned! the only perpose they have is to get someone on the roads as fast a posible!
I was learning for three months and had a three hour lesson every week and even when I could ride a bike I just had lessons and there were still some mistakes I was making. When I passed a bought thundercat and it's a brilliant bike but I have a lot of self control which I think is pretty important but can still have fun But I know my limits.

Anyway I reckon compulsary longer training should be the way to go!
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Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat

[Kickstart]

Hi

Bikes are different to cars. Most people learn to drive around 17, and when they pass their tests they still have so little real money that they are severly limited in getting anything capable of getting to lethal speeds between corners .

These days many people are getting bikes in their 30s. By that time they have enough disposable income to afford an expensive bike, but no skills to really ride it. Worse is that some have 20 years worth of bad habits.

Personally I don't agree with restrictions, but I do think we should be a little more blunt in telling people that they are stupid to buy a litre sports bike after 3 days of wobbling round on a commuter.

In reality I suspect that what will happen is that they will just remove the option of direct access. Given how few people keep to the restriction rules it would not surprise me if a capacity limit is brought in as well.

If DAS is to be kept going then a better idea would be to make the test more realistic. How they are going to tests people ability to break the law safely I do not know! However a 3 day session on a commuter is not learning much. After all, would you trust someone with 3 days experience on the Microsoft flight simulator to land your plane at Heathrow?

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[lilredmachine]

If only you could buy skill....
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

[G]

[Bendy]

[plugger147]

wow this is a good 1.
i think we need a biker for prime minister.
but surely 6 month restricted to 33bhp then an advanced riding course would be better,yes it would cost us more but i'd pay the extra if it made that much safer.
or even make that an option after your first 6 month's if you can't be bothered wait the 2 years.......
.....steps off soap box.
p.s. the 2 years don't apply to me i'm old.(28)
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Tristan the wrote: just whipped off my trousers to find a big bruise on my arse, caused by matt rear ending me...