Motorcycle law change – it’s about time

News late last week that the government is intending to change the motorcycle laws was welcomed by me, and probably many others.

The news reported by the NZ Herald here suggests that learner and restricted motorcycle licence holders would only be able to ride motorcycles which did not exceed a power-to-weight ratio of 150 kilowatts a tonne and were not too physically large for the rider.

This one clause is an eminently sensible idea. There are many 250cc motorbikes that have speed and power that far exceed much bigger engined cruisers.

“Mr Duynhoven said since 2001 the number of motorcycles had risen by 28 per cent and over the same period people injured in motorcycle accidents had increased a “staggering” 80 per cent.”

This has to be due in part to more people taking up motorcycles as an answer to rising fuel costs.

Also, anecdotally I understand that there are far more ‘older’ riders who, having ridden as youngsters on less powerful machines, are now buying big bikes on the full license they passed 30 years before, and not being prepared for the subsequent increase in power of the newer lighter machines.