Back Off Biking

MCN last week :-

"Biking in Britain is facing its greatest threat for decades.

Zero tolerance policing is on the increase and Transport minister David Jamieson has threatened legislation to force power and speed restrictions on all bikes if the industry doesn't act to bring down the number of accidents.

But MCN believes the only way the tough restrictions would have any effect on accident statistics is in cutting the total number of riders on our roads, and in turn the total numbers injured. The percentage of riders killed or injured would be unchanged and that is not acceptable.

That’s why MCN is launching it's new Back off Biking campaign. We want you to help us convince Mr Jamieson that ill thought out, knee-jerk, reactions are not what is needed.

Instead, we're calling for Government backing for our eight realistic and sensible ideas to make biking safer and better. (Click the link on the right to see what we're calling for.)

MCN already has the support of the RAC Foundation. Spokesman Kevin Delaney said: " It’s typical of the Government to look for the simple answer. They believe that limiting power will make motorcycling safer. But that’s like taking an aspirin for a broken leg. They need to look at the cause of the problem rather than the symptoms. "

There are three simple things you can do to help with the campaign:

E-mail us at mcn.campaign@emap.com, with 'Back of Biking' in the subject, and tell us your reactions to the Government’s plans right now. We want to be able to show the politicians the strength of your feelings about the threat they pose. "

Secondly, there is a petition to sign :-

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/links/...umentID=185490

So as were all gonna be up sh*t creak without any power, i'd like to see us all as bikers sign it and send it in

1 - Updated training for new riders: Training for new riders should incorporate more relevant skills such as overtaking lorries and cars and bike handling skills like cornering. These are all areas in which many motorcycle accidents occur.

2 - Improved Advanced Rider Training: We’re not asking to raise the standard of the best advanced training that already exists – but we do want to see ALL advanced rider training brought up to the highest standards.

3 - Incentives for advanced training: We want advanced training to become more attractive. More incentives, including insurance discounts on completion of a course, should be actively encouraged.

4 - Manufacturers to provide free advanced training:

Honda did it in the past with the MAC training scheme. We’re calling for a day’s free advanced instruction for anyone buying a new bike with a capacity greater than 600cc.

5 - Less penalty points and fines: more offers of training:

Fines and penalty points do nothing but punish offenders. Even the prison service tries to rehabilitate. So why aren’t there more offers of rider education for speeding motorcyclists rather than simple punishments? It’s time for the courts to think ahead.

6 - More action to make roads safer: It is a common complaint among bikers that the state of Britain’s roads cause many biking accidents. It’s common, because it’s true. Action should be taken to fill in potholes, restore poor road surfaces and eliminate diesel spills.

Sounds like heaven to me!

ok, who posted yes? lol

i think that if they're gonna impose a limit on bike bhp then it'd be ludicris not to extend the same kinda limit to cars and trucks. after all, fair is fair

T.

Discrimination is one word for it, stupidity is another - Must be time to use www.faxyourmp.com and let him know what u think, and to send an email to contact@davidjamison.co.uk to let him know your feelings as well.

Go forth and tell them your views

Originally Posted by graycat

ok, who posted yes? lol

i think that if they're gonna impose a limit on bike bhp then it'd be ludicris not to extend the same kinda limit to cars and trucks. after all, fair is fair

T.

cant see them doing this as there is too many car drivers/potential voters out there that this measure would seriously **** off, and trucks are already restricted to 60mph, cant restrict them for torque output as they would never be able to pull anything

If a car cuts out in front of you and you smack into it doing 50 mph you'll be in a sorry state whether your bike has 70bhp or 150bhp

Again if you take a 40mph bend at 70mph youll struggle to make it round in one piece whether your bike has 70bhp or 150bhp

Reducing bhp wont reduce speed

I think hammering home hazard awareness is more realistic or removing unnecessary hazards on the road/roadside.

why is there lamp posts and road signs on bends/corners
why is there pot holes and manhole covers where I want to go

Tackle the real problems

Won't quite work all the time. A CBR-600 with around 90-100hp is gonna be a completely different machine to some monster great harley cruiser with 100-ish hp. Comes down to power:weight ratio. So, the new R6 would be _well_ out of contention (175Kg, 185hp... better than 1:1).

A 50hp NSR 250 will keep up with my 70hp SV650 quite happily, largely because it weighs next to nothing. My SV just sounds a lot nicer than my mates weed-eater on wheels

I think it'd be a bit too much for the beaurocrats to deal with though, even limiting the power is gonna mean that a dyno run would probably need to be part of the testing procedure every time you needed to get the bike checked each year. I'd like to know how they expect to enforce it. They'll just get the same routine that other countries have had of hugely restricted bikes being imported and 10 minutes with a spanner removing big restrictors from the exhaust system and switching some wires suddenly doubles the output.

I wouldn't say it's a _completely_ stupid idea, but not practical is as simple a form as stated.

They just don't like bikers. Full stop. We don't contribute enough to the treasurary to have a voice (not that they'd listen, look how much money they get from other drivers and how much 'respect' their opinions get).

Advanced training is about the only option we have. Nothing else is gonna change (crap roadside furniture, manhole covers in the middle of the lane, other drivers) so we have to do all we can to ride more safely. I think riders of ALL bikes (regardless of CC and including scoots) should have to do more than the basic tests. If the cost is offset by reduced insurance, great, if not - well we don't skimp on crash helmets cos of the price, so why be tight on trainng costs?

If I am going to keep riding the bike, I'll be booking a course first thing next year. As suggested a few times, maybe we can organise group discounts through this site?

People have to understand that this sort of thing has all the ear-markings of an outright assault on motorcycling. First, there’s this nonsensical notion about public safety. How is the public any safer with such restrictions? It’s my understanding that France has such laws. Can anyone show a before-and-after comparison as to the effectiveness of such balderdash? If that evidence were there you’d have already heard about it, I’m sure. Second, this is a classic divide-and-concur maneuver. They’ll target a small sector of the motorcycling community and rationalize it as “for our own good” simply to make the restriction more acceptable. They really don’t care if people disobey. They just want to establish the idea that they can restrict such things under their BS premise. If y’all accept their premise, the days of motorcycling in the UK are numbered. In the beginning it’ll be 100bhp. In time it’ll be 75bhp. Later it’ll be 50bhp. Finally, motorcycling will be banned. It’s only for your own good. Motorcycles are dangerous. By the way, you are forbidden to eat beef, butter or pork because it’s bad for you…….and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Originally Posted by JohnnyReb

...the days of motorcycling in the UK are numbered. In the beginning it’ll be 100bhp. In time it’ll be 75bhp. Later it’ll be 50bhp. Finally, motorcycling will be banned. It’s only for your own good. Motorcycles are dangerous.

This of course will eventually happen, it's unavoidable at some stage in the future simply because of the way a so-called advanced culture develops.

The only thing we can do is try and put back the inevitable death knell of the motorcycle as many years as possible. With a concerted effort we might just push back the 100bhp limit another ten years but probably only five. 75bhp will most likely come another five years after that and then I see scooters (in some shape of form) being the only permissible form of motorised two wheel transport (most likely electric too) in twenty or thirty years time.

So get out there and RIDE!


.

These stupid stale pen pushers are taking over with their dont do this and dont do that and their money making speed cameras, its getting like you cant walk out your front door without some ****** trying to control your life, lets get back to the 1970's attitude man! Word to the wise to these big brother wrap up in cotton wool brigade, LIFE IS DANGEROUS AND NO ONES GETTING OUT OF HERE ALIVE, SO GET OVER IT AND STOP RUINING EVERYONES FUN :P