Tag Archives: Coronavirus

Motorcycle News, News

Blood Bikes Australia ready to volunteer

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Volunteer riders at Blood Bikes Australia are offering to deliver to healthcare organisations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Founder Peter Davis established the Australian arm of Blood Bikes in Brisbane in September 2019 delivering blood supplies to Mater hospitals in the city.

Earlier this month we published his called for more volunteers to extend their services to other states and help in the fight against coronavirus.

His plan is to deliver medical equipment, personal protection equipment, gloves, masks, medicine, ventilators and other urgent necessities to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.

Peter says he was inundated with inquires around the country and now has three back-up volunteer riders in Brisbane and more in other capital and regional cities.

Blood Bikes Australia volunteers pandemic coronavirus covid-19Volunteers his the streets

“Our main challenge now is getting healthcare organisations, laboratories and pathology companies to realise the advantages in adding Blood Bikes Australia volunteers as part of their delivery and transport alternatives,” he says.

“If you are a decision-maker in one of these organisations, then contact Blood Bikes Australia. We have volunteers in cities and regional Australia ready to help.

“The key point is that Blood Bikes Australia does not aim to be a primary pathology transport service provider but we aim to offer an alternative to getting an expensive taxi when all usual methods are exhausted.”

Volunteer orientation

Blood Bikes Australia volunteers pandemic coronavirus covid-19Peter Davis (left) wth volunteers Phil, Peter and Jay

Peter took his Brisbane volunteers on an orientation ride last week to show them where to deliver blood and medical supplies.  

 Jay Mair of Walloon who rides a Suzuki C50 says she wanted to “do something that is important and a good excuse to get on the bike”.

The Scouts volunteer has been riding since she was 17.

Peter Cabot on a BMW R 1200 GS has good motivation to volunteer.

“My sister is an ER doctor and I have another sister who is a pharmacist in a hospital,” he says. “I wanted to help and make a difference.”

Riding instructor Phillip Bates on a BMW R 1200 RT is used to volunteering as he was involved in the original Blood Bikes in the UK.

Vital service

Peter delivers blood supplies to the Mater Hospital Peter delivers blood supplies to the Mater Hospital

Blood delivered by Blood Bikes Australia has been used in surgery as well as transfusions for cancer patients.

Peter says he has started discussing the possibility of extending the service to delivering breast milk, medicines and other medical products.

“Recent discussions with the Mater are now looking into ways in which Blood Bikes Australia can help especially in these difficult times,” he says.

“Blood Bikes Australia is entirely voluntary. We volunteer our time, fuel and motorcycles.

“We are not an emergency service and abide by all the road rules and speed limits. We are not police or ambulance ‘wannabes’.

“We are just motorcycle enthusiasts who want to make our passion for riding available to do some good in the community.”

As an essential medical service, urgent deliveries would also be exempt from any travel restrictions during the current pandemic.

Volunteer callBlood Bikes Australia Peter Davis

Peter says he now has volunteers in Central Queensland, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Beenleigh, Gold Coast, Gosford, Newcastle, Sydney, Ballarat, Geelong, Werribee, Launceston, Adelaide and Perth.

“More volunteers would be always welcome,” says Peter.

“People are ready to volunteer, but the difficult part can be getting healthcare organisations, hospitals and blood banks to appreciate and understand how useful Bloodbikes can be.

“That’s what we need more than anything.”

If you are interested in Blood Bikes Australia, visit their Facebook page where you can private message Peter or email him directly here.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Commuting during coronavirus pandemic

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Commuting to work is one legitimate way to ride and avoid the pandemic lockdown and travel bans, yet some riders are either scared for their safety or find it inconvenient.

Motorcycle commuting is not only fun and challenging, but also handy for parking, faster than cars because of lane filtering and more convenient than public transport.

Commuting safetylane filter filtering splitting traffic commute commuting congestion Brisbane

However, many riders find the biggest drawback is safety.

Commuting traffic is fraught with danger from inattentive motorists on the phone, eating breakfast, getting dressed, putting on lipstick, reading the paper, changing channels on the radio or Spotify … anything but paying attention to riders.

Peak hour radio traffic reports frequently include motorcycle crashes involving cars, buses and trucks.

Riders can be understandably concerned.

So here are five safety tips for riding in heavy traffic:

  1. Ride as if you can’t be seen. Move around in your lane, try to stay out of blind spots, blow the horn or blip your throttle to alert drivers and wear something bright.
  2. Look at indicators and drivers for their intention to suddenly change lanes. They don’t always indicate, but you can sometimes see them move the steering wheel or their head as if they are about to swap lanes.
  3. Filter to the front of traffic at the lights, stay in gear with the clutch in and plan your exit route in case you hear screeching tyres behind you!
  4. Avoid filtering next to or around trucks and buses as they have limited visibility of small riders.
  5. Practise slow and balanced riding in a deserted carpark at the weekend, slipping the clutch, using the rear brake, keeping your head up and your eyes forward.

Inconvenient truth

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Even those who are confident in traffic may find commuting inconvenient because of the weather or because they have to wear a suit, well-ironed dress or carry a laptop and other gear.

So here are five tips to get around motorcycle commuting inconveniences:

  1. Fit panniers, top box and/or tank/tail bag to carry a change of clothes and gear such as a laptop;
  2. If not, then invest in a really strong but lightweight backpack (some even fold out like a suit carrier);
  3. If you are lucky enough to be able to shower at work, leave a towel and a couple of changes of clothes at work;
  4. Invest in high-quality airflow gear and carry a change of clothes;
  5. Invest in a high quality rain suit or separate waterproof jacket and pants that overlap.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Troy Bayliss talks on Ducati livestream

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Troy Bayliss will feature in the first of a series of Ducati Corse Official Instagram livestream interviews wth racers to entertain riders on “home detention” during the pandemic.

The Aussie three-time World Superbike champion will star on the @ducaticorse Instagram page tonight at 8pm (AEST or noon Italian time).

The following two Thursdays will feature American Champion Ben Bostrom and Ducati Corse eSport rider Andrea Saveri.

Italian presenter DJ Ringo will interview his guests interacting with the viewers through the comments left during the live stream.

Ducati and other motorcycle companies are gearing up to reopen their factories and dealerships around the world, whereas Australian dealerships have not closed during the pandemic.

Troy Bayliss checks Ducati Scramblers dirt tracker workersTroy Bayliss tours the Ducati factory in Thailand

Ducati says they will open dealerships with a program of special cleaning, customer distancing, masks and other precautions developed by a special task force, says Ducati spokesman Francesco Milicia.

“It is now clear to everyone that the virus won’t disappear from our lives any time soon,” Francesco says.

“We will have to learn to deal with it, putting in place all possible actions to protect ourselves, allowing us to return to live our lives again.

“It is in this context that, by capitalising on the experiences gathered by our internal Task Force as well as some of our Asian dealers, we have developed the Ducati Cares program to support our dealer network all over the world.

“It will allow our dealers to welcome our customers in the safest and most practical way.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Insurers should offer pandemic discount

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Insurers should be offering a discount or extension on premiums because people are not able to use their motorcycles and cars as much.

We already suggested registration, warranty, roadside assistance and servicing offers should be extended and that met with approval among many readers.

So far, the only Australian motorcycle company coming to the party is Ural Australia who have extended warranties by three months.

Now QBE insurers have made a token gesture with a $50 gift card for private car owners and only $25 for motorcycle owners. They will contact customers soon with details of how to access the benefit.

They tell us gift cards will be able to be used for a “wide variety of goods and services including supermarket shopping, petrol, and at a host of other retail outlets”.

QBE Australia Pacific CEO Vivek Bhatia says the gift card represents about 25% of the average private-use motor insurance policy from April to June.

However, motorcycle insurance is often more expensive, so it may be a smaller percentage.

Still, it’s better than nothing.

We have heard that some other insurers are offering discounts for private cars, but we have not yet been able to confirm any discounts for riders.

Some people can still ride to work, to get grocers, visit the doctor or for a few other valid reasons.

For all other riders, their bike is just up on the stand in the garage on the trickle charger, burning registration money, wasting insurance premium and running down the warranty period.

Dynamoto motorcycle standCheck out the amazing Aussie-made Dynamoto stands

Insurance should surely be extended or discounted because there is little risk of a crash while it is in the garage up on its stand.

The only risks are that it could be stolen or destroyed in a house fire.

Extended warranty

We notice that in India, KTM, Royal Enfield and Benelli are extending warranties and free service offers for all models, while Benelli is also extending its roadside assistance program.

Royal Enfield is matching the offer in the UK so we asked Royal Enfield Australia if they would offer it here, but they have not replied.

Ural Australia has extended warranties by three months for all new motorcycles sold up to 30 June 2020 on top of the standard two-year manufacturer warranty.

2017 Ural Australia

What a great move to ensure the loyalty of customers.

Be aware that just because your bike may be idle and not racking up the kilometres to the next scheduled service, it may still need a service. Check your bike’s manual for the maximum time interval between services.

If you don’t rack up the distance, it probably still advises an annual service.

Click here for more details on how to hibernate your motorcycle.

Extend regoBenzina number anti-theft plate holder plate scam cloning

As for registration, it is made up of an insurance component and a payment to help maintain our roads.

If you are not riding, you are not an insurance risk and you are not doing any damage to the roads (not that motorcycles do much road damage anyway!).

So state governments should offer an extension of registration periods for these mandatory lay-offs they have enforced.

In New Zealand, they are extending vehicle registrations and warrants of fitness (annual roadworthy certificate) for six months.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Motorcycle dealers still open in lockdown

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Despite the pandemic lockdown, motorcycle dealers across Australia are still open and you should be able to legitimately ride there.

We spoke to several dealers who say they are still trading, still buying and selling motorcycles and still selling accessories and rider gear.

However, they do say trade is down because many riders either think they are closed and/or don’t think they can legitimately ride to a dealership during the lockdown.

Dealers open in lockdown

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has taken the initiative to release a statement advising motorists that motorcycle and car dealerships are still open for sales and service.

In fact, some dealerships are offering a free pick-up-and-delivery service for motorcycles to get them serviced or repaired.

The FCAI, the peak body for the automotive industry in Australia, says it is important that dealerships remain open during the coronavirus lockdown.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, personal transport has increased in importance as it provides a secure, socially distanced manner of commuting to important engagements, such as health care appointments, shopping for essential items, or travelling to work (where necessary),” their press release says.

“To ensure commuters’ vehicles are in prime operating order, dealerships from all brands around Australia have opted to remain open to provide sales support and essential maintenance services.

“This allows customers to safely replace their current vehicle or motorcycle should the need arise.  To facilitate the purchasing process, the Chamber understands that short evaluation or test drives/rides are permissible for prospective customers wishing to purchase a vehicle for their essential commuting requirements. 

“In addition, available after-sales facilities ensure customers are able to have their car or motorcycle professionally serviced to ensure it remains in prime operating condition.”

While strictly observing all requisite pre-existing hygiene practices, many dealers across the country have included additional precautions to safeguard their customers.  

These include:

  • Virtual sales and service consultations;
  • Contact-free drop off and pick up of serviced vehicles;
  • Contact-free delivery of vehicles for evaluation drives;
  • Enhanced detailing and disinfecting practices; and
  • Physical distancing in sales and service facilities.

Legitimate excuse

rona riders Travel bans Will pandemic travel bans ever end? incriminate lockdownMBW asks a police officer about the travel restrictions

In states where travel restrictions are in place, riders should still have legitimate reasons to ride to their local dealership.

If stopped by police, you should advise them you need to buy riding gear or a part for your motorcycle which you need to get to work, visit a doctor or go shopping.

Or you could argue that you are buying a new or upgraded bike to ride to work.

Make sure it is a legitimate, though!

It worked for this rider who had to travel nearly 400km to pick up a bike he was buying to ride to work.

Police ok drive to buy motorcyclePolice allowed Elliot Redward to travel 400km to pick up his bike

Police may not accept your excuse, especially if you are not riding to a local dealership.

But at least you have given them a legitimate reason.

If they say it’s not a valid excuse, don’t argue. Simply turn around and go home.

Judging by the daily notifications we receive from police about the issuing of Personal Infringement Notices (PINs), it seems they are now providing warnings in the first instance.

Some riders have suggested that you reserve your “right to silence” if pulled over by police.

However, Brisbane lawyer Andrew Evans says not offering an excuse would immediately incriminate you.

Click here for more details on how riders can handle this situation.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Riders divided over coronavirus tracing app

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Freedom-loving motorcycle riders appear evenly divided about the planned coronavirus tracing app with slightly more than half saying they would download it.

The result comes from our quick online survey which attracted 228 respondents, 98% of which were in Australia.

Divided results

Our survey found 51% say they will download the app to help the health authorities trace people with COVID-19 and alert those who have had contact with them.

However, those who will download the app are also divided with 29% saying they would download it regardless.

The remainder ticked “maybe”.

When asked what conditions they would require before downloading, they were divided between fewer travel restrictions (82%) and privacy assurances (63%). Other inducements attracted negligible responses.

The result appears good news for the government which says it needs 40% take-up rate to be effective.

If more than half of the freedom-loving motorcycle riders in our survey say they will download the app, then the government may be on course to reach their desired take-up rate.

But they may need to offer assurances on privacy and may need to offer the inducement of fewer travel restrictions.

There has been talk that if the app doesn’t reach 40%, the government would make it mandatory, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison appears to have quashed that notion.

Some of the other comments by respondents who said yes or maybe to downloading the app include: ability to remove the app; anonymity; time limited and displaying where infected individuals live

TraceTogether app

The app will be based on the Singapore TraceTogether app that has only had a 20% take-up rate.

Since the app development has not yet been completed, there are no details about how ours will vary from the Singapore app and how privacy would be protected.

For example, the Singapore app uses Bluetooth only, but there is talk that the Australian version will also use GPS tracking.

Facebook comments

Interestingly, the comments on our Facebook posts about the app had a substantially different result to our online poll.

Our two Facebook posts reached 4800 of our 20,000+ Facebook followers and attracted only 37 likes.

Of the 160+ comments, about 80% were against downloading the app, citing concerns about privacy and a government conspiracy.

Critics of Facebook may suggest this is an example of how social media attracts a skew of negative comments and conspiracy theorists.

Please note: This poll sampled n=223 Australian respondents which may not be representative of the wider Australian population at large.

If you would like the raw data from our survey, please send me an email and I will forward it to you.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Should COVID-19 fines link to income?

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Should the COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) or on-the-spot fines be linked to your income as speeding fines are in some countries?

After all, a motorcyclist on a $15,000 bike who goes for a leisure ride risks copping the same on-the-spot fine under the Health Act as a rich driver in an expensive supercar.

The issue surfaced today when NSW Police issued a $1000 PIN to the driver of a McLaren 650S worth about $440,000.

This is how Police Media reported the incident:

Just after midnight, officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command stopped a McLaren 650S travelling on Ward Avenue, Potts Point. The driver, a 43-year-old Fairfield man, told officers he was driving to Woolloomooloo to get petrol. After being warned, he informed officers driving is a form of exercise. The man and his 60-year-old passenger were each issued a $1000 PIN. The driver allegedly told police “do what you want mate, I don’t care. This $1000 fine won’t hurt with my $15 million.

Australia’s COVID-19 fines appear to be among the highest in the world, starting at $1000 in NSW.

In Italy, where more than 23,000 have died from coronavirus, the fine for disobeying a stay-at-home order is €200 (about $A340).

Consequently tens of thousands have copped fines.

That could be one of the reasons the spread is so rampant in Italy.

Linking these fines to income could be the answer.

Speeding fines linked to incomespeed camera radar speeding fines rich rich

Similarly, Australia’s speeding fines are among the highest in the world.

According to British website GoCompare, Australians rank sixth in the world with the highest fines and 10th in relation to their average wage.

Ours is supposed to be an egalitarian and fair society, but how can it be fair for a motorist on a low wage to pay the same fine as a millionaire?

The average Aussie speeding fine for 21km/h over the limit is $401. South Australia leads with $771 fine, followed by NSW ($472), Queensland ($435), Western Australia ($400), Victoria ($332) and Tasmania ($163).

Top 10 fines for speeding 20km/h+

  1. Norway $1028
  2. Iceland $750
  3. Estonia $626
  4. United Kingdom $595
  5. Sweden $412
  6. Australia $401
  7. Switzerland $362
  8. Israel $282
  9. Netherlands $278
  10. Canada $275

Rich cop higher fines cops speed speeding radar fast speed camera licence rich

Several countries, such as Britain, Finland and Switzerland, have a system where speeding fines are linked to their wages.

The UK has introduced a system where fines for excessive speeding have increased to 150% of their weekly income. It is capped at £1000 ($A1770), or £2500 ($A4435) if caught on a motorway.

After all, they argue that a rich pro footballer, celebrity or wealthy aristocrat would not be deterred by the average UK speeding fine of £188 ($A333).

Meanwhile, the UK has retained their minimum speeding fine of £100 ($A177) and motorists can chose to reduce that further by attending a speed awareness course.

Switzerland and Finland are much tougher on their rich speeders.

Finland uses a “day fine” system of half the offender’s daily disposable income with the percentage increasing according to their speed over the limit.

In 2002, former Nokia director Anssi Vanjoki copped a $A190,000 fine for riding his motorcycle 75km/h in a 50km/h zone.

But that’s not the world record speeding fine which was handed out in Switzerland in 2010 to a Swedish motorist caught driving at 290km/h.

He was fined 3600 Swiss francs per day for 300 days which worked out to almost $A1.5m.

Click here for our tips on riding in Europe.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Will you download coronavirus tracking app?

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If it meant pandemic travel restrictions could be eased, would you download the Federal Government’s coming TraceTogether coronavirus tracking phone app?

We want your opinion, so please take part in our poll at the end of this article. Results will be released next week.

Click here for the results of our pandemic attitudes survey.

TraceTogether App

The TraceTogether opt-in app is expected to be rolled out in the next two weeks.

It uses GPS tracking and Bluetooth technology to record contact with people, even if you do not know them.

The app would identify and trace people who tested positive for coronavirus and alert people who spent more than 15 minutes in close proximity to an infected person.

Other details are not yet available on the app, but some apps overseas alert people when they are entering a coronavirus hotspot.

The app requires a 40% take-up rate to be effective. It will be similar to the TraceTogether app used in Singapore (below) where the take-up rate has only been 20%.

Tracking app

Now, Australians and riders, in particular, love their freedom and have historically rebelled against civil liberties infringements, such as the current Draconian Personal Infringement Notices (PINs) or on-the-spot fines.

So we don’t expect we would have a higher take-up rate than Singapore where the app has anonymous ID.

If the government wants 40% of Australians to download the app, then they should consider offering inducements.

They could include the freeing-up of travel restrictions.

If that’s the case, we would like to see motorcyclists allowed to ride solo for leisure, so long as they observe other rules such as social distancing, personal hygiene, staying within state borders and no overnight trips.

If the authorities were worried about too many app users heading out for a ride, fishing, surfing, etc, maybe they could send out an alert to a certain percentage of users on particular days saying they are allowed out.

Then, if they were intercepted by police, they would have proof that they are legally allowed out of home detention.

Some European countries have a similar system to restrict travel into the CBD during peak hours based on the last number in their number plate.

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Orwellian dystopia

It all sounds like some Dystopian Hollywood blockbuster film, but these are unusual times and perhaps it is time to start thinking along these lines.

The alternative is staying home, losing your job, getting depressed, drinking too much, etc.

Our concern is that the current Orwellian measures and extra police powers will not be rolled back when the pandemic ends.

However, surely with an app, you can simply opt out again and regain your freedoms and civil liberties.

Several countries are working on or have introduced similar apps.

Most are very intrusive.

However, Germany is working on an app with a rolling ID code that changes frequently to protect your privacy but still allow tracking.

Coronavirus tracking app poll

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Harley cuts costs and lays off staff

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Following in the footsteps of Indian Motorcycle, Harley-Davidson has made cuts to costs that start with the CE and Board of Directors’ salaries and include “temporary layoff” of all global staff.

Harley-Davidson has halted production since March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, acting president and CEO Jochen Zeitz who took after Matt Levatich was allegedly sacked in February has announced cost-cutting measures to lessen the impact of the stoppage. 

Matt Levatich Harley-Davidson CEO politics silicon confirms sackedMatt at the 115th Harley party in 2018

It follows the company’s decision to withdraw its earnings forecast for this year, saying pandemic-induced disruptions could dent its ability to supply and sell motorcycles.

Financial analysts expect Harley sales to slump by 25% this year. 

“The effects of COVID-19 on economies around the world have been swift and unprecedented,” Zeitz says.

“It is essential for us to respond quickly, adapt and position the company to manage near-term challenges while preparing to re-energise the business for the recovery and beyond.”

Costs cut

Harley is taking the following actions to lower costs:

  • Significantly reducing all non-essential spending;
  • Temporarily reducing salaries;
    • CEO and the Board of Directors will forgo salary/cash compensation;
    • 30% reduction for executive leadership;
    • 10 to 20% reduction for most other salaried employees in the United States; and
    • No merit increases for 2020;
  • Implementing a hiring freeze.

The statement that the board and boss will “forgo salary/cash compensation” is a disingenuous gesture since there will be no performance bonuses given the loss of sales this year.

However, the 30% pay cut may be significant as it was revealed Levatich was paid $US11m last year.

Harley is still searching for a replacement for Levatich, a poisoned chalice if there ever was one with this pandemic adding to their recent sales woes.

Indian Cutbacks

Scott Wine Polaris boss Indian salaryPolaris boss Scott Wine

The Harley cutbacks compare with cost-cutting by Indian Motorcycle parent company Polaris where CEO Scott Wine suspended his entire salary for the rest of the year.

Other Polaris cutbacks include delaying salary rises for staff, two weeks leave without pay for some staff and pay reductions of 20% for other staff including the executive leadership team.

Global Harley cuts

Harley-Davidson says they will take similar cost-cutting action outside the United States.

Salary reductions will be reassessed at the end of the second quarter as the company continues to closely monitor business conditions. 

The majority of its global production employees are on temporary layoff. Medical benefits remain intact for all global employees, the say. 

“We understand that navigating this new reality has a real impact on our employees,” Zeitz says.

“Their dedication to Harley-Davidson is never taken for granted, and we thank them for supporting one another and rallying together as we manage the profound impact of COVID-19.”

Harley-Davidson will release its first quarter 2020 financial results on Tuesday, 28 April 2020. 

American deaths from the virus now top 20,000 which is the highest in the world. More than half a million Americans are now infected.

President Donald Trump called the coronavirus a “hoax” on February 28, blaming the media for “hysteria”, saying it was the Democrats playing politics and claiming the virus was nothing compared with the seasonal flu.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Pandemic: Lockdown! What lockdown?

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Motorcycle riders around the world are in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, but there are many rider — some unlicensed — who are wantonly flouting the restrictions.

These “Covidiots” are giving the rest of us a bad name and when it comes time to start winding back some restrictions, authorities won’t be considering motorcycle riding too kindly.

But they should. After all, riding solo with gloves, a helmet and obvious distancing should be good reasons to derestrict motorcycling.

However, with riders speeding, congregating in groups and performing other stupid acts, we can expect little sympathy or latitude from the authorities.

We have published articles before showing some of the Draconian fines handed out by over-zealous police.

Lockdown lunacy

But there are also many examples of stupid rider behaviour during the lockdown:

  • The top photo shows motorcycle and quad-bike riders racing through the unusually quiet streets of New York;
  • In Manchester, UK, three dirt biker riders ripped up school fields;

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  • In Melbourne, six members of a Motorcycle Club declared to be an “outlaw motorcycle gang” were fined for gathering in cars at Flinders Street;
  • A 48-year-old man tried to mount a fully marked police motorcycle parked on the Great Western Highway on Friday night;
  • A 23-year-old Wodonga was pulled over by police and found to be riding an unregistered and uninsured motorcycle and admitted to crossing the closed state border;
  • A 42-year-old rider on a Triumph Daytona was travelling 180km/h in a 80km/h speed zone on the Warringah Freeway, North Sydney; and
  • A 52-year-old rider travelling 140km/h on the M4 at Eastern Creek led police on a pursuit, ditched the bike and broke into a home’s garage to hide.

These are just a few of the incidents over Easter.

There are many more, but only NSW Police provide details. Police in other states don’t provide all the details, just the number of fines issued.

But what is evident from the NSW Police reports is not just the stupidity of the riders, but the fact that they had no “legitimate” excuse for being away from home.

And in many cases, they are given a warning by the police, but refuse to comply and cop a $1000 fine (more in some other states).

Note that the ACT is not fining people and there are few travel restrictions within WA, SA and NT.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com