I'm a daily Melbourne motorcyclist and some of those laws are silly.

I'm however all for madatory motorcycle protection. If not for the motorcyclist but for their passenger.

I'm dumbfuonded that riders don't wear protective gear and take another person's life in their hands and hand them an old helmet.

I ride 450km per week in either full leathers or leather pants and an Alpinestars textile jacket (still has CE armour and back protector). Rain hail or 40 degree days it's the same.

If you think kevlar jeans are good, Have an 80km/h stack in them and you soon find the protection they offer is crap. They are also very warm in summer and cold in winter. My leathers are ventilated and are quite comfy even in heat.

I'm not going to attend in case the fun police decide to do sound checks on non standard exhausts.

It's wasn't gravel.

Long story short I had to 'gently lay' (oh fark moment) the bike down and ended up sliding and tumbling at around 80 km/h. It's amazing how fast that is when your sliding down the road.

The kevlar jeans I was wearing were the most popular (don't want to name, but you know who I'm talking about) tore as well as the lack of armour in the knees and thigh area left me with the following:

- Burns from where the kevlar heated up
- Road rash from where it was only denim
- bruised kneecaps and quads from the lack of armour.

I didn' think at the time to take pics and threw the jeans in the bin.

I junked an almost new Arai (it did it's job) and suprisingly my Alpinestars textile jacket with armour and back brace held up well. I replaced the jacket with the same and bought a new 2 peice Alpinestar leather suit. I wear the pants and textile jacket, Oxtar GP boots, Alpinestar GP gloves and KBC carbon helmet (To be replaced as it's now 2 years old) Wear the lot daily.

And your right, I shake my head at suits on scooters, but stare at lovley ladies wearing short skirts on scooters, still the armani is't going to hold up to the grinding tarmac.

echunda said...
I'm not going to attend in case the fun police decide to do sound checks on non standard exhausts.

The only annoying and inconsiderate thing about motorbikes that grinds my gears no end.

I live on a road and it sounds like this:
car/swoosh. car/swoosh. nothing. nothing. car/swoosh. nothing. bird tweets. nothing. bird tweets again.
BAAAA BAAAAAA MOTTORBIIIIIKE!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE I'M ON A MOOOTTTTOOOR BIIIIKE!!! BAAAAA BAAAAAAAA!!!!!!.
nothing. car/swoosh.

I hate to admit it, I really do, but if I heard one crash I'd smile.

Chris6791 said...

echunda said...
It's wasn't gravel.

Long story short I had to 'gently lay' (oh fark moment) the bike down and ended up sliding and tumbling at around 80 km/h. It's amazing how fast that is when your sliding down the road.

I've never seen brakes on the side of a bike, it's a myth that dropping your bike slows you down quicker than braking upright.

it's not about slowing down quicker. it's often better to lay the bike down, get away from it and slide independently of its momentum. for example if you lose it through a corner it can be better to slide on your arse than hold onto the bike and go over the crash rail or into the ditch.

It's getting away from the initial thread but I still disagree. The friction co-efficient of a bike under braking far exceeds that of a bike or rider sliding (either together or separate). Stay upright and you have a longer opportunity to wash off more speed before the sudden stop at the end that will do the damage. Once the bike and rider are sliding you have no control, no braking and are probably sliding faster than your guardian angel can fly.

The theory of splitting your momentum from the bike also doesn't really hold true. On the bike it is still braked weight rather than sliding unbraked weight.

I'd also rather stay on the bike and take my chances of get thrown over the Armco guard rail or the wire ropes. Sliding contact with either will result in unwanted amputation.

Using protective equipment is obviously wise, be crazy not to.

Forcing riders with legislation to use it is legislation designed to protect people from themselves and we just can't call ourselves a "free society" as we travel down that path.

Compare this with proposed new jetski laws. This legislation is designed to protect OTHER people.

Different story.

superlizard said...
But am very concerned about implications of some of the proposed changes:
- pre approved / certified gear - this could be just another money making scheme.. does that mean i have to throw away and buy all new pre-approved gear ??
- minimum wearing of 5 protective items... ?? (does that mean if my pants get ripped i can't ride bike to nearby shop to get replacement pants wearing jeans or something?
- creation of motorcycle advisory body within Victoria Police = more taxes and higher rego = and it's not like they will be acting in the interest of bikes
- front number plates - this will make bikes look like sh1t... will effect performance... but the worst part is it's mechanically a huge challange to fit the plate on the front of the bike...
- on top of that, this whole set of new rules will give more opportunities for Vicroads/Police for more infrinngement revenue generation...
- and there is more...

Here is SA, we're looking tentatively at how things are panning out across the border. As I have told people, if it was just a cheap hi-vis safety vest at Bunnings, no big deal. However the "approved" bit seems to be a barrier to make riding less attractive, and has nothing to do with safety. Like in this state, it all boils down to a bunch of corrupt policy makers with a bone to pick with riders.

If you do lose this case, you could "embrace safety" and drag everybody into it by arguing car drivers need visual safety gear when they enter and exit their vehicles as it will reduce the risk of a collision hazard (as well as driver training) .

Good luck anyway. Fingers crossed

J

I wonder if the 1% can get a doctors certificate for the new rules the same as they do for helmets?
W

evlPanda said...

echunda said...
I'm not going to attend in case the fun police decide to do sound checks on non standard exhausts.

The only annoying and inconsiderate thing about motorbikes that grinds my gears no end.

I live on a road and it sounds like this:
car/swoosh. car/swoosh. nothing. nothing. car/swoosh. nothing. bird tweets. nothing. bird tweets again.
BAAAA BAAAAAA MOTTORBIIIIIKE!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE I'M ON A MOOOTTTTOOOR BIIIIKE!!! BAAAAA BAAAAAAAA!!!!!!.
nothing. car/swoosh.

I hate to admit it, I really do, but if I heard one crash I'd smile.

If you don't like it..............


MOVE!!!!

Hold on guys, this can all be dealt with the same way as the shark issue.

Just as the Great Whites are the top of the food chain in the ocean, cars and trucks are the top of the food chain on the roads.

There's no need to do anything about sharks, there's no need to do anything about motorbike riders.

If you don't want to be eaten, don't go in the water.
If you don't want to die in a crash, don't ride a motorbike.

Simple.

evlPanda said...

Spocktek said...

evlPanda said...


I hate to admit it, I really do, but if I heard one crash I'd smile.

Your a tosser, and your green thumbers are too.

You're

I'll second that.

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-You%27re-and-Your

Good to see the spelling police are on to it this morning
Errors aside, what you said Panda was a tosser thing to say
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES
Peace

Dawn Patrol said...

Spocktek said...

evlPanda said...


I hate to admit it, I really do, but if I heard one crash I'd smile.

I saw a crash that just happened in Phuket, head like a dinner plate - smashed, pretty horrible sight but thats the crap helmets they wear.
Didn't make me smile.

Spocktek said...
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES

and they sound good !

hilly said...
Mine do

Nice :)

.. but hang on a tick. Is that chicken strips I see. Please tell me they are new tyres !