UK government to pressure dealers to convince people NOT to ride sportsbikes!

[Bob]

When I was reading the "Government Motorcycling Strategy" to get the background on the aftermarket parts item:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=38785

I also found this interesting part:

This is from page 25, item 5.29:

"5.29 The sports bike phenomenon is relatively new (Bob note: In whose timescale? Mountains?). It has taken off in recent years with riders choosing these high performance motorbikes for exciting leisure riding. We do not believe it is for government to prescribe the style of machine riders should purchasdse. However, it is important that riders should make an informed choice, and, in particular, understand the degree of training and skill required for a rider to be fully in control of some of the more powerful machinery available. Furthermore, these motorbikes will not suit everyone and some riders will prefer a different type of machine. The AGM recognised this and recommended that manufacturers and retailers place greater emphasis on the merits of other models."

In other words, try to talk people into buying something else. So HMG won't openly say they want us to stop riding sportsbikes (too much of a vote-loser, openly telling us what to so), but they'll happily put pressure on the dealers to get us to ride what our MPs think is suitable for us to own. So do it by the backdoor and leave themselves squeaky-clean.

Wonderfully, the above is followed by a photo of a CB1300 - one big bruiser of a motorcycle that I would suggest is too much to handle for a lot of people... one of the factors being that it needs to be muscled around, unlike a sportsbike which would be easily flickable in circumstances that would make it hard work on the CB...

[popelli]

accident statistics speak for themselves

these accidents are costing the tax payer a lot of money and the government is looking for ways to spend its money more efficiently

sports bikes are featuring in these statistics

no body is to blame except the people riding these bikes and having the accidents

[Grumpy]

Let me get this right..... the government over there is trying to get you lot to "ride naked". Sounds like my kind of place

Reading this kind of stuff does make you wonder what kind of prats we put into government though, doesn't it?

[Ixion]

Well, "sportsbike" is always a rather vague term - I would not classify an ER6-F as a sportsbike.

But the race replica phenonomen, which i imagine is what is meant here, is certainly of recent date. And IMHO the UK government's approach is a sensible one.

Conventionally, a motorcycle would be judged on a number of attributes . Top speed and handling would be but two of them, others would include cost, reliability, comfort, fuel range, luggage capacity, fuel consumption etc. And most purchasers of motorcycles will still approach their purchase on the same basis.

But the prospective purchaser of a race replica asks but one question "how fast does it go ?". The others being on the whole irrelevant to the nature of a race replica. The UK government is questioning whether such an approach is a wise one, and suggesting that dealers should suggest that consideration of other factors may be more conducive to a long and safe motorcycling life. I see no harm in that, and much benefit.

[Gremlin]

others would include cost, reliability, comfort, fuel range, luggage capacity, fuel consumption etc. And most purchasers of motorcycles will still approach their purchase on the same basis.

cost: depends how many you buy... some buy heaps <- relates to "reliability"
reliability: depends... not many bikes survive being thrown into the bush at 200
comfort: stop sitting on the seat all the time
fuel range: stop riding it so damn hard...
luggage capacity: wtf? only need a wallet... and a mobile perhaps...
fuel consumption: plenty of gassers on route... nothing to worry about, just don't get caught out in the middle, after seeing how far it can go

so.... how fast does it go? Coz I need to go faster than my mate

[jonbuoy]

Race reps recent? Do they mean since the first GSXR?? Race reps have always been popular in the UK. Sportsbikes have always been popular - since people started chucking nose cones on triumphs and nortons. They are about 50 years too late. If they were serious they would start limiting HP or importing certain models, but people always get around that anyway. As long as they are made people will buy them.

[Gremlin]

As long as they are made people will buy them.

And as long as people fantasise about putting one into the nearest scenery (ok, fine, riding it ) the manufacturers will keep on making them... vicious cycle init?

[Bob]

If they were serious they would start limiting HP or importing certain models, but people always get around that anyway. As long as they are made people will buy them.

There have been attempts to limit HP over the years - the germans were, if I remember rightly, the ones that put forward a 100bhp limit. Odd that - it just happened to be the same amount that BMW were working to (can't recall if there was german legislation in place) at the time. This was defeated by the various motorcycling lobby groups.

Interesting idea on importing certain models. This is where the UK government shot themselves in the foot years ago (1981 to be exact). 25 years ago, our government decided that 250cc was much too much for learners. And cut the learner capacity to 125cc. So overnight a whole range of bikes were made worthless over here. Masses of worthless 250s, 350s etc. So with no 2nd hand market, no new market, that class all but disappeared over here.

Result? You went straight from a 125cc bike to a 500, minimum, when you passed your test. Now? If you do Direct Access, then you'll probably go straight to a 600.

Once upon a time, people started on small capacity stuff, then moved up as their experience and wallet allowed. So by the time you could afford a big capacity, sharper bike, you had built up a bank of experience to handle it.

But as and when the new licence laws come in, there aren't going to be smaller capacity bikes around to buy 2nd hand and build experience. There are already a dearth of 250cc bikes for people who do decide to pass test and do 2 years on a 250 before being allowed to ride anything.

Trouble is, I could see the government deciding to apply a CC limit (the same way they do with road tax - I pay more to tax a 650 twin than someone riding an R6 does... where is the sense in that). So ironically, they'd exclude a whole range of bikes - by and large ones they'd prefer people to ride!

"R6? 600cc - oh that is quite small, let that one in. M109R? 1800cc? Hmmm, must be really fast and powerful that. Think we'll ban that one..."

[Zapf]

Wonderfully, the above is followed by a photo of a CB1300 - one big bruiser of a motorcycle that I would suggest is too much to handle for a lot of people... one of the factors being that it needs to be muscled around, unlike a sportsbike which would be easily flickable in circumstances that would make it hard work on the CB...

Hello Bob,
Sorry slight change of topic, is the CB1300 really that hard to handle? Just that I am looking at one at the moment.

[Bob]

Hello Bob,
Sorry slight change of topic, is the CB1300 really that hard to handle? Just that I am looking at one at the moment.

To be honest, I've never ridden one. But what I was saying is that the government are trying to stop people riding sportsbikes - and a lot of inference in their words are that people are going to sportsbikes from learner bikes of 125cc. But then they show a CB1300, which is a big, powerful and heavy bike - so a big leap from a tiddler like a CG125. But in their minds, it doesn't have a fairing so it can't be fast, can it?

[Zapf]

To be honest, I've never ridden one. But what I was saying is that the government are trying to stop people riding sportsbikes - and a lot of inference in their words are that people are going to sportsbikes from learner bikes of 125cc. But then they show a CB1300, which is a big, powerful and heavy bike - so a big leap from a tiddler like a CG125. But in their minds, it doesn't have a fairing so it can't be fast, can it?

ah right. Yes. swinging the weight the wrong way can't be too good

[Roj]

Wonderfully, the above is followed by a photo of a CB1300 - one big bruiser of a motorcycle that I would suggest is too much to handle for a lot of people... one of the factors being that it needs to be muscled around, unlike a sportsbike which would be easily flickable in circumstances that would make it hard work on the CB...

Hello Bob,
Sorry slight change of topic, is the CB1300 really that hard to handle? Just that I am looking at one at the moment.

I can't say I have ridden one myself but my bike wieghs in over 250 kilos plus me on it, the new CB1300 looks like something I might consider if I was to buy a new bike, the extra weight is something you need to consider plus the style of riding you want, however my bike doesn't need to be muscled around, it is a matter of the appropriate riding techniques, I have found in my experience a sports bike needs more effort in riding than a touring bike (usually because they are riden more actively)


As for discouraging sports bikes, a lot of why someone buys something is aesthetics, I like the slightly retro style but my wife likes a full fairing style, trying to put limits on a persons preferences seems a little unreasonable.

A good sales person "should" put forward reasons for and against a particular bike, but this is not something that can be done buy legislation