Latest News

He's Doohan it for road safety

Oct 31, 2009

FORMER world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan is the new face of safe riding in South Australia.

Mr Doohan said a graphic new TV commercial, which superimposes everyday objects like phone boxes and trees on to a motorcycle track, should leave no doubt about the consequences of a street crash.

View full article here

See video here

Two wheels wins in crowded Sydney

Oct 28, 2009

Rising fuel costs, congestion, no parking, poor public transport and environmental concerns are driving up motorcycle use.

Yet, transport policy lags far behind and has failed to create equity for this growing group of road users.

Sydney Council’s move to free motorcycle parking one year ago has been widely applauded and embraced. Yet, the State Government has failed to create road toll and registration equity, and has inadequately invested in safety campaigns, according to the Motorcycle Council of NSW.

“The total spend on safety campaigns since 2003 has been less than four million,’’ Guy Stanford of the Motorcycle Council of NSW said. “But it makes economic sense to move to a scooter or small bike. The average car journey carries 1.1 people, rolling a tonne-and-a-half to shift just one person.

“Motorcycles are less than 200kg. A lot of people are shifting to motorcycles for convenience, initially because of the overstretched public transport system. But as petrol prices start to bite, it makes economic sense. There has been a big growth in 250cc bikes.’’

View full article here

Motorcycle Buyers Encourage to Take Advantage of Economic Incentives

Oct 12, 2009

Figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show 82,601 motorcycles, scooters and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were sold in the nine months to September – a 14.4 per cent decline compared to the same period in 2008.

“The motorcycle market has faced a period of challenging economic circumstances and although down on the record highs of last year has remained resilient,” FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said.

View full article here

Exhaust Label Repealed

Exhaust Labels Fall Off

Sydney, 21 March, 2006

NSW motorcyclists have finally been relieved of a stupid NSW Regulation.

In July 2000, the Environmental Protection Authority (now part of the Dept of Environment and Conservation) introduced a retrospective law demanding that aftermarket replacement motorcycle exhausts be specially labelled and then authorised the Police to issue fines of $200 to riders who didn’t have this label.

In it’s justification, the then EPA claimed this labelling requirement allowed the Police and EPA officers to readily identify less effective mufflers that may exceed the prescribed noise limits

EPA made no provision by which riders could obtain such a label. Riders referred to this law as “the sticker tax”.

However, after 6 years of protest by the Motorcycle Council of NSW, Clause 19 from the Protection of the Environment Operations Regulation has now been repealed.

The regulation was published in the Government Gazette No. 35, (11/2006) pp 1379 & 1380 on Friday 17, March 2006. It does not appear in any Parliamentary Hansard or Notices, as it seems our State government would prefer to see this change go unnoticed. download from box on right - each page around 170kb

Exhaust labels required under Clause 19 will remain on many motorcycles as a reminder to riders to remain vigilant and how, by uniting through their Motorcycle Council in NSW, they can address serious issues.

Mr. Chris Turner, Chair of the Noise Committee of the Motorcycle Council of NSW said today “Yes, the misused sticker law allowed enforcement agencies to easily identify mufflers which may or may not be illegal and give you a $200 fine in either case!”

The repeal of this law is great news for motorcycle riders from any State travelling in NSW, as all motorcycles had been subjected to this NSW law despite the uniqueness of the regulation.

The Motorcycle Council wishes to acknowledge assistance from the NSW Democrats, in an initial Motion of Disallowance and also acknowledge support granted to this Motion from members of the NSW Upper House. It reinforces the value of an independent Upper House.

Guy Stanford, Chairman of the MCC of NSW said “I’d like to thank the persistence and skill of the Noise Committee, particularly Chris Coote and Chris Turner. We still have to resolve the issue of margin for error in roadside exhaust tests and the Noise Committee is well up to the task.”

Historical Notes
** Cannot find article id 75 **

1. File description: Page1 [170.0KB]

File name: 19.jpg

2. File description: Page2 [129.9KB]

File name: p2.jpg