The brainless idiots were out in groups wearing their lycra and leathers today!

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nickyboy

Norven Mankey
But how does anyone know whether they are on an "essential journey" or not? I know plenty of emergency workers, in particular Police Officers, who are bikers and use their bikes to travel to and from work in the better weather. A good bit of generalisation going on in this thread!
Ok, I'll refine my comment. Every motorcyclist I've seen whizzing over the snake pass in their fancy leathers (and there have been loads) is not on an essential journey. Would you agree, as a biker, that this sort of activity shouldn't be happening?
 
OP
OP
buzzy-beans

buzzy-beans

Über Member
Not related to the OP topic, but with regards to high powered motorcycles, I honestly do believe there needs to be a change in the UK licencing laws whereby there is an upper limit as to the amount of power they are allowed to have.
Over in France as well as, I believe, some other countries in Europe there is a maximum power limit of 100 bhp which is surely more than enough for a bike used on the public road.
My nephew used to race in a single class 600 cc series on a bike that has approx 60 bhp, it is fast enough and he rides the very same make of bike as his commuter bike, he also has a 600 cc off road trials bike.......... He now no longer races as he had a serious accident that wasn't his fault, however he spent 12 weeks in intensive care and his right leg is mostly metal.
He was going to be touring Scandinavia last year on his trials bike and was out along some local bridle paths trying it out and had a serious off which resulted in paramedics having to traipse over the fields and then finally an air ambulance was called out as it was too risky to move him to hospital by any other means, he then spent 6 weeks in a NHS hospital as a result of his stupidity.

Now this same very nice and very highly educated nephew of mine also owns a seriously dangerously fast road bike, it came delivered new with something like 185 bhp but that wasn't enough for him so he had the injectors changed, a different exhaust system a total re-map of the ECU and all of this very expensive work resulted in an enormous 235 bhp at the back wheel. And despite all of his injuries he uses this bike on the road, although I do know that at the moment he is keeping his bikes under lock and key at home!

Sorry to bore you all :blush:
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Not related to the OP topic, but with regards to high powered motorcycles, I honestly do believe there needs to be a change in the UK licencing laws whereby there is an upper limit as to the amount of power they are allowed to have.
Over in France as well as, I believe, some other countries in Europe there is a maximum power limit of 100 bhp which is surely more than enough for a bike used on the public road.
My nephew used to race in a single class 600 cc series on a bike that has approx 60 bhp, it is fast enough and he rides the very same make of bike as his commuter bike, he also has a 600 cc off road trials bike.......... He now no longer races as he had a serious accident that wasn't his fault, however he spent 12 weeks in intensive care and his right leg is mostly metal.
He was going to be touring Scandinavia last year on his trials bike and was out along some local bridle paths trying it out and had a serious off which resulted in paramedics having to traipse over the fields and then finally an air ambulance was called out as it was too risky to move him to hospital by any other means, he then spent 6 weeks in a NHS hospital as a result of his stupidity.

Now this same very nice and very highly educated nephew of mine also owns a seriously dangerously fast road bike, it came delivered new with something like 185 bhp but that wasn't enough for him so he had the injectors changed, a different exhaust system a total re-map of the ECU and all of this very expensive work resulted in an enormous 235 bhp at the back wheel. And despite all of his injuries he uses this bike on the road, although I do know that at the moment he is keeping his bikes under lock and key at home!

Sorry to bore you all :blush:
They tried the horsepower limit back in the late 80s, it didn't work because of the ease of (like your nephew) de-restricting and tuning the bikes. There is also the idea that restricting bike power should also be applied to cars or it is discriminatory after all no-one 'needs' a car with more than 100bhp either.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Ok, I'll refine my comment. Every motorcyclist I've seen whizzing over the snake pass in their fancy leathers (and there have been loads) is not on an essential journey. Would you agree, as a biker, that this sort of activity shouldn't be happening?
Yes. It's against the current rules, but it's low on the priority list of problems that need sorted.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Was it the only form of transport you had?

I was a police officer on a motorbike when a car hit me. 2 broken arms and a broken leg. It does not have to be your fault. In a car I would have walked away without a scratch.
I have a car too, but took the bike. Totally agree re it doesn't have to be your own fault, but I would say the risk is greatly reduced in the current level of traffic.
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
Not related to the OP topic, but with regards to high powered motorcycles, I honestly do believe there needs to be a change in the UK licencing laws whereby there is an upper limit as to the amount of power they are allowed to have.
Over in France as well as, I believe, some other countries in Europe there is a maximum power limit of 100 bhp which is surely more than enough for a bike used on the public road.
My nephew used to race in a single class 600 cc series on a bike that has approx 60 bhp, it is fast enough and he rides the very same make of bike as his commuter bike, he also has a 600 cc off road trials bike.......... He now no longer races as he had a serious accident that wasn't his fault, however he spent 12 weeks in intensive care and his right leg is mostly metal.
He was going to be touring Scandinavia last year on his trials bike and was out along some local bridle paths trying it out and had a serious off which resulted in paramedics having to traipse over the fields and then finally an air ambulance was called out as it was too risky to move him to hospital by any other means, he then spent 6 weeks in a NHS hospital as a result of his stupidity.

Now this same very nice and very highly educated nephew of mine also owns a seriously dangerously fast road bike, it came delivered new with something like 185 bhp but that wasn't enough for him so he had the injectors changed, a different exhaust system a total re-map of the ECU and all of this very expensive work resulted in an enormous 235 bhp at the back wheel. And despite all of his injuries he uses this bike on the road, although I do know that at the moment he is keeping his bikes under lock and key at home!

Sorry to bore you all :blush:
That would be very like banning cycling because of people sunbathing in parks. Why should I have a restriction on my license for the actions of someone else.
 
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figbat

Slippery scientist
I've never heard of a power restriction in france

There was one but IIRC it has been rescinded, maybe 4 or 5 years ago.
 

Guzzi

Active Member
Not related to the OP topic, but with regards to high powered motorcycles, I honestly do believe there needs to be a change in the UK licencing laws whereby there is an upper limit as to the amount of power they are allowed to have.
Over in France as well as, I believe, some other countries in Europe there is a maximum power limit of 100 bhp which is surely more than enough for a bike used on the public road.
My nephew used to race in a single class 600 cc series on a bike that has approx 60 bhp, it is fast enough and he rides the very same make of bike as his commuter bike, he also has a 600 cc off road trials bike.......... He now no longer races as he had a serious accident that wasn't his fault, however he spent 12 weeks in intensive care and his right leg is mostly metal.
He was going to be touring Scandinavia last year on his trials bike and was out along some local bridle paths trying it out and had a serious off which resulted in paramedics having to traipse over the fields and then finally an air ambulance was called out as it was too risky to move him to hospital by any other means, he then spent 6 weeks in a NHS hospital as a result of his stupidity.

Now this same very nice and very highly educated nephew of mine also owns a seriously dangerously fast road bike, it came delivered new with something like 185 bhp but that wasn't enough for him so he had the injectors changed, a different exhaust system a total re-map of the ECU and all of this very expensive work resulted in an enormous 235 bhp at the back wheel. And despite all of his injuries he uses this bike on the road, although I do know that at the moment he is keeping his bikes under lock and key at home!

Sorry to bore you all :blush:

There are of course restrictions on what you can ride if you are under 21 or have passed your test on a small bike.

This should also be the case for cars, you can pass your test in a Nissan Micra and step straight into a Ferrari, or more realistically a Subaru Imprenzza. However where do you put the limit? My son could pass his test next year and not be allowed to drive my 225bhp RAV4 but be allowed in a 1987 205gti with none of the active or passive safety features.

Perhaps we should all stop working out what else to ban, Inforce the current laws and all be considerate to each other.
 

StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
Not related to the OP topic, but with regards to high powered motorcycles, I honestly do believe there needs to be a change in the UK licencing laws whereby there is an upper limit as to the amount of power they are allowed to have.
Over in France as well as, I believe, some other countries in Europe there is a maximum power limit of 100 bhp which is surely more than enough for a bike used on the public road.
My nephew used to race in a single class 600 cc series on a bike that has approx 60 bhp, it is fast enough and he rides the very same make of bike as his commuter bike, he also has a 600 cc off road trials bike.......... He now no longer races as he had a serious accident that wasn't his fault, however he spent 12 weeks in intensive care and his right leg is mostly metal.
He was going to be touring Scandinavia last year on his trials bike and was out along some local bridle paths trying it out and had a serious off which resulted in paramedics having to traipse over the fields and then finally an air ambulance was called out as it was too risky to move him to hospital by any other means, he then spent 6 weeks in a NHS hospital as a result of his stupidity.

Now this same very nice and very highly educated nephew of mine also owns a seriously dangerously fast road bike, it came delivered new with something like 185 bhp but that wasn't enough for him so he had the injectors changed, a different exhaust system a total re-map of the ECU and all of this very expensive work resulted in an enormous 235 bhp at the back wheel. And despite all of his injuries he uses this bike on the road, although I do know that at the moment he is keeping his bikes under lock and key at home!

Sorry to bore you all :blush:
No such limit exists. There has been talk about the EU limiting power to that level every few years- BMW used to voluntarily stick to 100bhp. Agreed there's no real reason for supersports etc bikes to have much more power. But- and it's a big but- are they also going to clamp down on car makers? Shut down all aftermarket tuners? Stop anyone reprogramming ECUs etc? No chance whatsoever.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
There needs to be a deeper change in public attitude. The entire modding business needs to be closed down or regulated and products limited to cosmetic. MOT tests need to be stricter as they are in Germany where you can't deviate from the manufacturer's spec. Then motorbikes and cars with over a certain power respective to their weight made illegal. There is already massive over-capacity of cars being manufactured and this CV thing is going to redraw the map of manufacturing and sales so this is a good opportunity to put an end to the headlong rush for more power and noise.
 
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