Australian Motered Bike Laws

[Bobbyoutback]

Just getting back about legality , have a look at this link giving the technical side of how a 30cc 2 stroke can be under 200 Watts .
I think they are clever the way they do it ( wink wink )

[url]http://www.rotarybike.com/rotarybike_content.asp?pid=33[/url]

[luka69]

Hi.
In Victoria they have
Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council

(Below are some of the items they highlight to the appropriate authories)

VMAC Initiatives and activities
Highlights of recent VMAC activities/initiatives include:

Work with VicRoads to develop Victoria's Road Safety and Transport
Strategic Action Plan for Powered Two Wheelers 2009-2013
A submission to the State Government recommending a Learner Approved
Motorcycle Scheme for novice riders in Victoria (2006) and ongoing representations on this issue (see below) A submission to the Parliament of Victoria, Road Safety Committee's Inquiry into Driver Distraction (2006)
Continued to liaise with the City of Melbourne on motorcycle matters including parking on footpaths
Advice to the Minister on the expenditure priorities for funds raised by the Motorcycle Safety Levy
Review and endorse project proposals for funding through the Motorcycle Safety Levy
Assistance to VicRoads and the Government in the development of industry-based motorcycle safety and education programs
Provision of information to contractors, engineers, designers and other road practitioners, on consideration of motorcyclists' needs in road design and construction practices
Participation in the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment's Trail Bike Initiative (see below)
Participation in the 2006-2008 Motorcycle Expos in Melbourne promoting motorcycle safety (see below)
Production of the Great Ocean Ride DVD
Motorcycle Forums in 2006
A submission to NTC on the Australian Road Rules 2005 Amendment Package - Motorcycle lane splitting
Provision of input to numerous VicRoads motorcycling publications
Expansion of the representation on VMAC to reflect the growth in scooter sales
Liaison with Community Road Safety Councils and other organisations on motorcycling matters.



Perhaps dealing with a body like VMAC may have more impact on regulating a uniform pedal-assist bicycle law than lobbying local goverment.

Seams to me that the main problem with using pedal-assist bicycle on public roads, is not so much the safty of the rider but more so with 3rd party liabilty.

What other thoughts do you guys have.
Luka
"South of the boarder"

[iron_monkey]

Originally Posted by Fabian

30 miles an hour on a motorised pushbike - doesn't even phase me, as i modify my speed according to road conditions.
Fabian

Speed is not just determined by road conditions but the bike itself. Your average pushbike is not designed to go at 40+mph; let alone pushbikes subject to engine torque and vibration meaning an increasing chance of a metal fatigue failure.

30mph is about the limit for the case of someone falling off a bike not wearing motorbike gear; plus you will not have road conditions that are anywhere near as safe as a track unless you are in a rural area.

If the cops ever catch a motorised bicycle rider riding at 50mph (3am or not), it will be the beginning of the end.

Idiots doing stupid things like riding at massive speeds spoil it for the rest of us. If you want to ride 30mph+, for gods sake get a motorbike.

Originally Posted by Fabian

Hi Bernie
Speed in itself has nothing to do with the injuries sustained.
Travelling at 5 miles an hour or travelling at 50 miles an hour on a motorised bicycle in the correct circumstances is perfectly safe.

As above, 50mph on a motorised pushbike is never perfectly safe except on a controlled track and wearing motorbike gear.

In motorised pushbikes that usually have no suspension at all or relatively weak suspension forks(compared to motorbike/ dual crown downhill racing ones); speed poses a even higher danger as roads are usually imperfect, i.e. a stick/rock/etc could more easily fling you off balance or completely wipe out the front fork at high speeds.

[safe]

In the Tour De France on some of the steeper downhills people get to about 50 mph and they are effectively riding naked.

Bicycle racers are taking huge risks, but they seem to be able to survive most of the time. On the downhills they tend to not try to push it too much in the turns, but you always hear about the occasional death from a high speed spill. (or going off a cliff)

As I see it the EBRR (Electric Bicycle Road Racing) ought to be taken off the streets and put onto Go Kart tracks. That way you can improve the safety with mandated safety gear (leathers or something like it) and the tracks themselves are designed for safety.

In Australia right now you have enough Go Kart tracks so that if you wanted to have a place to ride powerful ebikes you could get people together and race there. No worries, more fun and comaraderie, and it would give you something to look forward to on the weekends. During the week you just ride your (extra) lower powered bike.

[AussieJester]

Originally Posted by safe

In the Tour De France on some of the steeper downhills people get to about 50 mph and they are effectively riding naked.

They also aren't riding Wallmart bicycles with vibrating two stroke motors bolted to them.

They are however, high end road racing bikes costing thousands and thousands of dollars, most have carbon fiber frames, all have high end components, the riders spend more time in the seat a week than not, travelling hundreds of kilometres in training... so the riders probably have it in the experience stakes too. I think their rides win over in the structural strength race pretty convincingly too Safe...

KiM

[safe]

In the beginning with carbon fiber frames and forks there were horrendous failures where the parts suddenly snapped.

Steel is a lot like NiCads... it's pretty idiot proof.

Carbon fiber parts either work perfectly or they break spectacularly. These days they do sophisticated testing to make sure that the frames can take it.

There is a video of a guy that went down a volcano (black pumis) on a specially built carbon fiber frame and it fell apart at over 100 mph.



...his steel framed bike worked fine and after the carbon fiber bike crash I'm sure those few grams of weight he saved with carbon fiber didn't seem worth it.

[iron_monkey]

Steel can collapse if you use it way out of its limits.

Also most mountain bikes and mountain bike parts these days are made totally or partly out of aluminium, most importantly the suspension fork.

There are also many types of steel, cheap mild steel, standard chromoly, custom treated tubing (reynolds, columbus, etc) used in racing bikes that are just as expensive as carbon fibre, and so on.

[Bernie]

Originally Posted by iron_monkey

There are also many types of steel, cheap mild steel, standard chromoly, custom treated tubing (reynolds, columbus, etc) used in racing bikes that are just as expensive as carbon fibre, and so on.

When I was 12 a generous Lady bought me a fabulous bike as a reward.

I was in a house she owned with younger kids when a Kerosine heater blew up. I grabbed a blanket, took the burning heater outside into the middle of a lawn, then doused the fire inside the cottage with water. I learned since that's not the way you're supposed to do it, but it worked for me.

The bike was from the Myer Emporium in Melbourne and must have been the dearest one they had in the store. It was made in England from Sheffield steel. Its front and rear brakes weren't cable operated, they were operated by interconnecting rods and levers. It had fat tires and sit-up-and-beg handlebars. It didn't have gears and as you may guess, it probably weighed as much as an Austin A30 sedan.

But I never once doubted its solidity. I would coast down Mt Macedon's rough bitumen road at 45 to 50 Mph the thought of its forks giving way never entered my head.

That's the bike you need to put a motor on. Built like a brick ***thouse no amount of torque or stress are too much for it. I kept that bike for many years, and I wish I had it today. But I suspect it was melted down and they probably turned into a Toyota.