Daily motorbike news, views & reviews
Hopes of a trial of forward stop lines or motorcycle boxes for the safety of filtering riders have been set back after the Australian Road Research Board rejected the idea. Forward stop lines are used in many European and Asian countries to give riders a safe head-start from traffic and protect them from rear-end crashes. The only …
MotoCAP, the world’s first safety and comfort ratings system for motorcycle clothing, is important but may be too complex and not comprehensive enough, says a British motorcycle manufacturer. The Australian ratings system for motorcycle pants, jackets and gloves launched in September 2018. Since then, MotoCAP has copped some criticism for “faulty comfort ratings” and for …
A Tasmanian Motorcycle Council proposal for free identification numbers for cyclists over 18 has been rejected. Council president Paul Bullock confirms the Tasmanian Road Safety Advisory Council discussed the TMC’s policy proposal. Proposal rejected “RSAC did not endorse the proposal,” he says. “Discussions identified that it might be timely to develop a campaign about all …
We love the wind in our faces, but the wind in your eyes can cause them to dry out, leading to itchy eyes and possibly blurred vision. Most riders wear goggles or windproof, wrap-around sunglasses when wearing an open-face helmet. However, the wind can also leak in through the visor of many full-face helmets and …
Riders are urged to take part in a major survey on attitudes to road safety strategies which has so far only received responses from four motorcyclists. Dr João Canoquena of the University of Notre Dame Australia, says the final round of the survey now requires rider support to help balance the outcomes. The survey covers …
New roads and roadworks in Australia are falling into disrepair too soon while short warranty periods are allowing contractors to avoid fixing their mistakes. Australia has “defects liability periods” (DLP) from as little as three months to seven years, but mainly around two years. This follows a move in Britain to hold road contractors to …
If you think talking or texting on a mobile phone while driving is dangerous, a new trend of taking selfies has emerged to further endanger riders’ lives. A US study has found more than 15% of drivers say they take selfies while driving. And 5% “go live” while driving, possibly imitating James Corden’s enormously popular Carpool Karaoke. The …
Riders should be able to choose to pay a 5c-per-kilometre congestion tax in return for lower rego under a proposal by a leading transport economist. Sydney University transport economist Professor David Hensher says the congestion tax could cut peak hour traffic up to 10% or to “school holiday” levels. His plan would be cost-neutral for …
The next Honda Goldwing could have emergency brakes that sense a collision and slow the bike automatically. These automatic or emergency braking systems have been endorsed in all new cars made in Europe from 2020. The decision is based on a joint study by Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP which concluded that automatic emergency brakes …
German tech company Continental is working on a system to make thick A pillars in cars invisible so drivers can see motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. Most modern cars’ A pillars have have curtain airbags and rollover protection which makes them thick, presenting a huge blind spot that obscures small and vulnerable road users such as …