New laws 2013

[Funkycowie]

I like it, shame it doesn't apply for car drivers as well.

[andyscooter]

still confuzzled


does that mean the older axiams will be aloud to be driven on a full licence but taken after 2001 rule again

and can a bike licence holder leagally ride a quad after the new rules come into place

[Deleted User 796]

Well that's a giant fucking nail in the motorcycle industry coffin isn't it?

You can obtain the full licence at 21 by passing the "A2" test at 19 and then passing the "A" test at 21 but this will put a lot of people off as it's extra money and pissing about.

If this was about safety then you should only have one test which derestricts you in stages, e.g. first year after test 15kw, 2nd and 3rd year 35kw max, 3rd year fully unrestricted.

As others have said, why isn't this extended to cars? You could pass your car test in a little 1 litre car and then go out and drive an aerial atom or maybe an 8 seater people carrier laden with passengers?

Bollocks badly thought out rules that will do fuck all for safety and just hammer an already struggling industry further into the ground.

[Maxsymuppet]

Bloody Norah, I thought it was complicated before! Reading the post about the new rules made my brain hurt! How new riders are supposed to make head or tail of it all beats me. Or perhaps that's the idea..?

[gn2]

Well that's a giant fucking nail in the motorcycle industry coffin isn't it?

<snip>

Bollocks badly thought out rules that will do fuck all for safety and just hammer an already struggling industry further into the ground.

The industry has been banging their own coffin nails in by continually reinventing the same old shite which very few people actually want (or can afford) to buy.
Bike prices are totally absurd.
Bike part prices are even more absurd.
Bike tyre life is beyond absurd.
Rather than blaming the legislation bike manufacturers should take a long hard look at their products and start asking what it is that non-bikers would want in a bike and what would make non-bikers actually buy bikes.

[Deleted User 796]

I totally agree with you there.

[anonstarter]

Ditto!

[Data]

Well that's a giant fucking nail in the motorcycle industry coffin isn't it?

<snip>

Bollocks badly thought out rules that will do fuck all for safety and just hammer an already struggling industry further into the ground.

The industry has been banging their own coffin nails in by continually reinventing the same old shite which very few people actually want (or can afford) to buy.
Bike prices are totally absurd.
Bike part prices are even more absurd.
Bike tyre life is beyond absurd.
Rather than blaming the legislation bike manufacturers should take a long hard look at their products and start asking what it is that non-bikers would want in a bike and what would make non-bikers actually buy bikes.

Spot on gn2!

[DougL]

What's more unbelievable is that several European countries vetoed the proposals. Some other Euro countries implemented the directive with amendments. The UK just rolled over and capitulated

[Data]

The only thing I would say...it's legislation that drives biking technology forward and gives us better bikes. It's already given us better cars and will continue to do so. That is how it's always been. Manufacturers rarely move forward in leaps and bounds if they don't have to. Take the new MOT laws that will be coming into play soon. These new laws will mean engines will HAVE to perform better and last longer in order to meet the new regs. All engines will have to meet the emmission laws and stay within new set parameters for longer. Pistons, rings and barrels in particular will have to improve in design, materials used, and give improved longevity. The adoption of off-set cylinder design for bikes will come in to play with better performance, better mpg, fewer emmissions and reduced wear and overall better longevity. Many newer engines will already manage this I expect, but this will give us better bikes for sure in the future. That's what happened with cars too. There are lots of other examples but too many to mention here. We do only see the negative in these laws but overall we actually should be thankful we have them to drive things forward.

PS. I know the original poster was talking about licence laws but it's migrated a bit to where we are now....soooorrrrrrry!!