Should drivers ride light motorcycles?

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A new survey has found a large majority of European riders believe drivers should be allowed to ride light motorcycles up to 125cc on a full car licence.

In Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, licensed drivers have been able to ride a 50cc scooter or moped for decades without having to do any sort of extra test.

However, in some states there are restrictions such as not carrying a pillion or riding on freeways or motorways.

Some European countries allow drivers to ride motorcycles up to 125cc and 15 horsepower such as the Honda Grom and Monkey bikes and the Kawasaki Z125 with little or no extra training or licensing.

Jake Dolan on the Honda Grom light motorcycles

Honda Grom

The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations conducted a survey to see whether this should be extended to all of Europe and found riders largely agreed.

However, they say drivers should take some motorcycle lessons. There is no such requirement in Australia.

Training for light motorcycles

The Adventurists Monkey Bikes Monkey Runs Romania tall returned riders light motorcycles

Make sure the bike suits your needs … and your height!

Several rider representation groups have called for competency training for car drivers to be allowed to ride.

University safety researcher and Triumph Street Triple ride Ross Blackman confirms that many riders believe moped riders should be required to have a motorcycle licence.

“I’m not sure that this is supported by the stats, acknowledging that non-injury crashes are generally not reported,” he says.

“Something that muddies the waters here now is the rise of electric bicycles which, operationally, are similar to mopeds in terms of trip purpose etc.”

CARRS-Q QUT researcher dr Ross Blackman Motorbike online survey moped mopeds

Ross Blackman

There have been no changes to the moped rules over the past few decades, despite most states reviewing their motorcycle licensing.

A Queensland Transport and Main Roads spokesperson says a 2012 review of moped licensing found the severity of moped crashes was lower overall compared with motorcycles.

This research determined there was no requirement for changes to licensing requirements.

Crashes involving mopeds within Queensland, 1 January 2013 to 31 May 2019.


Crash severity

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Fatal

3

0

0

0

1

2

1

Hospitalisation

78

78

41

44

65

61

22

Medical treatment

56

52

45

44

34

42

18

Minor injury

10

7

8

10

11

17

6

Total crashes

147

137

94

98

111

122



Compare that with motorcycle and scooter crashes (excluding mopeds).

Crash severity201320142015201620172018
Fatal423754645041
Hospitalisation930932968966935960

However, we note that there may be significantly fewer people riding mopeds on car licences.

It is impossible to gauge exact numbers given many may only hire them.

Queensland registration statistics also don’t different mopeds from motorcycles.

Western Australia’s Department of Transport also reviewed moped licensing in 2014.

“Discontinuing moped operation on a car licence was not supported due to there being little evidence that moped riders in WA were overrepresented in crashes compared to other powered two wheelers,” a spokesperson says.

“DoT would reconsider moped operation on a car licence should data show that moped riders are overrepresented in crashes in WA, and that there was evidence to support that discontinuing the approach would result in considerable road safety benefits.”

WA registration stats show a 33% increase in moped registrations from 2011 to 2015.

“This could have been attributed to an increase in traffic congestion, lack of available parking, need for economical and convenient transport and that the holder of any valid class of driver s licence is also authorised to ride a moped,” the spokesperson says.

Pros and cons

Repsol Honda Racing Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa race mopeds

Moped racing

We can see pros and cons in allowing drivers to ride mopeds.

On the positive side, it’s great for tourist areas where foreigners can hire a moped to get around.

It also allows drivers to experience the thrill of riding and hopefully encourage them to go for their full licence.

The licensing also allows inner-city residents to get around cheaply and conveniently without the expense of a motorcycle licence they may never need.

There is also a host of great light electric motorcycles and scooters hitting the market that qualify under the moped rules.

Bolt M-1 electric motorcycle moped electric bicycle Harley-Davidson Scooter small
On the negative side, we see a lot of stupid moped riders doing some dangerous and illegal things on the roads.

An example is filtering. It is illegal to filter unless you are a fully licensed rider, for a start.

Secondly, we see moped riders filter to the front of a queue of traffic at the lights only to hold everyone up when the lights go green because of their slow acceleration.

Unfortunately, the ire drivers feel toward some idiot moped riders filters across to legal and sensible motorcyclists!

  • What do you think? Should moped licensing be extended to other states? Should there be some sort of competency course first? Leave your comments below.

The post Should drivers ride light motorcycles? appeared first on Motorbike Writer.
 
I have mixed feeling on this one. It might make more drivers aware of motorcycles but then riding a bike is really a far way from driving a car. All sorts of other factors come into it and some people really just don't have what it takes to ride a motorcycle. Having to have a license puts these types off completely but if they could just jump on and ride you might have them doing this.
 
I began riding before there was a separate motorcycle endorsement. Everyone who was riding in the 1950's and early 1960's had no formal training. We had friends or family members to help us and we learned on our own. When the mortorcyle endorsement law was passed, we who were all ready riding were grandfathered in. All we had to do was show up at a highway patrol station on a bike and receive the endorsement. I do think a fundamental/beginners course probably reduces injuries and maybe weeds out folks who should not ride. That said, I have no problem with exempting mopeds and small scooters (50cc or less). After all, we don't license bicycles riders.
 
We also had to learn on our own or from those that had already been riding, I think we possibly learned more in this way as then older riders were always willing to share tips with new riders.
 
The first vehicle I ever owned was back in the 50's and it was a motorcycle. My license was clearly stamped across the face "motorcycle operation only."
Back then we learned to ride by trial and error too.
I learned to drive a car when I was 15-16, but didn't get a car license until I was 19. I didn't get my first car until I was 19 going on 20.
 
With all the electric bikes and rentals it's would take resources away from more important traffic enforcement to check everyone on a power assisted or fully motorized bike in areas where high use occurs, i.e. the beach towns. Up in the mountian resort near my home they rent electric bikes that get used mostly to cruise around the lake on the bike path with some riding around the "Village" (tourist area) and surprisingly very little problems, so do we really need permits for those?

Some can move up from a bike to a moped, others maybe not, but natural section has been a part of learning to ride for decades... if you know what I mean. After some dirt experience, I owned and rode a moped for six months before I was even old enough to have a permit with no issues. My 1st motorcycle, aCB250, was rode with just a motorcycle permit for about 6 months, but between competency in riding and a full face helmet to hide my young face I rode on freeways, after dark and with passengers, again with no issues. I did get a full endorsement that summer when school was out and I could actually get to the DMV. But, because I worked Saturdays and competed in sports there no time to get there during the school year.

I've taken a rider course after years of riding and learned some valuable stuff, but most of it was a review of stuff learned from years and miles on the road, but I'll admit most would do themselves a favor to take a course first.

When I was a teen, we had driver's training in High School and they got rid of that decades ago and our new young drivers are worse off because of it. I've felt for a long time if everyone had to ride a moped or scooter (w/training courses) before they could drive a car they would be better and more aware drivers... or natural selection would take their asses of the road. ROTFL:y49:
 

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