EU making it harder to get a licence

[zebedee1984]

yeah, god luck with it, you'll have no problems,just stay relaxed.

[Dabz]

just read the new rules in MCN, looks like after 2012 people won't be able to ride restricted until the grand old age of 24!

[benobiker]

I am not sure about this myself. I can see both sides. For me personaly I hopped straight onto an 1100. I had been riding bikes all my life on the farm etc and for me knew if i had a big bike i would respect it more than say an rgv 250 on which i would have surely crashed. I think it would be nice if the government sorry ,,, Nanny left it upto the individual to decide. Its nice to make your own choice. It all seems a bit odd when you can pass your car test and get into any car.

[BB]

Back on the soap box...

Details of you MP & MEP for Wiltshire can be found at http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-mp...al-information

If you live in a neighbouring County then www.your county name.gov.uk usually finds it.

Details for MAG & the BMF at www.bmf.co.uk and www.mag-uk.org

Did you know the bike tax went up in the budget? Only a quid or two depending on engine size but it is hardly encouraging PTW's

[R1chie]

too much time on your hands BB

i'm sure there are plenty of people up in arms after the typical weekly wednesday scaremongering MCN supply, but i'm sure all these reforms is to make biking safer.

feel free to correct me if you think i'm wrong in between you emailing BMF of course.

that reminds me, i must right to my local mp about the rise in tax of beer and ciggies

[BB]

too much time on your hands BB

Huh, if only!

I haven't read MCN to comment on their report - although people have equated them to the motorcycling equivalent to the Sun!

I'm not against reform, I can generally see both sides of the argument, there are good and bad points to both sides. It's like I said somewhere else, it's not the bikes that are dangerous it’s the rider behind the bars. I do feel that if you discourage people enough at whatever age, they won't bother to learn to ride and then we loose the new blood we so desperately need in biking - but obviously don't want to see spilt!

I actually belong to MAG as a full member. I rely on them to fight the corner on motorcycling on my behalf. Of course I don't actually tell them what I want or if I agree with what they do, in fact I don't give them any idea of what I want at all. Pretty bad of me really! But I do know I want to be able to ride my bike and I want others to be able to ride what they want as well.

I suspect I will write to my MP/MEP about the same time as you write to yours!

[R1chie]

i agree in some aspects BB, but to discourage people from riding is, i think, i bit extreme (maybe a poor choice of word there btw)

all i see this reform as formulated stepping stones into the big bad world of biking.

personally speaking, bhp on a bike isn't everything. too many newbie bikers think that the only way to go is to go big on bhp. any muppet can go fast in a straight line, there is hardly any skill involved in that. the best fun (and i say fun as that what biking should be about) i've had on a bike is on a vfr400 which kicks out a massive 56 bhp!! and thats simply by cornering ability.

it just makes me laugh when people pass their direct access, and crack straight onto to a gixxer thou, for instance, and then wonder why they get passed by people on small capacity engined bikes.

its all down to know where and when you can utilise the power, and with the reform, i think many bikers will begin to appreciate what bikes can or can't do due to the restriction on how fast they can upgrade. which in time, will make them better, faster bikers which deep down, every biker wants.