Lam Bogged Down In Bureaucracy
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday June 15, 1990
A new system to individually evaluate motorcycles of all capacities to determine their suitability for learner-rider use has run into problems. If the Learner Approved Motorcycle (LAM) scheme can find its way through a bureaucratic morass, it will replace the existing and largely irrelevant 250cc limit.
Currently, learner riders in this State are restricted to machines of 250cc and below, theoretically slower and easier to handle motorcycles.
Under the LAM system proposed by the Motor Traders Association (MTA), all bikes can be submitted for evaluation as learner bikes. Whether they qualify or not is another question.
A quick scan of the most popular 250cc models available to learner riders, all manufactured in Japan, dispels the notion that 250cc sports bikes are easy to ride, low-powered or slow.
The most popular two-stroke, twin cylinder, race replicas are certainly questionable steeds for riders with limited or no experience. They all have more than 50kW of power, weigh very little, run to almost 190kmh and have most available power in the upper reaches of engine speeds.
The MTA's motorcycle division knows this presents a problem for novice riders and for the last two years has been attempting to push through the LAM grading system for all motorcycles on the market.
The chairman of the MTA motorcycle division, Mr Roy Dennison, said the association was trying to have the LAM system introduced to assist rider training, give consumers a wider choice and also to change public perceptions of motorcycles and thereby get more people onto bikes.
Under the LAM system, each model will be evaluated by a committee of experts and, according to its mean score, would be approved for learner riders or not. The expert committee of five would be drawn from the Roads and Traffic Authority (two), the MTA (two) and the Motorcycle Council (one).
If introduced, machines such as Honda's NTX650 V-twin, Suzuki's GS500E, Kawasaki's Tengai, Ducati's 750 Paso and many others would quite possibly become available to new riders, or riders re-entering the motorcycle riding community after a layoff.
Under current regulations, this last group, usually 35 years of age and above, are restricted to 250cc motorcycles, regardless of previous experience or physical suitability to a 250cc machine.
Mr Dennison considers the design philosophy behind high performance 250s is misdirected, particularly when applied to this country.
"We have large distances between towns and cities and we need machines with good flexibility and easy power, not narrow focus bikes designed predominantly for speed," he said.
But for the LAM system to gain ministerial approval and so become law, the MTA needs support from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries(Motorcycle Division), a body controlled by the four Japanese manufacturers.
They initially indicated their disapproval of the LAM system but after a letter from the MTA detailing the plan, relented and agreed to support it. Since then, the issue has remained dead in the water.
It would appear that the NSW Minister for Transport, Mr Baird, wants universal approval of the new system from the motorcycle industry and riders groups before it is implemented.
Mr Dennison is angry about the current state of affairs and considers the FCAI is holding the motorcycling public to ransom.
He said the FCAI held sway over spending on soon-to-beimplemented learner riding schemes and that it was in the Japanese manufacturers' interests to keep the 250 limit.
Mr Dennison said he considered about 80 per cent of 250s available were unacceptable for a learner but there was no alternative for them at present.
"These bikes are an insurance nightmare costing upwards of $2,000 a year for comprehensive cover, they last about 25,000km before needing major overhaul and young riders simply cannot handle them."
As it stands, the LAM system has had substantial input from the motorcycle industry, rider groups and the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority.
It has the potential to do a lot of good for novice riders, traffic congestion and the motorcycle industry which has been feeling the economic pinch for some time.
© 1990 Sydney Morning Herald
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