Motorcycle power restriction enforcement

hobochris

This is one for the Garda who post here.

Just wanted to ask how/if you are enforcing the 33BHP restriction on motorcycles? i.e. how are you checking when you have a motorcycle at a checkpoint that the bike is restricted?

We do not have any calibrated dyno's(rolling roads) in this country(no statute for how dyno's should be calibrated) nor do we have a uniform cert for restriction(neither does the current law state the need for one, only the bike must be restricted).

I know under section 20 you can test ride the bike, but unless you know how each bike behaves under restriction, how do you know if it is restricted or not.

for example on a suzuki gsf600 the one difference between restricted and unrestricted is the top speed, which on an unrestricted bike is 200kmph+ on a restricted bike it is 160kmph, both will accelerate at the same pace at up to the legal speed limit.

So really the only way to test this bike at the road side would be to ride it at dangerously high speeds.

so how is this law enforced?

MagicSean

hobochris wrote: »

This is one for the Garda who post here.

Just wanted to ask how/if you are enforcing the 33BHP restriction on motorcycles? i.e. how are you checking when you have a motorcycle at a checkpoint that the bike is restricted?

We do not have any calibrated dyno's(rolling roads) in this country(no statute for how dyno's should be calibrated) nor do we have a uniform cert for restriction(neither does the current law state the need for one, only the bike must be restricted).

I know under section 20 you can test ride the bike, but unless you know how each bike behaves under restriction, how do you know if it is restricted or not.

for example on a suzuki gsf600 the one difference between restricted and unrestricted is the top speed, which on an unrestricted bike is 200kmph+ on a restricted bike it is 160kmph, both will accelerate at the same pace at up to the legal speed limit.

So really the only way to test this bike at the road side would be to ride it at dangerously high speeds.

so how is this law enforced?

You give it to the psv inspector to inspect. Most have access to rolling roads.

hobochris

k_mac wrote: »

You give it to the psv inspector to inspect. Most have access to rolling roads.

But there lies the problem, rolling roads in this country do not have a set calibration standard.

A restricted bike might show up as 35 or 36bhp on some rolling roads and 26bhp on others where as in reality its barely 30bhp.

Hooch

k_mac wrote: »

You give it to the psv inspector to inspect. Most have access to rolling roads.

No they dont have access to rolling roads and rolling roads have no basis in legislation.....

O/P the Road Traffic Act gives use the power to drive a vehicle and test it. This is one way. A PSV officer can then inspect the bike and certify that 1. a restricter isnt fitted....and/or 2. that it is disconnected or not working.

In court the legislation shows that you must prove that the vehicle was infact restricted at the time. The detecting Garda can give evidence of driving the cycle as will the PSV officer of checking it.

Hooch

hobochris wrote: »

I know under section 20 you can test ride the bike, but unless you know how each bike behaves under restriction, how do you know if it is restricted or not.

So really the only way to test this bike at the road side would be to ride it at dangerously high speeds.

so how is this law enforced?

Believe me we will know.

Gardaí are trained to drive at these speeds.....

And it is enforced as above.

(forgot to add this in above post!)

maglite

I'm I the only one that see NGA and a nice bike on the road, "Hmm, must test to 200kmph, Just to check..." And they say being a garda is hard work..

MagicSean

nice guy always wrote: »

No they dont have access to rolling roads.

Yes they do.

MagicSean

nice guy always wrote: »

Believe me we will know.

Gardaí are trained to drive at these speeds.....

And it is enforced as above.

(forgot to add this in above post!)

Many gardaí on the regular would not have this training, especially on bikes, and so the test drive would be quite useless. The only way they could test it would be a PSV inspector.

Hooch

k_mac wrote: »

Yes they do.

Pray tell where you can find a calibrated rolling road in the state that is covered under legislation??

k_mac wrote: »

Many gardaí on the regular would not have this training, especially on bikes, and so the test drive would be quite useless. The only way they could test it would be a PSV inspector.

Member who have received training and who are bikers can test drive it. Same with trucks etc. Many members on the regular wont give a second guess at power restrictions.

If members dont know about an area members generally stay away from it and leave it to another unit, IE Traffic, branch etc. They can get a PSV officer if they wish to inspect the vehicle......however I cant see many members doing it and have infact never saw a member doing it.

MagicSean

nice guy always wrote: »

Pray tell where you can find a calibrated rolling road in the state that is covered under legislation??

Not sure about the legislation but the psv inspector in my division uses a rolling road for his reports.

nice guy always wrote: »

If members dont know about an area members generally stay away from it and leave it to another unit, IE Traffic, branch etc. They can get a PSV officer if they wish to inspect the vehicle......however I cant see many members doing it and have infact never saw a member doing it.

Thats true. It generally only happens if there's something noticeably wrong with the vehicle or if there has been a complaint. I've never seen it done with a bike but I've seen cars being seized for testing.

Hooch

k_mac wrote: »

Not sure about the legislation but the psv inspector in my division uses a rolling road for his reports.



Thats true. It generally only happens if there's something noticeably wrong with the vehicle or if there has been a complaint. I've never seen it done with a bike but I've seen cars being seized for testing.

I assume he does give evidence as to the fact from rolling roads though???

Cars are seized left right and centre but bikes are a new thing really....only started happening here for the last month.

discus

nice guy always wrote: »

No they dont have access to rolling roads and rolling roads have no basis in legislation.....

But surely having an existing one accredited by INAB to some standard (ISO etc) would be very possible?

Hooch

discus wrote: »

But surely having an existing one accredited by INAB to some standard (ISO etc) would be very possible?

They would have to be written into legislation in the same way that weighbridges are.

Owen

Speaking as a long term motorcyclist - it's easy to tell if something like a CBR600 or a Hayabusa is restricted. It's much more difficult to tell if a bike which is marginally over bhp/kw restriction has been marginally restricted to comply. An officer will not be able to tell the difference between a 45 Bhp bike and a 33 Bhp bike unless he has driven a similar model to the 45Bhp one for a long time to guage the difference in power.

cp9a

So do you need a Cert that says the bike is restricted?

Owen

If you restrict a bike using a kit, a cert is provided as part of the kit which is stamped by the dealer/mechanic installing it.

hobochris

cp9a wrote: »

So do you need a Cert that says the bike is restricted?

Its not written in the current law regarding restriction, only that the bike must be restricted.

I have restrictor's fitted to my bike(carb sliders) that I got from someone who was previously restricted, I do not have a cert for them. However my bike is restricted so it complies with the law.

Hooch

hobochris wrote: »

Its not written in the current law regarding restriction, only that the bike must be restricted.

I have restrictor's fitted to my bike(carb sliders) that I got from someone who was previously restricted, I do not have a cert for them. However my bike is restricted so it complies with the law.

Its up to YOU to prove that the bike is restricted im afraid. So a cert would be needed. As PaintDoctor says when its put in a cert should accompany. If it doesnt you can get a main dealer to certify it.

Ronin63

Isn`t this whole restriction thing discrimination, A 17 year old who passes his test can buy an F50 ferrari and DRIVE it, with no restriction or any controls, but a 50 year old with 30+ years driving experience buy`s a bike and he is restricted to 33kw, the 50 year old, in most circumstances has more experience, road awareness, than the 17 yr old, but he is penalised by restriction,
There is an old saying that "the Law is an Ass" and to be honest, this is one law that supports that

Bosh

Usually ain't hard to tell.

Guard: "May I see your licence please?"

GSXFireBusaBlackbirdZX10 Pilot: "Here you go" produces provisional/restricted full.......**

Bike on recovery truck.

Simples.

**assuming that he stops at all...

ectoraige

Ronin63 wrote: »

Isn`t this whole restriction thing discrimination, A 17 year old who passes his test can buy an F50 ferrari and DRIVE it, with no restriction or any controls, but a 50 year old with 30+ years driving experience buy`s a bike and he is restricted to 33kw, the 50 year old, in most circumstances has more experience, road awareness, than the 17 yr old, but he is penalised by restriction,
There is an old saying that "the Law is an Ass" and to be honest, this is one law that supports that

No. There are nine grounds for claiming discrimation in Ireland: age, gender, marital status, family status, disability, race, sexual orientation, religious belief, and membership of the Travelling Community. Last time I checked vehicle type isn't one of them.

If it's any consolation, 'R' licences are on their way for newly qualified drivers. Your 17-year-old F50 Ferrari owner will be subject to stiffer penalties for road traffic offences for two years after qualifying.