OB_ducmanic
Registered
Well, i guess Jan was right. This is from Friday's MCN. ducmanic
News Archive
Hayabusa flies into
limit row
Thursday August 5th
1999
IF YOU thought the 100bhp limit for bikes was dead and
buried, then think again. It's about to become one of the
hottest talking points in Europe, thanks to Suzuki's
Hayabusa.
Dutch Transport Minister Tineke Netelenbos is calling for the
bike to be banned after learning it could reach speeds of over
194mph.
Despite coming from the most liberal country in Europe -
where you can buy drugs and pay for sex openly - she is a
real hard-liner when it comes to superbikes.
After watching a test on the Suzuki on Dutch TV, Netelenbos
said she thinks the bike is too dangerous and is looking into
European laws to have it banned. She also wants to ban all
bikes which can accelerate to 60mph in under four seconds.
Dutch importers have already reacted to her moves by
claiming such a ban would affect around 80 per cent of all
bikes sold and wreck their business. But Netelenbos is
determined to get her way.
Although only 113 of the bikes have been sold in the
Netherlands, Dutch bike magazine Moto is reporting a
witch-hunt on Hayabusa owners by the police. The first one
caught speeding made headlines when it was clocked at
150mph.
If her bid to use European law to ban powerful bikes proves
successful, then British bikers will suffer. It means every bike
producing more than 100bhp would have to be restricted,
including Yamaha's R1, Honda's FireBlade and Ducati's 996.
An alarming seven of the top 10 selling bikes in Britain would
be hit. And a current European directive means she could get
support easily.
Directive 95-1-EC states that national legislation can restrict
power output on bikes to 100bhp.
Riders' groups campaigned against former EU Commissioner
Martin Bangemman's plans for Europe-wide restrictions in the
mid-90s and the idea was finally shelved after officials
concluded there was no connection between power and
accidents. But the directive was never removed and could be
used to extend bans. Germany and France already have
100bhp limits.
Federation of European Motorcyclists Association
spokesman Simon Milward said: "It looks like we're heading
back to the battlefields on the power issue. I'm just hoping
there won't be enough support to reopen the debate.
"We will fight any moves to restrict power."
A spokesman for Suzuki said: "If there were attempts to
restrict the power of bikes then we would fully expect similar
restrictions for cars which can go above 200mph.
"It's been proved there's no connection between power and
accidents, so we are confident it will not happen."
Suzuki was slow to admit the top speed of the Hayabusa
when it was launched last year because it feared a Euro
backlash.
MCN columnist Kevin Ash has attacked Netelenbos'
proposals. He said: "Why has she picked a figure of 0-60mph
in four seconds. It's completely arbitrary. Where's the
evidence to suggest that bikes which accelerate quicker than
four seconds cause accidents? This is simply ignorant,
gut-reaction politics."
The Hayabusa has gone up in price by £200. No-one from
Suzuki was able to comment, although industry insiders
claim it's because Suzuki can easily sell every bike it brings
in. Anyone who put down a deposit for a bike before July 16
will pay the old price of £7699.
ducmanic
Los Angeles
News Archive
Hayabusa flies into
limit row
Thursday August 5th
1999
IF YOU thought the 100bhp limit for bikes was dead and
buried, then think again. It's about to become one of the
hottest talking points in Europe, thanks to Suzuki's
Hayabusa.
Dutch Transport Minister Tineke Netelenbos is calling for the
bike to be banned after learning it could reach speeds of over
194mph.
Despite coming from the most liberal country in Europe -
where you can buy drugs and pay for sex openly - she is a
real hard-liner when it comes to superbikes.
After watching a test on the Suzuki on Dutch TV, Netelenbos
said she thinks the bike is too dangerous and is looking into
European laws to have it banned. She also wants to ban all
bikes which can accelerate to 60mph in under four seconds.
Dutch importers have already reacted to her moves by
claiming such a ban would affect around 80 per cent of all
bikes sold and wreck their business. But Netelenbos is
determined to get her way.
Although only 113 of the bikes have been sold in the
Netherlands, Dutch bike magazine Moto is reporting a
witch-hunt on Hayabusa owners by the police. The first one
caught speeding made headlines when it was clocked at
150mph.
If her bid to use European law to ban powerful bikes proves
successful, then British bikers will suffer. It means every bike
producing more than 100bhp would have to be restricted,
including Yamaha's R1, Honda's FireBlade and Ducati's 996.
An alarming seven of the top 10 selling bikes in Britain would
be hit. And a current European directive means she could get
support easily.
Directive 95-1-EC states that national legislation can restrict
power output on bikes to 100bhp.
Riders' groups campaigned against former EU Commissioner
Martin Bangemman's plans for Europe-wide restrictions in the
mid-90s and the idea was finally shelved after officials
concluded there was no connection between power and
accidents. But the directive was never removed and could be
used to extend bans. Germany and France already have
100bhp limits.
Federation of European Motorcyclists Association
spokesman Simon Milward said: "It looks like we're heading
back to the battlefields on the power issue. I'm just hoping
there won't be enough support to reopen the debate.
"We will fight any moves to restrict power."
A spokesman for Suzuki said: "If there were attempts to
restrict the power of bikes then we would fully expect similar
restrictions for cars which can go above 200mph.
"It's been proved there's no connection between power and
accidents, so we are confident it will not happen."
Suzuki was slow to admit the top speed of the Hayabusa
when it was launched last year because it feared a Euro
backlash.
MCN columnist Kevin Ash has attacked Netelenbos'
proposals. He said: "Why has she picked a figure of 0-60mph
in four seconds. It's completely arbitrary. Where's the
evidence to suggest that bikes which accelerate quicker than
four seconds cause accidents? This is simply ignorant,
gut-reaction politics."
The Hayabusa has gone up in price by £200. No-one from
Suzuki was able to comment, although industry insiders
claim it's because Suzuki can easily sell every bike it brings
in. Anyone who put down a deposit for a bike before July 16
will pay the old price of £7699.
ducmanic
Los Angeles