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South Australia To Crush ‘Monkey’ Bikes

‘MONKEY’ BIKES, such as the Honda Z50M and sportbike-styled minibikes, will be crushed under new laws in South Australia if they are ridden on streets or in public places.
New amendments to the state’s Summary Offences Act will allow police to fine monke


'MONKEY' BIKES, such as the Honda Z50M and sportbike-styled minibikes, will be crushed under new laws in South Australia if they are ridden on streets or in public places.

New amendments to the state's Summary Offences Act will allow police to fine monkey bike riders up to $5000 and confiscate their bikes - most of which will be crushed due to the absence of a genuine resale market.

Attorney General Michael Atkinson described the new laws as a strong message that while monkey bikes might seem harmless, they are a real danger.

“Monkey bikes may seem harmless but they are actually dangerous for riders, pedestrians, other vehicles on the road and other people using parks and open spaces,” Mr Atkinson said.

“People should not have to tolerate this kind of behaviour on our streets. People have already lost their lives because of these bikes and I don’t want to see these bikes cause any more injuries or fatalities.”

About a third to half the size of a standard road bike and usually powered by a 50cc petrol motor, most monkey bikes can achieve speeds of around 70km/h.

Excepting the odd road-registered example, monkey bikes cannot be ridden on the road or in public places as they do not comply with Vehicle Standards Regulations and Australian Design Rules.

Mr Atkinson acknowledged that the new legislation would not be passed before the next state election in March 2010, but said the Rann Government will make the amendment a priority if it is voted back into office.

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