Quebec’s provincial auto insurance agency, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), has developed criteria to help them determine "high risk" motorcycles, and some of the indicators are hard to avoid.
Tip-offs that a motorcycle is "high risk" include "two disc brakes in front," "mufflers placed at the rear," and "rear wheel driven by a chain," according to the SAAQ website.
According to the Canadian news agency Canwest News, people under 25 years old and those with less than five years of riding experience could be prohibited from riding motorcycles that fall into the SAAQ’s "high risk" category.
The SAAQ said it’s considering a system like France’s registration-fee program for motorcyclists and might put something similar in place in a year or two. The French system categorizes motorcycles by power.
Do you not think that if it happens there that the rest of us will be next? Treat this as a warning, i.e. sell the sportbike now before they become uninsurable. Anyone interested in a gently used BMW K1200R?
I was just talking about this with a friend this weekend, and the smartest thing to do is get a known authority on these bikes to rate them according to performance. Someone like Pascal Picotte. RG500’s can be more dangerous than an FJR, even though the FJR is capable of maore speed. I’m all for graduated licensing based upon REAL performance criteria, not # of cylinders, or engine size or rearward pipes…
That’s why I moved out of “la belle Province” BS BS BS! First the $1000 license plates for 1000cc sportbikes and now this? Meh. I’m taking it to the track (IN ONT!)
Let the rest of Canada vote in a referendum. It will be a done deal!
Mr. Mike
Cave Adsum
No Buells either, but then they don’t meet any of the criteria noted above. :grin
Tony
The characteristics haven’t changed since the SAAQ came up with them three years ago. And they’re still extremely poorly worded.
They should just leave it at “We know one when we see one.”
I’m convinced that keeping Quebec in Canada is starting to look like “high risk”. At least no mention of the snow tires this time…
Hard to argue with that list. All models offer way higher performance than what’s needed for the street. But, so does a Honda Varadero or a V6 Accord… :roll Where do you draw the line? I just hate that Insurance companies have the power to shape society by affecting our purchase decisions. The rider is the greatest risk, not the bike.
That being said, I’ve lost interest in the latest sport bikes. The push for performance has created bikes unsuitable for street use.
But this also raises questions similar to the gun debate. Do guns kill, or do people kill?
I see they missed the RG500…. 😉
While the wording appears bad, I suspect that it is intended to be an AND operation between all those conditions. If you actually look at the list ( http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/publications/immatriculation/list_moto.pdf ) I can’t see anything on there that isn’t a sport bike, and most of them are race replicas. Now, when age starts coming into play, it’s a different question. Should a 1985 GSXR750 be on that list today? Probably not.
As I see it some of the are tied to sport bikes, A lot of bieks have twin discs up front. I think they should focus on the power like they do in Britain. But oh no they have to follow France… I bite my toungue….