‘Models Did Not Exceed 15 Horsepower Limit’
TCD has addressed the issue of licencing of four motorcycle models – representing nearly 100 motorcycles – which “were purported to be too powerful under existing regulations,” saying that “TCD conducted its own research, which confirmed that all four of the models did not exceed the 15 horsepower limit.”
“The Transport Control Department [TCD] has announced today [Sept. 12] that it has addressed the recent issue relating to the licencing of four motorcycle models already on Bermuda roads,” a spokesperson said.
“The four models – representing nearly 100 motorcycles – were purported to be too powerful under existing regulations.
“Therefore, in the interest of public safety, TCD conducted its own research, which confirmed that all four of the models did not exceed the 15 horsepower limit as prescribed in legislation,” a spokesperson said.
“TCD advises owners of the model of motorcycles in question to take their vehicles to the testing centre for examination in the normal way.
“TCD apologises for any inconvenience this may have caused but stressed that road safety is of utmost importance for all road users.”
Glad this was resolved!
Side note: What were the bikes involved? I was only aware of the CBRs being questioned.
mobylettes and Peugeot 205
I think the suzuki raider hinda sonic and a yamaha model
so did some “jobsworth” come up with the controverial “ban” in the first place????????????
What am i reading? Motorcycles already on the road sounds like someone or a group got there pockets filled. I knew this type of thing was happening all this time. SMFH Shame on you TCD.
I wonder as to the extent of the research conducted by TCD.
Internet search? Maybe.
Phone call to the vendors? Probably.
Dynamometer testing like would happen in the real world? Nah.
Um doi… if they WERE too powerful, then how did they get brought in and sold by companies and also get registered and passed etc at TCD? Um doi……. don’t make sense do it? What would you expect people to do, give up their bikes if they were? HA! Buffoons!
Um Doi…you do realize that people do all sorts of things that would be deemed …Um Doi…illegal or unethical. A simple copy of Adobe Acrobat Pro (of similar freeware) would allow anyone to edit the spec sheets. Wake up! Anything is possible.
The Honda CBR150 makes 18bhp. Go research that. They sold those here. Only thing is they weigh as much as a 600cc superbike and therefore have a terribly bad power-to-weight ratio. I thought TCD looked at power to weight and not crudely only looking at horsepower?
Actually they dyno at 14.65hp if you get a good one, most are less. Using the Bermuda Emission Control’s dyno they are between 12 – 13hp.
My lawnmower is more powerful. Why is it an experienced adult, licensed and insured, is only allowed a kids 15hp motorcycle but a 16yr old kid with no training, experience, license or insurance can buy and operate a 1300cc 300hp supercharged jetski, a race boat or even a mega-yacht?
You can go as fast as you want in the open water. You’re only supposed to drive 35 km/h on the roads, remember?
People are cruising way too fast on small bikes these days as it is. I’d hate to see what happens if they could jump on a 600cc proper motorcycle.
Why does the premier and governor need V8 7series BMW’s, or the po-po their 1300cc bikes? Are the locally driven Hummer,Cadillac Escalade, Ford F150′s, or the Dodge Ram restricted to 35 kph? Turbo and supercharged “proper” cars are sold here and it’s not only 2-wheelers cruising way too fast, is it. Also we allow tourists to bring Harleys down and ride on these roads, which is great, but why can’t locals own them if they can and want. Also there has been an Orange County built chopper here for over 15yrs which the owner got a day permit to ride on the road, haven’t seen it lately. We need a discussion, restricting bikes while maintaining a bare minimum of education and riding experience in order to earn a license is the real problem.
How did the supposed bikes get imported, sold, registered at tcd, and passed at tcd, if they were so illegal? hmmmmm? care to delete this comment too?
Yes bernews can you print the type of motorcycle in question? I would love to purchase one
What about the guy whose bike they refused to license forcing him to go without for months before they realize they have been wrong all along? He should sue TCD, and I am sure others were treated the same way, someone or all the heads at TCD need to step down or be fired, this is totally unacceptable . TCD apologized? How is a bike with one or two horsepower over the ridiculous 15hp limit a safety concern? Tourists with no experience on our roads come here and ride Harleys with 10 times the horsepower and size,it’s not an issue, are bermudians deemed too stupid and unskilled to ride anything but a learner bike? TCD needs to be re-invented to serve the public, not to be autocratic dictators. The owners provided proof the bikes were only good for 15hp before TCD took 3 months to “do research” and they have a dyno (broken and useless).They were imported and accepted for over five years to be “legal”. Accountability, ever heard of it? Minister Fahy what are you going to do?
They have been an “autocratic dictator” as you put if for a very long time my friend – just in case you were about to make this a PLP OBA thing…
They need to be shaken up, replaced or abolished, taking peoples bikes off the road when someone “purported” the bikes to be a hp or two over the limit, denying someone use of their legally acquired, legally imported, unmodified means of transport because the TCD officials don’t know what they are doing, needs to result in consequences, the many affected owners should seek legal recourse now TCD admits they are wrong. A “sorry for any inconvenience” ain’t going to cut it. A lawyer interested in justice should do this pro-bono. The reason for their tyranny is the silence of the community to blatant idiocy, speak up. Minister needs to address it too.
It is not the HP that matters it is the idiot that controls it.
Now where did i put the keys to the BMW.
if you treat mature peoples like kids , may they should act like kids.
18.28 BHP or so as advertised by the manufacturer is horsepower without anything attached to the engine such as gears transmission etc. Once you connect all those little bits to the engine then you are left with HP, which will be much less. Also HP is usually a function of engine RPM and isnt usually a flat line. Not sure how TCD could have a HP specification without an engine RPM specification. Potentially TCD could rev every engine wide open 20000 RPM and fail someone because the HP was too high.
…anyway dem byes bikes are tyred buh!
I have horse powers… Leave my horse alone!
They were brought.into question… which model and by whom?
Models? To vagueness.
Good thing you can’t manipulate dyno numbers lol. You can basically make the thing say what ever you want especially if you’re trying to go DOWN in power.
Just another way to overcomplicate things. I guess there is nothing else to worry about lol