Sydney is a great city to ride a motorbike as there are places you can gain access where a four-wheeled vehicle may find it difficult to get in. Sydneysiders have switched to motorcycles for its better mileage when compared to four-wheelers and the ability to weave in and out of traffic. Even if some people may say that it is a parking nightmare in Sydney, there are plenty of options like metered parking, commercial parking, and designated parking areas throughout the central business district. But, one thing’s clear; you will have a harder time finding a spot for your car or truck.
However, first, you need to secure an R-E class license before you are allowed to drive LAMS motorcycles in Sydney. Once a license holder, whether it’s learner, provisional, or open, you now have the authority to get on board a learner approved motorcycle.
But, how can you know whether you are driving a LAMS approved motorcycle?
- Unless specified, all motorcycle models with and up to 250mL are included in the LAMS Scheme. However, some motorcycles are excluded from the list, and these are:
- Kawasaki KR250 (both the KR-1 and KR1s models)
- Suzuki RGV250
- Aprilia RS250
- Yamaha TZR250
- Honda NSR250
- If you are an R-E license holder, you can also drive electric motorbikes as long as their power output does not exceed 25kW.
- Mopeds are allowed as long as their speed does not exceed 50 kilometres per hour.
- Motorcycles belonging to the 251mL class are also included in the LAM Scheme, provided that they should be built before December 1960 and should not exceed the engine capacity of 660mL.
Motorcycles that fail to pass the standards set by the Australian Design Rules certification are excluded from LAMS. Also, all motorcycles should not be modified to benefit from the power-to-weight ratio. In case of breach of these regulations, you may be sanctioned, your license confiscated, or your motorcycle impounded. In the same vein, custom vehicles built from scratch will automatically be excluded from the LAMS Scheme.
To be clear, you can still modify your bike but not to increase its power. For example, you can buy new tyres or wheels, upgrade your brakes, change your exhaust system, modify your handlebars and seats, as well as your lights. But, some additional authorisation may be required, such as the Low Volume Vehicle certification to perform these modifications.
The prohibited modifications for your LAMS motorbike include:
- NOS injection
- Full exhaust system to improve performance
- Fuel supply or ignition
- Turbochargers or superchargers
- Stroker kits to boost engine capacity
- Any other modification that will reduce the weight of the motorcycle
How to Know Whether A Motorcycle is LAMS Approved?
The manufacturer typically submits the requirements to the Transportation Agency for their motorcycle to be included in the LAMS Scheme. The list is continually changing as some motorbikes may be taken out or added in, depending on the new information published.
The easiest way to know is to contact your dealer, who can give you a list of LAMS motorcycles in Sydney to choose from. Dealer websites will have specific categories exclusively for LAMS motorcycles. You won’t have to worry about the displacements as each of the displayed vehicles are bound to meet the criteria to be a learner approved motorcycle.
