montreal.ctv.ca
Motorcycle accidents such as this have been on the decline in Quebec, leading the province to reduce the cost of registering such vehicles in 2012.
Thousands of bikers protested the hike in registration rates at a rally in Quebec City in 2007. (CP File photo).
Thousands of motorcyclists showed up in the rain to protest the new rate hikes in 2007, which will be lowered in 2012. (CP file photo)
Quebec motorcyclists will be paying less to roll in 2012.
The Quebec Licence Bureau (SAAQ) has agreed to lower motorcycle vehicle registration prices for motorists by 15 to 30 percent.
In February 2012 they will be paying $891 for plates, down from $1,381 this year. In 2007 the price was $320.
Other types of motocycle-type vehicles will also see reductions from $23 to $131 per year.
Eric Lessard of the Common Front of Motorcyclists says the SAAQ made the modifications as a result of negotiations that took place in February with the main motorcycle associations.
Lessard says that after many years of work, the province finally recognized the improvements in the record of motorcycle-riders.
He claims that over the last 20 years the number of motorcycle accidents dropped by 350 percent while the number of riders has doubled.
As a result, motorcycle owners are self-financing their insurance claims, which has allowed the SAAQ to reduce the rates.
The highest-risk motorcyslts, those who have committed the most traffic violations will be forced to pay an additional charge.
The rate changes have to be approved by a council of experts.
Lessard said he is happy with the changes, which followed a 10 years standoff. He says the improved climate will allow them to move onto other dossiers, such as dealing with the noise caused by motorcyclists.
COMMENTS
john
something is very wrong here i payed 1,414$ $$$$ for my bike this summer someone is making alot of money and not spending on the bad roads ???????? so am just asking wher is this money go????????
Jimbo
The article is not clear. The $891 from $1381 is only for the super sport motorcycle class. The majority of motorcycles excluding super sports paid $631 this year. So I'm guessing the $131 reduction will mean that it will cost me $500 next year. I still think it is unfair to stick it to the bikers without raising car registration as well. I agree that super sport bikes are a high risk but sport touring, criusers and adveture bikes are not. Left turning cars violating a motorcyclist's right of way is perhaps the most common killer accident one could face on a motorcycle and they are caused by inatentive car drivers.
v-star
$891 is still an exorbitant rate when you factor in that most motorcycles are only driven on an occasional basis. Its not like the majority of them are daily drivers as compared to automobiles that are..
rmsbl4
Something doesn't seem right with these rates.
According to Lessard accidents have gone down 350% over the last 20 yrs:
2007 cost $320
2011 cost $1381
that was a rise of over 300% over a 4 year span with less acciderts.
Somebody has been making a killing on these rates.