Heavy-duty bike fans celebrate lift of ban on expressway rides

Surrounded by a group of bikers, Legislator Wang Sing-nan held a press conference at the Legislative Yuan to mark the occasion.

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng got a first-hand, personal experience by riding one of the cool jumbo bikes.

Bikers from around the island will gather at several locations on Saturday for formal and large-scale celebrations, including hitting the road en masse, in parties, and holding concerts.

One of the major events organized by Legislator Wang and bikers’ clubs will take place in Tainan with an estimated 5,000 heavy-duty bikes from around the world participating.

A total of 26 designated high-speed roads throughout the nation are now opening to heavy-duty bikes.

There are 10 routes in the Greater Taipei area that covers the capital Taipei and Taipei County.

Nine routes excepting elevated Xinsheng Expressway, which is currently under maintenance, are open.

The nine routes are: 1) Elevated east-west Civic Boulevard; 2) Elevated north-south Jianguo Expressway; 3) Xinyi Expressway from the Taipei World Trade Center on Xinyi Road to Muzha of southern Taipei and Shenkeng of Taipei County; 4) Tiding Expressway on the dike of Keelung River; 5) Huandong Expressway leading to Neihu and Nangang districts; 6) Huanhe Expressway along Danshui River from Shezhi of Shilin to Xindian in Taipei County; 7) Shuiyuan Expressway on Shuiyuan Road; 8) Elevated Keelung Expressway on Keelung Road; and 9) Zhoumei Expressway from Shezhi in Shilin leading to Beitou.

Details of other routes are available at the Taiwan highway bureau’s (THB) Web site: www.thb.gov.tw; or the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).

Bureau officials suggested that bikers take the precaution of studying maps in advance to avoid making wrong turns into prohibited roads.

They reminded motorcyclists riding on expressways connected to freeways to pay special attention to exit signs to avoid going on to the freeway. Motorcyclists caught riding on freeways will be fined NT$3,000 (US$92).

National Police Agency officials said that during the early stage of the new regulations, the police will focus on serious violations by heavy motorcycle riders.

They will only give notices for minor infractions in order to help riders adjust to the new regulations.

The officials advised heavy motorcycle riders to wear full-face helmets when riding on expressways and called on car drivers to respect heavy motorcycles on expressways, as they enjoy the same road rights as cars.

But the riders will have to park in spaces reserved for vehicles, with only one bike in each parking space.

The permission of using the expressways has already enticed many more affluent consumers to procure the imported king-sized bikes that command from NT$300,000 to NT$7 million.

Some dealers said business has shot up around 20 percent in recent months. Transactions for second-hand heavy-duty bikes have also heated up. Most vehicle drivers said they do not oppose the open policy as long as heavy-duty bikers observe the rules when sharing the fast lanes with them.

But some are more concerned that some bikers could habitually and abruptly cut in when vehicles are moving ahead.

They are worried that the more impatient bikers could zigzag on the road in order to get ahead during rush hours.

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