Residents join forces to stamp out illegal off-roaders

RESIDENTS from Mundaring, Mount Helena and Chidlow have banded together to form Hoon Busters, a group dedicated to eradicating illegal trail-bike riding.

The move follows the discovery of dangerous traps on local bush tracks, such as nail-studded lengths of wood, along Railway Reserve Heritage Trail and in bushland between Glen Forrest and Chidlow last month.

A spokesman for Hoon Busters said that while the vigilante action was stupid, it highlighted growing frustration in the community with illegal trail-bike riders, parents who turned a blind eye, and police and rangers who put the issue in the too-hard basket.

Hoon Busters encouraged residents to note the details of trail-bike riders and urged them to ‘dob in a hoon’ for a cash reward.

The spokesman said the group would support the implementation of laws similar to hoon laws, where illegal riders could have their bikes confiscated and crushed.

Darling Range MLA Tony Simpson, a self-confessed rider of off-road motorcycles, said it was true that illegal trail-bike riders were often out of control and it was only a matter of time before someone was killed.

Mr Simpson is the chair of the Joint Agency Implementation Committee (JAIC), which is developing the WA State Trail Bike Strategy implementation plan.

According to the Department of Sport and Recreation, sales of off-road motorcycles and quad bikes have increased by 66 per cent over two years while areas suitable for legal trail- bike riding have been reduced.

Mr Simpson said strategies under consideration included licensing off-road motorcycles and developing off-road vehicle facilities.

However the JAIC strategies will not be considered until at least 2010.

Mundaring chief executive Jonathan Throssell appealed to those responsible to stop setting traps before someone was severely injured.

He said the shire had not been approached by Hoon Busters, but welcomed a meeting.

What everyone else is thinking

Denis Vlahov

02/02/2010

The governmant need to step in here and analyse the facts.
If sales of off road bikes has jumped so high, then more dedecated land is required for riders.
My wife and I and 4 kids all have a quad bike each, seeing the kids faces on a day of riding is priceless. One of the best family recreation activities one could have.
However more variaty of legal areas to ride would be fantastic.
Come on WA Govenment with a 66% rise in sales of off road bikes, you have to take notice.

Dazza

07/09/2009

This is an issue but with the help of councils and some effort on the part of riders the Pinjar and Gnangara Off Road Vehicle areas could be improved and attract most of the riders. I for one would put in a hard days work to improve hard standing and a picnic area and build several firm surface tracks of varying degrees of dificulty (like a good motocross track) I would also assist on days on a roster system to run/supervise the riders and help with general safety for all users in the area by patrolling. Yes Motor vehicle sports are expensive but not everyone wants to join a motocross club just to ride on the days they have some spare time. I am too old to race competitively now (I used to)but I enjoy a good ride for a few hours on a weekend. the Pinjar area is not as good as it used to be and since most of the trees have been chopped down (apparently to improve the Barbagallo raceway facilities for the V8 superseries) the area is not attractive as fallen trees and debris is dangerous

Robbo

19/07/2009

What a bunch of morons are those that think that they have a right to ride their bikes anywhere because they have no where to play. You must come up with better arguements than a 5 year old. Imagine if we all decideded to do what we wanted and we didn't set social rules so we can all live together, I bet you will be the first people to call the cops when I come and crap on your door step. Clean up your act by pulling your so called mates heads in, they are ruining your reps, get them of the road and illegal palces, then and only then will you get any support for places for you to ride. Not the other way around. use your brains and look forward to the future, you can't all play without disregard for others.

Stanley

01/07/2009

Elliot, how high is the head of a child or short person or a tall person that could get rundown trying to duck, dive, leap stumble, or trip getting out of the (your) way!

James2

28/06/2009

From reading everyones opinions it sounds like all the people complaining about tail bike riders are complaining mostly about noise polution and ridding in suburban areas.
Why do they then have to target people who are in to the sport of motocross who avoid ridding in suburban areas and ride their bikes in concideration of others.
It is like Ynel said footballers do not train on the footpath, or in the bush, or in alleyways, but what he forgot to mention is the huge fact that kids do.

Elliot

26/06/2009

"Not only that look how dangerious some of those mudguards are sticking out high above the wheel waiting to spear or even decapitate some inocent victim"
Quote 'Stanley'

You have got to be joking. Unless the victim is 2ft tall and has a neck made of butter I doubt the soft plastic fender is going to decapitate somebody. We should ban cats as well, the meowing might hurt your sensitive ears.

"People shouldn't waste their time with boards & nails, instead string up some piano wire and behead the idiots."
Quote 'C_T'

I thought you were on the same side? You think plastic might decapitate somebody but piano wire isn't attempted murder?

to c_t

24/06/2009

oi c_t your a tool mate you should go to jail just for saying that !! and if i ever catch anyone like you doing that ill rip ya head myself!!!

andrew bain

22/06/2009

matt made the best point so far . help support places to ride ,i do not ride behind peoples houses im am 21 years old and respect the fact that you are sick of these people on cheap affordable chinese bikes that are mainly riden in circles ,i dont drive half an hour to the bush to ride at the bak of these peoples property get real its your own kids they have been seen filling up at the fuel station , isolate them not us considerate people. as for all you idoits like the third comment "europe doesnt do it", you dont no crap. they pic up there rubish and dont burn out 2oo dolar cars on catchment land get a life i ride there every weekend a will continue to do so respectfully qld has theme parks for teens to go to, what have we got a crap transport system and a feris wheel, if you understood a young persons perspective you would know.thanks

20/06/2009

Not only that look how dangerious some of those mudguards are sticking out high above the wheel waiting to spear or even decapitate some inocent victim .

Henk & Elaine Graga

17/06/2009

Moved house twice because of these morons. In Kelmscott 29 years ago before the industrial area eventuated some 10 years later we had to put up with the crap every Sat & Sunday. Our kids were babies and the noise annoyed them too. We had a pool which got less use due to the dust/noise. The Rangers didn't want to know and the cops ditto.
I blame lazy parents and agree with Kelvin. And why does their exhaust have to be so damn loud? Same deal in Beldon & Esperance before residential development took over. Grrr........

Guy Thompson

What many hills people fail to understand is that a lot of the riders are licensed, the bikes are rego'd (and that means they fall within the noise restrictions for this type of vehicle) and the riders are using gazetted roads and trails; which they, as taxpayers are quite within their rights to use.

If any other vehicle can use the tracks and roads, so can trail riders - the area is not exclusive for the use of hills residents. Trail bike riding is a legitimate activity and if carried out legally, hills residents have no right to complain.

Matt

I am a licensed rider and I detest seeing these 'hoons" (dont you love stereotypes) riding any unlicensed bike on streets or suburban areas.

But... the whinging do-gooders are helping to create the hoon behaviour. When are you all going to see the forrest for the trees. The more you do to stop the tide rolling in the deeper in you will be. Stop complaining to councils, police and community groups etc about the bikes and start being pro-active in helping create enough pressure to provide places to ride that DOESNT annoy people and promote hoon behaviour.

Ride at motorcross tracks? Are you intellectually challenged?? I will go out on a limb and make an educated guess that 99% of all bikes sold will NEVER be riden at a motorcross track. Its like saying that all bicycles sold should only be riden at a valadrome.

How about helping solve the problem in the long term. Support the riders fight for places to ride and you will find a community of riders happy help stop hoons

Robin

These bikes are not toys! Riders should be required to pass a competancy test before being licensed (and insured for 3rd Party claims). The bikes should only be ridden at properly controlled tracks - and if there isn't one nearby, that is not an excuse for using them regardless. Parents should not be permitted to buy them for children. I have distant rellies who bought a bike each for their moronic sons who were around 8 and 9. They then let them ride in the cul-de-sac where they lived - damaging lawns, gardens, making a hell of a racket, and being a hazard to other people and animals. They had absolutely no intention of taking them to a proper track - or making sure they were safe or not annoying the many nearby neighbours.

averill

In reply to 'well''s comment that "...Motocross tracks cost a fortune to ride at..." So you knew before you bought the bike that you would not be able to afford to train on your bike 'legally' ? So the rest of the community has to put up with the noise and dust and danger of these morons racing round the streets and trails- because they have chosen a 'sport' that they cannot afford. Get real get off you bike and try some real sport such as Football. Soccer, Athletics, and keep the macho-moron ones like bike riding for your own back yard !

C_T

People shouldn't waste their time with boards & nails, instead string up some piano wire and behead the idiots. I'm sick & tired of being run down and having near misses with morons on motorbikes that aren't old enough to get a drivers license. The parents are idiots for giving their kids a motorbike and not knowing the rules about using them. It is illegal to use them on a street, park or anywhere off your property. They are not road worthy and are often used by meatheads who have no respect for other people or property.

All motor vehicles should be registered and all owners should hold a current drivers license. If you aren't old enough to get a drivers license, then you aren't old enough or responsible enough to be in control of a motor vehicle.

Where are you meant to ride them? On your own private property, not in the bush where you damage the native plants and dig up the walking tracks.

Nigel

16/06/2009

Ynel. You obivously dont live near a football oval. I Moved away from a football oval as the noise on the weekend and every night of the week was very noisey. I also dont beleve that footballers and there clubs own the ovals they are playing on, Nearly all are owned by local councils and so football players do not "provide their own facilities at their own expense" As for destroying the environment I think clearing land for a football oval may be distroying the environment.

Kelvin

Do the parents of young off-road trail bike riders know before they buy the bike that there is nowhere for their kids to ride legally? Of course they do. They are inviting their kids to ride on the roads and through local parks. If a motocross track was available to these kids, very few parents would make the time and effort to get their kids to the track. It would be too much inconvenience, so as long as the kids ride far enough away from their own house, then the parents won't be bothered by the noise. Let everybody else worry about that.

Sunny

I ride dirt bikes myself, I see how frustrating it can be for people who are not as inthusiastic in regards to this sport, but wear are we to ride?? At least the kids arn't out on the streets doing drugs or drinking. Like hoons on the road try restrict it or stop it and it will either get wors or they will go to extreme lengths to do it. I'm sure there is a solution to keep everyone happy.

James

Andrew....Europe is probably the biggest rider of motorcross/offroad bikes...the last 20 Dakar rallies have been won by Europeans and feature a majority of european riders...europe has a huge off road competition....your the bogan andrew for generalising and making assumptions about things you know nothin.

Ynel

To Well. Motocross may be a sport, like football, but footballers do not train on the footpath, or in the bush, or in alleyways. They form a club and provide their own training facilities. If motorcross is a 'sport' then the participants should follow suit, form a club and provide their own facilities at their own expense. Do not expect others to provide these for you. Do not disturb others or destroy the environment whilst training for your sport. If footballers were making a similar racket near people's houses they would have to tone down the noise. If footballers were destroying the environment with their football training they would be asked to repair the damage and to cease such behaviour. This applies to motorcross. Where are these hoons meant to ride? At a motorcross facility, that is where. These hoons are not participating the the sport of motorcross, they do not belong to any sporting club, they are just an annoying nuisance and are destroying the peace and quiet.

Daniel

I appreciate and support that some actions by off road vehicles (lets not isolate trail bikes but include 4WD ect) are dangerous and should be restricted, however, there are 3 places in Perth where off road vehicles are allowed to go. If you provide riders with good facilities that are monitored and maintained for trailbike riding then I am sure they would be used. I don't support riders who ride on roads, footpaths, behind peoples property or on private property, however there need to be an alternative.

As a person who rides a licenced trailbike what is wrong with opening up government and crown land for registered or B class registered bikes and 4WD?

andrew

Why doesn't Europe share this passion for this so called sport?
Coz they are not bogans that's why!!!

Vince

The vigilante action isn't 'stupid' as described by the Hoon Busters spokesman - it's attempted murder.

Well

Where else are these so called 'hoons' ment to ride?
What people dont seem to understand is that motocross, is a sport - In order to participate in said sport, you need to train.
Provide the riders with somewhere to ride, like the goat farm in Greenmount for moutain bikes, and there wouldnt be a problem.
Motocross tracks cost a fortune to ride at, and over the weekend there are generally races or events on.