Comment: It’s not a fair cop

‘VICTORIA’S top traffic cop has slammed the new fastest motorcycle in the world -- capable of hitting 100km/h in 2.5 seconds -- as a potential “recipe for disaster.’

Yes, these were the headlines to which we awoke yesterday. Another boney-fingered cop, who has clearly failed to reconcile that he is indeed in the enforcement business, rather than a legislator, doubles his hits when he Googles himself by finding some inflammatory low-hanging fruit.

Yep, no-one ever went broke appealing to the hysteria and misinformation of the average tabloid reader.

Victoria Police’s Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill was reacting to the news of Kawasaki’s plan to release its H2 Ninja Down Under in early 2015

“Reports of a new high-powered motorbike potentially being made available for sale in Australia are very concerning,” Mr Hill said. “Motorcycle riders are among our most vulnerable road users and speed is a major factor in about one-third of all fatal collisions. To put those two factors together is a recipe for disaster on our roads.”

Now, Bob, old mate. Listen up. I’ll disregard the fact that you need to realise that you are supposed to be in the business of keeping your troops occupied, but like a moth, can’t resist that bright light. Public relations isn’t all butterfly wings in aspic and The Birdcage, but it’s hard to convince outsiders of that.

The simple fact is, fast motorcycles and cars have been around since the dawn of time. Yes, they are faster now. Agreed. They are also far more competent.

Did you know, Robert, that we have had pretty fast bikes for quite a while now? Like, really fast ones. This is not the first fast motorcycle to be delivered to these shores. Although the misinformation that you have peddled about 2.5 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash are actually for the track-only bike, that will never see a public road and is not intended to?

Fast motorcycles are no more represented in crash statistics than less-fast ones. Smart riders ride to the prevailing conditions, wear good gear and have a real vested interest in staying upright.

So… Bring on the H2. The sooner, the better. Oh, and Bob. Come on mate. Concentrate on silly people in shopping carts texting about the special on lipstick at Chemist Warehouse and do your job properly. Please.