US pushing for end of highway ban

It's infuriating for all motorcyclists living in south Korea -- they can't ride their steeds on highways. That’s due to a clause in Korea's Road Traffic Act which prohibits such a practice, and the US Government wants it changed.

Currently, Korea's the only country in the OECD which has codified such a harsh law, while other jurisdictions such as Japan have watered down restrictions on capacity limits and carrying passengers on freeways.

In a recent report on foreign trade barriers, a United States trade representative said: "Although progress has been made over the past several years to resolve U.S. concerns over Korea's noise standard on motorcycles, a highway ban on motorcycles continues.

“The United States maintains that heavy motorcycles riding on highways do not pose the same safety concerns as smaller, lighter motorcycles and continues to urge Korea to allow large motorcycles on highways."

Previous to that, the U.S. government raised issues regarding motorcycles during free trade agreement negotiations, and the reasoning is simple: companies such as Harley-Davidson could really reap the benefits – and by extension all motorcycle marques. Let’s see what materilisies from the intense lobbying.