Motorcycle checks in the Alpine region – weekend results confirm necessity
SOUTHERN UPPER BAVARIA. Under the leadership of the motorcycle control group of the Southern Upper Bavaria Police Headquarters, a cross-state special operation took place last weekend.
During which police specialists in the Bavarian Alpine foothills, as well as in Tyrol and South Tyrol, took a close look at motorcyclists and their machines.
The weekend's results, with 379 complaints in three countries, confirmed the need for such control measures.
On September 9 and 10, the Upper Bavaria South Police Headquarters, in coordination with the Austrian and Italian authorities, conducted cross-border priority control days to monitor motorcycle traffic, which were also related to European Bike Week at Lake Faaker See.
120,000 participants with approximately 70,000 motorcycles were expected to attend this event. Therefore, on Sunday, the police set up a checkpoint on the A8 motorway in the direction of Munich, where the motorcycle control group was reinforced by specially trained officers from the Upper Bavaria South and Lower Bavaria police headquarters.
From 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., a total of 98 motorcycles and their riders were subjected to a thorough inspection.
The police's findings are sobering and confirm the necessity of such checks. In total, 53 of the 98 vehicles were found to have undergone technical modifications that affected safety and would invalidate their operating license, meaning that in particularly serious cases, the vehicles had to be taken off the road immediately.
In total, the officers reported three criminal offenses and 54 administrative offenses. Three bikes were presented to a vehicle expert for assessment.
The violations include license plate misuse, illegal exhaust systems, and completely missing mirrors, turn signals, or brake lights—all of which are serious traffic hazards and noise-causing equipment violations.
Police Chief Robert Kopp, himself a passionate motorcyclist, rejects the frequently leveled accusation of being petty: „The safety of motorized two-wheelers is particularly close to my heart.
In order to get home safely and without accidents, as well as to avoid endangering other road users, it is essential to have the right technical equipment in addition to good driving skills. This is where our focus lies, rather than on the wallets of road users.“
On Saturday, specialists conducting international motorcycle inspections took a close look at motorcyclists and their machines. Of the 31 bikes inspected, 25 were found to be in violation. Ten riders were reported for license plate misuse, and eight other bikes had their operating permits revoked due to technical modifications.
In the Austrian state of Tyrol, a total of 288 motorcyclists were reported for speeding, some of them for serious violations. The worst offenders reached speeds of 160 km/h in the Imst district, where the speed limit is 80 km/h, and 108 km/h in the Kufstein district, where the speed limit is 60 km/h.
In South Tyrol, three violations of traffic regulations were detected among 34 motorcyclists who were checked.
