Motorcycle New Law 1/1/2015

[gemini]

Posting in this section, because this could cause you to be stopped by your local Barney.

Texas Transportation Code Section 547.617. Requirement to have "grab or hand strap" and
footpegs or rests for all bikes capable of carrying 2 persons.

Just wow. More of the Nanny state. They can pass this kind of dribble and not get campus
carry passed? Really?

[Commander Cody]

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger.

What can I use for a "Handhold for use by the passenger"?

[gemini]

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger.

What can I use for a "Handhold for use by the passenger"?

Not specified. So, I guess the seat strap that comes with some stock seats?
A few seats are able to have little rails attached to the sides. Many touring seats
are too wide or deep to allow side rails. Some touring bikes have a "Queen" seat
w/ trunk, backrest, arm rests etc. I'm not sure how any kind of grab strap will
make them safer. Maybe a small piece of leather strap tied around something would
qualify. I have a touring seat on my bike and it has a slot for a rider(driver) backrest.
No place to attach a "grab" strap......

[C-dub]

This is stupid.

A couple of my bikes were not designed with handles for the passenger. Some today still aren't. I wonder if my love handles would count? There's two of them.

[cb1000rider]

I assume this is to create a reason to stop someone or a method to enforce against people riding 2-up on bikes that were designed for just one...

[Itnkrman]

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger.

What can I use for a "Handhold for use by the passenger"?

I thought that what the driver was for?

[gemini]

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger.

What can I use for a "Handhold for use by the passenger"?

I thought that what the driver was for?

Exactly!

[Tazman]

This is really a ridiculous law and I am not sure what drove it to become law.

Hell I can ride without a helmet in Texas and so can my passenger. I can ride in flip flops, shorts and no shirt but dagnabit my passenger better have a hand hold per the law. Utterly ridiculous and just another way to be hassled by the man if they desire to pull you over!

[gemini]

This is really a ridiculous law and I am not sure what drove it to become law.

heck I can ride without a helmet in Texas and so can my passenger. I can ride in flip flops, shorts and no shirt but dagnabit my passenger better have a hand hold per the law. Utterly ridiculous and just another way to be hassled by the man if they desire to pull you over!

I believe parents grieving over the loss of their 19yo daughter, and the families friends etc drove this to become law.
My understanding is that the bike she was on was forced off the road. The driver broke all 4 limbs, and she died as a
result of her injuries. Very sad. But, a grab strap ? You have to be kidding me. I want OFF a bike thats going down,
(low side dismount, please) in most cases.
The Sherman Tx state rep is Republican Larry Smith. He presented this mess and pushed it through. I can not begin
to understand the pain of losing a child. However, I also can not understand this type of legislation ever making it
through all the hoops etc to become law.


Rep Larry Phillips......NOT Larry Smith....sorry

[RJGold]

Here is one link I found. It has some explanation and photos showing "hand holds". I agree this law is in response to a tragedy but I don't see how it will help.

I believe this law gives too much grey area and is probably unenforceable for the most part...

http://www.twowheelmania.com/2015/01/07 ... s-furious/

My two cents...

[RJGold]

One more from a news website...

Not sure it gives much more detail, I didn't watch the video but I assume that's Larry Phillips...

http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/New- ... tablet&c=y

[gemini]

One more from a news website...

Not sure it gives much more detail, I didn't watch the video but I assume that's Larry Phillips...

http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/New- ... tablet&c=y

quote from article: "In April 2010, Bullock was riding on the back of her boyfriend's motorcycle when it crashed into a ditch and hit a road sign. "
I fail to see how a handhold/grab strap OR footpegs would have helped while crashing into a ditch and hitting a road sign. Unless they were only
going 3mph. Then maybe.

quote from article, Rep Larry Phillips: ""When you have a passenger you need to be more careful," Texas Rep. Larry Phillips, who introduced this legislation, said. "You need to, you have to take that into consideration when your driving your motorcycle."
OMG. Duh. Thank you for those words of immense wisdom Rep Larry Phillips.

Again, they can get this "feel good measure" through a legislative session and passed, but our state legislature can't get it together enough to
pass campus carry? Idiocy of the 1st degree.

[Pawpaw]

The next step will be requiring seat belts on motorcycles.

[ScooterSissy]

My motorcycle has hand grips on the side. I use them when I put the bike on the center stand. I don't think my wife (who rides a lot) has ever used them. I don't think any of the couple of dozen passengers I've carried have used them. If a person were to fall off absent a grip, that person shouldn't have been on the bike. If there were an accident, the g-forces involved would make holding on impossible. Even if that weren't the case, holding on to the bike would not prevent injuries, there are are no protective structures on the bike, like on a car, to prevent injuries.

Yes, it's a stupid "feel good" law.

[OldCannon]

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. A motorcycle that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger.

What can I use for a "Handhold for use by the passenger"?

The amount of "dumb" in this law is incomprehensible, and needs repealing. I'm stunned it's a Texas law.