[Murray]

in reply to: New ACC Levies #13007

So, Nick Smith announced today that registration rates for motorcycles would range from $327.70 to $426.92, compared with rates of between $511.43 and $745.77 under rates proposed by ACC. But that is still an increase of between $75 and $174, the latter being for 600cc+ bikes.I'll be interested to hear what he has to say when he's asked the question, albeit a patsy, in the House this afternoon "How much has it been necessary to increase ACC levies and how do these compare to those recommended by the ACC Board?"

[Murray]

in reply to: New ACC Levies #13006

This is the sort of submission that should have gone to ACC when they called for submissions on the proposal to increase levies. It's the ACC Board that makes recommendations to the Minister for ACC based on the original review and the feedback received. The Minister then seeks advice from advisers (eg the Department of Labour) and recommends final levy rates to the Government. These rates are passed into law by Regulations introduced under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001. This happens in February or March and the new rates come into effect from 1 April for the Work, Earners’ and Residual Claims Accounts, and 1 July for the Motor Vehicle Account.However, the proposed amendments to the legislation are somewhat more fundamental to how ACC is applied and to whom and any submission also needs to be about that. The changes being proposed in this bill, and the other changes being mooted in the area of accident compensation will inevitably lead to increase costs, reduce entitlements, and move further to an insurance mode and away from the principles of our world-class accident compensation scheme. It is a cost-shifting exercise, and it will be New Zealanders who pay. The costs do not go away; they are merely shifted to the injured person.The big mistake that Labour made was to push for the full funding of potential liabilities by 2014. That was the first step on this slippery road. The Government should instead of promulgating this bill be looking seriously at the possibility of returning completely to a “pay as you go” system. Full funding ahead traps the scheme and the Government in a private insurance accounting model.Don't waste the chance. You have until 5:00 pm tomorrow to make a submission. A copy of mine is attached, feel  free to use but make sure it's got your name and contact details on it.

[Murray]

in reply to: wiring your indicators to stay on as a light but indicate as well?? #13210

…at which point they fall under the maritime act, where the port running light must be red and starboard running light must be green.  Just like on the GSAs

😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 Just what you'd expect when you ride a boat!! Well done DTY

[Murray]

in reply to: New ACC Levies #12997

6000 or thereabouts turned out, not a bad effort really. Still there's lots to do yet.The Register made a submission on the proposed levy increases on behalf of its members. If you're reading this I hope you were one of the many individuals, myself included, that took the time to make an individual submission to ACC and, at the very least, copied your local MP.Your next task, if you are really concerned about what's happening with ACC, is to make a submission on the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill that was introduced to the House on 22 October. It is significant enough that it got its first reading the following week and was subsequently referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. You have until 26 November to make a submission on this bill.In a nutshell, Nick Smith is proposing amendments to the legislation that he imagines will improve flexibility in the ACC scheme, including the extension of the date for fully funding residual claims liabilities. One of the ten amendments in this bill gives the Government greater flexibility in using the petrol levy for residual claims in the motor vehicle account.The fundamental problem with this bill is that it is based on a false premise. The National Government has deliberately manufactured a crisis. All through 2009, and with accelerating intent, Nick Smith has been creating the notion that the accident compensation scheme has an impossibly huge deficit, that its liabilities have blown out, and that the only things that will save us all from impossibly huge levy rises are measures like those contained in this bill and the readying of the accident compensation scheme for partial or full privatisation. The major reason for the so-called liability blowout is not costs, although there is no question that costs are continuing to rise, but rather it is the change in the assumptions underlying the accounting and forecasting practices of ACC.The big mistake that Labour made during its term was to push for the full funding of potential liabilities by 2014. While National is proposing to push out the date for fully funding the residual claims liability to 2019, full funding ahead traps the scheme and the Government in a private insurance accounting model. On top of that, the ACC board had changed some of its other accounting methodologies. For example, $1.3 billion has been added through claims experience and modelling changes, $1.3 billion for revised economic assumptions, $500 million for adding more safety to the risk margin, and $1.3 billion for the cost of “future Cabinet and regulated rate increases”, whatever that means.At the same time as the ACC board and the Government continue to push the line that the scheme is impossibly in the red, in fact this year its revenues were $4.5 billion, which is $1.5 billion more than it spent on claims. ACC is a mature organisation with enough reserves to pay for around 3½ years of claims. That is the highest level of reserves the scheme has ever held. Sir Owen Woodhouse, famous for the principles on which our current accident compensation scheme is founded, has stated clearly that he did not intend it to be pre-funded, and that the latest Government moves are beginning to undermine its very heart.The report of the Woodhouse commission recommended a 24-hour-a-day, no-fault compensation scheme that covered people whether they were injured at work, at home, at play, or on the roads. The underpinning Woodhouse principles are community responsibility, comprehensive entitlement, complete rehabilitation, real compensation paid at 80 percent of previous earnings for as long as a person is incapacitated, and administrative efficiency. An injury prevention, rehabilitation, and compensation scheme that at least strives to live up to those principles is what is at stake here today. The bill in front of the select committte hacks into those fundamentals in a variety of ways.Do not miss your chance to be heard on this. You can even make a submission on line, just click on the "get involved" tab at http://www.parliamant.govt.nzThe select committee report is due back in the house on 12 February 2010. 

[Murray]

in reply to: New ACC Levies #12967

Great, lots of moaning and some chat going round of an organised protest ride to Parliament. I see that every day with one outfit or another shouting “What do we want?” … blah blah blah …, “When do we want it? …..”NOW!!” Made bugger all difference so far for most of them but I suppose a couple of thousand bike up parliament stepps would be something to watch.Put your hand up if you've ever made a submission on ACC levies in the past. Also, put your hands up if you've submitted on the  "Safer Roads" strategy document released recently by the Ministry of Transport. I've done both. Last time ACC levies were up for discussion I offered to coordinate a submission from BMWOR - no-one was interested propbably because the increases have been so incremental over the last decade or so.BRONZ doesn't have a presence in Wellington, where most of the legislative work takes place. There's a real opportunity to get in front of the policy makers down here. I put my hand up once to co-ordinate things for them - stony silence from that end.What we should be doing is llobbing against the notion that ACC be moved to a fully funded model in the first place. It goes totally against the intent of the ACC fund as it was originalllty implemented. Instead people are worrying about mucking around with proposed legislation to move the date out under which that fully funded model must be in place, alothough it appears the Dr Smith is not getting to much support from his coalition partners for this anyway. Not selling my HP2 either, in case you're wondering.

[Murray]

in reply to: A few pictures from the weekend’s adventure ride #12783

Nice pics Alex. Looks like it was fun.

[Murray]

in reply to: HP2 as a commuter? #12602

The beauty of having a river trail next to the often congested main drag  😀

[Murray]

in reply to: Gunnyrob’s beemer breaks again again #12557

All the signs pointed to a failure of the BSK unit, not common at all. This may well have had something to do with Rob’s misfortune.Believe it or not there’s a 1200GS (still upright I might add) in this photo. We're all totally impressed with how Rob managed to hang on to it.Despite the drama there must have been something to chuckle about – I forget what that actually was though.John G certainly enjoyed the trip, as did everyone else who made it.Good to see you up there Colin.

[Murray]

in reply to: Touring in Europe #12518

Take a look at a previously posted thread, click [url=http://[/color]]HERE[/url]CheersGarry

[Murray]

in reply to: d #12296

Don't be put off by a couple of people who may not be interested. Many of us are and appreciate the effort you put into it.

Second that, saves me doing it  😀 You fully recovered and zooming around like a mad thing again Dean?

[Murray]

in reply to: K100 1985 – Red light comes on after riding for a while and stays on #12304

Just wanted to get some info for my Dad on his 1985 K100, a red triangle shaped light comes on with a line in the middle of it. Normally comes on during riding and can stay on for some time, can anyone tell me what the light is for?Any ideas where we can get an owners manual for this bike? Cheers, Phil

Hi PhilOn the two valve K100s, you got a warning light that won’t go off until the engine is running and both brake levers have been depressed, indicating that the brake system is in working condition.The triangle also indicates if the tail light is out, so if it’s coming on while your dad is out riding and staying on for varying periods of time I’d start by looking at the connection between bulb and socket. The bulb monitor that reads this is known to be sensitive to corrosion in the tail light socket. Chances are the bulb has been replaced at sometime with a brass socket bulb maybe, any silver base bulbs (BMW ones for example) usually eliminate this problem but a good clean might be required.A good aftermarket manual for the K100 is from Haynes. You can order from http://www.manuals.co.nz or you might find someone getting rid of one on Trademe if you're lucky. There are a few websites that have basic manuals for bikes as free downloads if you've got the time to hunt them out.CheersGarry

[Murray]

in reply to: Lights on R1100RT #12244

Yep, Narva is the go. You should try the new bulb called Blue Power that they say delivers 80% more light than a standard headlight bulb and the beam is 20% whiter – which adds up to 100% more night-time vision.The enhanced halogen technology used in Blue Power was developed in Germany, where the new lights are also manufactured. It combines the performance of the Plus and Arctic Blue ranges, effectively providing two lights in one – it may seem strange, but blue headlights deliver a whiter beam.The brilliance of light is measured in Kelvins and Blue Power is rated at 3750 Kelvin, which almost doubles the measured luminance of standard headlight bulbs, i.e. more light on the road. They don’t give out any more heat or draw more power from the battery than a standard bulb, meaning they are suitable for use with polycarbonate lenses.NARVA is supplying Blue Power globes in H1, H3, H4 and H7 specifications, with full ECE and ADR approvals. $36 at your local automotive outlet.CheersGarry

[Murray]

in reply to: R1200GS tyre tests #12279

Good article Jim. No surprise that the Trail Attacks score well. I have a pair on one set of rims and they are the business for longer tourng rides (even in the wet) and are surprisingly stable on gravel. Most certainly not replacements for TKCs when the going calls for something a bit more sturdy with knobs though.CheersGarry

[Murray]

in reply to: King Country Adventure #12227

Saturday – King Country gravelAround 30 people turned up for the ride and on a great range of bikes, but fantastic that around a third of them were BMWs of one sort or other. John, Henry and Darren were all on their new F800GSs, Peter had his 1200GS Adventurer, Alex was on his 80GS Basic, Pete was on his Dakar, Eddie on his 100GSPD, Colin came up from Taranaki on his 1100GS, Steven was with us on the 1150GS, there was a guy on a new F650GS (twin) with knobbly tyres on it and the HP2 was still going well.I quite like Graham’s Scrambler though.We headed west from Otorohanga. I had a fair idea of what we were doing and where we were going, being Waikato born and bred, but Mark took us on an amazing excursion over some very fantastic gravel roads that I couldn’t for the life of me place names to. I do know it was roughly a circular route out along Honokiwi Road and around the western side of Pirongia, which on a clearer day would have given us a much clearer view of Kawhia Harbour.We then headed through Te Anga and followed our noses past the Marakopa turn-off to Waitanguru and into Pio Pio for fuel and lunch. From there it was back to Marakopa Beach for a look. A few of us were made enough to try the drop at the end of the tunnel, fortunately enough hands on deck to gets us all back up again.It was getting late and there had been a plan to have a bit of a play on the beach at Awakino, but by the time we got to Awakino itself it was getting on for 4:30 we basically gassed up and charged back through the Awakino Gorge before turning right back inland on some gravel across to Ohura. This last bit was great, albeit in the dark, with the gravel smooth and in better condition than the sealed route through to the main highway back to Taumaranui.All up it was about 400kms for the day.  A great ride put together by Mark for us. I trust everyone else appreciate it as much.I left for Wellington on Sunday morning, choosing not to stick around and have to make the trip home on Monday as planned. Sad to have to give the 42nd traverse a miss this time around but I was not keen to ride home in the crappy weather forecast for the Monday. Hope everyone who did the 42nd had a great time; I’ll leave one of you to tell the story of that bit – and Fishers Track if they had time to do that as well. I hope it didn’t rain!!

[Murray]

in reply to: King Country Adventure #12226

Friday – Fishers TrackThis particular track is a bit of a challenge; even on a “good” day. It’s the best part of a 17kms downhill from the National Park end dropping from 900m to 400m. It’s a mixed surface with plenty of papa clay and lots of grass...interesting cornering! We all made it, but some not without spills and thrills in the deeper bogs or slippery bits.The best bit is the wide, flowing gravel on Upper Retaruke Road following the exit from Fishers. This links up with Oio Road that takes you back onto SH4 at Owhango.From there, we basically charged up SH4, turned right onto SH3, grabbed some gas at Te Kuiti and made it to Otorohanga for around 7:00pm. Alex and John were down from Auckland so a pizza dinner with them at the Thirsty Weta was well in order.

[Author]

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