the danger is when you get someone enforcing the letter of the law instead of the intent of the law.
That seems to be a problem that is especially big in Australia. Sometimes applying the letter of the law is a bureacrat's once in a life time chance of fame and power.
In terms of policing of motorcycle groups, Australia is out on its own. In some countries, like New Zealand, western USA, and many European countries, organised commercial motorcycle tours are very common. They are a big money earner for the local economies in many places.
I have seen this from both sides, both as a tour leader, and a tour participant. Believe me, such groups contain people, many professionals, from all walks of life , and tend to comprise people with special skills, and an experience of life that is uplifting to listen to. I have listened to the tales of a oil-rig technician in the North Sea, on a Norway tour. To the tales of a mechanic who assembled tractors dropped in bits from the sky in to the Amazon Jungle. To Nasa scientists (in New Zealand), executives of multi-national companies, it has been an amazing journey.
Commercial motorcycle tours are rare in Australia, and now it looks like they will stay that way. Our loss. Few in Australia realise just how big this industry is and how much it is worth to local economies. Most tours stay at top Hotels, and spend big money.
New Zealand has no problem at all differentiating between the outlaw gangs there, and the tour groups. New Zealand has really tough gangs, and hundreds of tour people on the roads in summer. There is no problem whatsoever between the two.
Australia is a bit loopy sometimes in the way it goes off with new laws. We think we lead the world in many ways, but then isolate ourselves when it comes to checking what the rest of the world does before we make new regulations.
Our politicians do study tours all over the world, but don't seem to learn much.
