The most common infractions committed by motorcyclists

Motorcycles are an increasingly popular form of mobility, offering a fun alternative to the car, with benefits for the environment, for increasingly difficult parking places, of economic advantage, but also often resulting in drivers suffering some of the most serious injuries of all road users.

That said, the choice is still a popular one, especially at weekends, and during holiday periods, but many riders are apparently unaware of some of the most common infractions committed, or the subsequent penalties.

The penalty for acting carelessly on a motorcycle can cost between 10 and 30,000 euro as a fine, according to the experts of Multayuda, with the most common ones being forgetting documentation and not having complied with certain administrative procedures.

To try to assist bikers in becoming more aware of their responsibilities, they should hopefully be better equipped for safer riding, at least that is the hope of the Wiquot company, who has drawn up a list of the most common motorcycle fines, including negligence such as forgetting when to renew the ITV or changing the tyres.

The most common fines on motorcycles

1. Forgetting to carry a driver’s licence. This oversight can result in a 10€ fine and must be submitted before 5 days to an office where the agents indicate. However, not having a driving licence can constitute a criminal offence, and so it is possible that the driver could have to spend a night in the cells until confirmation can be obtained.
2. Expired license. Not having renewed the licence carries a fine of 200€.
3. Forget passing the ITV. This procedure is obligatory and not doing so carries a fine of 200€. Not only that, once the ITV has expired, the bike cannot be ridden on the roads until the ITV is passed, and so alternative arrangements, such as with a grua, must be made to transport the vehicle to the testing station.
4. Not having updated address changes. The correct driver’s information must appear on the driver’s licence. If you have not notified the changes to the DGT you can be fined 80€.
5. Not wearing a helmet. This carries a fine of 200€ and the withdrawal of 3 points of the driver’s licence. In addition, in the case of carrying another person and it is the passenger who is not wearing a helmet, it is the driver who will be held responsible and sanctioned.
6. Not having renewed the insurance. The fine for this infraction can range between 601 and 3,005€. In addition, it will mean the immediate immobilisation of the motorcycle.
7. Chaining the motorbike to street furniture. Beware that parking next to a street lamp or a road sign, for example, as this can result in a 30€ fine.
8. Parking on pavements and pedestrian squares. You may only park on sidewalks that are more than 3.5 meters wide. Doing so in public places will be sanctioned with a 30€ fine and in any place that obstructs the passage of pedestrians has a fine of 200€.
9. Dirty number plate. As with cars, the fine can be 200€. In addition, putting stickers or other type of ornaments in the licence plate is not allowed and carries a penalty of 80€.
10. Washing the motorbike in the street is prohibited and may result in a fine between 30 and 3,000€.
11. Refuelling inadequately. Putting fuel in the motorbike whilst the lights, the engine or the radio are on, as with cars, carries a penalty, in this case, the fine is 80€.
12. Parking on the sand on the beach can be one of the most expensive fines. For example, a parking lot in the sand of Roquetas de Mar (Almería) resulted in a fine of 30,505€, as it is a protected area.
13. Turning back. Stopping when passing a detour and turning back can cost 200€ and the withdrawal of 4 points of the licence.
14. Spinning or skidding wheels carries a fine of 100€.
15. Driving with worn tires is sanctioned with a fine of 200€.
16. Driving on the hard shoulder without cause is fined at 200€.
17. Driving without an appropriate licence. Holders of a full car licence may ride a motorbike up to 125cc. But driving a motorcycle more powerful or outside the scope of that permitted by the licence may result in a fine of 500€ and 4 points withdrawn from the licence, and another 200€ for the owner of the motorcycle. In addition, driving directly without a licence, such as never having held one or when withdrawn by the courts, may result in a prison sentence. In this case, the prison sentence can be between 3 and 6 months and will be accompanied by a fine and community service 1 to 3 months.