TWO men have lost their driver’s licences for riding unregistered motorised bicycles after drinking alcohol.
Travis Krause and Harvey Hills, who appeared separately in Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday, were caught riding the motorised bikes on the afternoon of November 18, on Eyre Street, the court was told.
Krause, 42, from Sebastopol, pleaded guilty to riding an unlicensed motorbike and drink-driving, while Hills, 54, from Redan, pleaded guilty to riding an unlicensed motorbike, drink-driving, not wearing an appropriate motorcycle helmet and having a vehicle that didn’t comply with the standard of registration.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Pepe Brown told magistrate Michelle Hodgson that the bikes were fitted with 66cc 2000 watt engines.
“The accused (Krause and Hills were) seen not to have been pedalling the bike at any stage, making the motor of the vehicle the primary source of power,” Leading Senior Constable Brown told the court.
Krause had a blood alcohol reading of 0.049 and admitted to consuming four pots and three stubbies of beer over a four-hour period.
Hills gave a reading of 0.79 and admitted to having six pots of full strength beer over a five-hour period.
Defence lawyer Patrick D’Arcy said Krause was not looking to get around the Road Safety Act.
Mr D’Arcy said Krause had fitted the engine to his bike to go on a sight-seeing adventure from Ballarat along the Skipton Rail Trail.
“He is basically a tinkerer ... he got ambitious and fitted his bike with a large engine,” Mr D’Arcy said.
“He works full-time, is married and has two children ... his wife and children depend upon him.”
Ms Hodgson said this was the fourth time Krause had appeared before the court on drink-driving charges.
Krause was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $500. Hills was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined $500.