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Wednesday, 26 September, 2001, 05:37 GMT 06:37 UK
Police bikers step up power
An unmarked Yamaha XJR1300 is going out on patrol
Police in Devon and Cornwall are stepping up their power to act against dangerous motorcyclists - with two 1300cc patrol bikes.
One of the high-performance Yamahas - far more powerful than normal patrol bikes - will go out without police markings. It will also have a video camera mounted on it. The Norfolk force has made a similar move, putting police markings on a Suzuki 1300cc Hayabusa, the world's fastest production bike. The Devon and Cornwall campaign follows a rise in the number of bikers dying on the region's roads. Rusty riders Last year 20 motorcyclists made up a quarter of the people killed on roads in the two counties. Nearly all were aged over 25. Middle-aged riders returning to two wheels on more expensive machines are at risk because their skills are rusty and their reactions slow.
A spokesman said the force was not trying to spoil riders' enjoyment but it wanted to reduce the death toll. This month the force released video film shot by a biker with a camera mounted on his own fuel tank. Andrew Kitt of St Austell filmed himself speeding, pulling wheelies and overtaking other vehicles on blind bends. Two weeks later, on 6 May 2001, the 28-year-old died in a collision.
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