Source: Radio New Zealand
123RF
Motorcyclists are putting their bike registrations on hold in protest at what they say are unfair increases to ACC levies.
Levies are paid as past of registration. From July this year, motorbikes would be classified into three sizes depending on their size.
Large diesel motorcycles, over 750cc, would be charged the highest annual ACC levy of $638.36 and petrol bikes of that size would pay $624.93. Motorcyclists who completed advanced rider training may be able to access a 25 percent discount.
Medium motorcycles, classed as 251cc to 750cc would pay about $450, and small motorcycles $311.70 for petrol and $325.13 for electric or diesel.
In the previous year, petrol bikes over 600cc had been charged $428.19 a year and diesel or electric $441.87. In the 2024/2025 year, someone with a 500cc motorcycle would have paid just under $300.
All motorcycles were also charged an additional $25 motorcycle safety levy.
The increases were part of wider changes to ACC levies that were announced in 2024.
Motorcycle Advocacy Group spokesperson Richard Tohu said the cost of registration was on track to increase by 68 percent by 2026.
“It’s just a lot of money. Everybody is feeling the crunch and they can’t justify the increases.”
He said there was not sufficient information to back up claims that it was reflecting the risk involved in motorcycles.
The group had asked to meet with officials to talk about the data that was being used, but it had not happened, he said.
‘Show us the data’
His Facebook group protesting the increases was on track to hit 9000 members, he said. “A couple of weeks ago we were 5000 members. Since our protest ride on the 28th, it’s just taken off.
“It’s not that we just want to get away with not paying money, we need to see that it’s justified. Show us the data. You’re saying it’s risk. We all know the bigger the engine does not equal higher risk … They won’t talk to us, nobody will meet with us. So we are advising our members to put your vehicles on hold and stop paying them. We need to try and get them to come to the table.”
He said it was likely people were still riding their bikes without a current registration. “If you ride an unregistered, unlicensed vehicle and you get caught, it’s a $200 fine plus demerit points. If you’re faced with paying $600 [for registration] there is going to be a lot of people out there that will take that risk.”
Legally, people whose vehicle registrations were on hold could not drive it at all.
“We don’t condone riding your motorcycle while it’s not legally registered to be on the road … but we can’t be responsible for what thousands of people are already doing and might choose to do.”
VINCENT-ANA/ ONLYWORLD.NET
NZTA data showed there was a 9.8 percent decrease in motorcycle registrations between the March 2025 year and March 2026.
That reflected first-time registrations for the time periods, not vehicles already on the road.
But over the same period there was a 2.7 percent increase in passenger car registrations.
ACC deputy chief executive corporate and finance Stewart McRobie said it respected people’s right to protest and express their views.
“ACC forecasts the lifetime cost of motorcycle injuries at around $266 million per year in the current levy cycle. While motorcycles make up 4 percent of the vehicle fleet, motorcycle accidents represent 25 percent of the cost to ACC of all injuries from road crashes.
”Through the levy system, motorcycle owners currently pay 28 percent of the total cost to support people recovering from motorcycle accidents. The remaining 72 percent is paid for and therefore subsidised, by the levies collected from other vehicle owners.
”ACC has heard from owners of other vehicles that motorcyclists should contribute more towards the cost of injuries. Prior to the current levy round which covers the years from 2025 – 2028, levies for motorcycles have not increased since 2014.”
McRobie said police data showed 37 percent of injury claims from motorcyclists were from single-vehicle accidents where the motorcyclist’s actions contributed to the crash.
“The increase to motorcycle levies aligns the proportion of levy contribution from motorcyclists to the proportion of motorcycle crashes that only involved the motorcyclist – single vehicle crashes.
“It’s important that ACC levies are fair and that the amount contributed by levy payers reflects the level of risk. To keep things fair, the amount motorcycle riders contribute is increasing, to better reflect the risk. Additionally, accidents involving motorcycles often also result in more severe injuries, which are more costly to treat.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
