My expat friends are always moaning to me that in Oz you are strictly regimented when it come to speeding on the roads and that plod there hates motorcycles, especially the loud ones.
Not always true.
Do the coppers push a massive 'anti-speeding' agenda --- absolutely they do and most of it is pure BS but it is the heirachy and not neccessarily those on the ground but they have little choice in the matter.
It is strict and in many cases stupidly so but at the same time, some of the rider roads are so heavily trafficked plus the proliferation of ......... on bikes (just because they have a Gixxer does not make them a Gixxer capable rider - but they do not know this) a lot of it brings attention to themselves.
Out where I am the cops are a bit better and will flash their headlights if you are above the limit without being stupidly so, as I am in straight road country being in the bush so they have a different battle.
As for loud pipes, well they do harrass the 1% brigade as every crime they (and the media driven mantra) blames on the OMCG (Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs) and so they justify a crackdown on the Harley type of riders. In past they have harrassed the sportbike brigade for loud pipes but to be fair to them, when I can her a 4into1 from 2 - 3 kays, then it is loud.
But, get off the sealed stuff or a little out of the way (Bonang Highway for instance) and you get a lot less harrassment or issues from the police and generally will get looked after ok. That is not to say that they are not on the dirt, heck I have come across an RBT (random breath test) unit during a 40 kay dirt sting plus they have been known to radar the dirt further west - but I have not heard any horror stories.
Honestly, the biggest issue is in the major cities as even those cops when they head my way chill out (in their own words) as it is a far easier environment to work with less ......... on the road (again, their words).
As for hating motorbikes, well yes there are some that do but they also absolutely harrass truck drivers and p-platers (new drivers) just as much but bikes get a more criminal element harrassment (referred to above) while the others get random vehicle checks etc.
