Hundreds more motorcycles are expected on the road in the coming months if the current trend persists as auto dealers report being overwhelmed by an “unprecedented demand”.

The surge in sales follows government incentives to raise the number of two-wheelers on the streets.

The impact on traffic congestion could be twofold: less traffic in the long run but more chance of accidents, a traffic expert warned.

Motorcycle seller Gordon Micallef said: “I have been in this business for 23 years and haven’t seen an interest in motorbikes like this before. We can barely keep up with the number of enquiries.”

I have been in this business for 23 years and haven’t seen an interest in motorbikes like this before

He said he had recently made his largest order for motorcycles, buying 280 new ones. He has already sold 150 even though the shipment has still to arrive. He expects to sell all of them.

He is not the only optimistic vendor. A number of others contacted by this newspaper said they had experienced a similar surge in sales. They put the boom down to government initiatives for drivers to ditch their car and get on a bike.

Under new regulations introduced this month, those with a driving licence do not need to obtain another one to ride motorcycles of up to 125cc. The only requirement is to undergo a 10-hour training course.

In the Budget for 2016, the road licence fee for such motorbikes was slashed to €10, making them an even more attractive option. “My sales this month have reached those for the entire first quarter of last year. I don’t know if this will be sustained but I imagine I will sell double the motorcycles I did in 2015,” Chris Gauci, who owns a motorcycle shop, said.

The boom is being put down to initiatives for drivers to ditch their car and get on a bike.The boom is being put down to initiatives for drivers to ditch their car and get on a bike.

He added that the significant reduction in the cost of a road licence had prompted many people tempted to buy a motorcycle to take the plunge.

“I’ve recently sold a number of bikes to people who had been considering buying one for some time. Once the new measures came into force they seem to be saying ‘why not’,” seller Henry Vella said.

Transport Ministry figures show that about 50 people have already successfully completed the training course and been awarded a motorcycle certificate in the first two weeks of this year.

The number of new bikes on the road could have a significant impact on traffic if the trend is sustained over the coming years, according to traffic expert Simon Micallef Stafrace. “If these are car drivers switching to motorbikes, then it could, if the trend continues, ease traffic congestion quite a bit,” he said.

However, the increased number of bikes could result in more traffic accidents, he warned.

I will sell double the number of motorcycles I did in 2015

According to official figures, there were more than 260 traffic accidents involving motorcycles in the first three quarters of last year, nearly all resulting in injuries.

Dr Micallef Stafrace said there would be a proportional relationship between the number of motorbikes on the road and the number of accidents. He noted there that the road network did not cater for motorcyclists.

Car drivers were not “as careful as they should be” while motorcyclists did not appreciate that they often strayed in and out of motorists’ blind spots. “This is a double edged sword. While it will impact traffic, it will also impact accidents on the road,” Dr Micallef Stafrace said.

A ministry spokeswoman said drivers considering undertaking the training would have to do so with a certified motorcycle school and seven of the 10 hours would have to be spent actually riding the bike.

Drivers awarded the certificate, she added, would not be allowed to carry pillion passengers.

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