EVERY Victoria Police motorcycle will be out on the roads from today in a safety blitz aimed at tackling a horror year for motorbike accidents.

Operation Motus is in response to 28 rider deaths this year, just one less than for all last year. Of those, 24 were due to rider error. Three in four riders were speeding.

The blitz follows a special Herald Sun report on the victims and those left behind.

Have your say about the crackdown on rogue riders below

Police will roll out new lightweight Husqvarna motorcycles, which are more manoeuvrable in traffic and better able to catch offenders, for the operation.

The force will also push for Australian-first new laws to make wearing boots and gloves compulsory.

OPINION: POLICE SHOULD CRACKDOWN ON ALL MOTORISTS, NOT JUST RIDERS

Road policing Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said the death toll was a wake-up call for 190,000 licensed motorbike and scooter riders.

media_camera Police are launching a motorcycle blitz because of many recent bike deaths. Policeman John Papas. Picture: Sarah Matray

“What concerns us is the motorcyclists represent 4 per cent of road users in Victoria, and at the moment they are representing more than 25 per cent of lives lost on the road.’’

More than 70 police motorbikes will patrol the major roads at peak periods from this morning.

The newly unveiled 690cc Husqvarna 701s, with a bright green colour scheme, are lighter than the regular BMW highway bikes, making them more agile in traffic.

Mr Fryer said the patrols would warn riders, engage with or educate them, or “just have a conversation’’.

But anyone lane-splitting at high speed, or riding unlicensed or dangerously, would be nabbed.

“We can’t chase fatalities, but what we can do is educate riders,’’ Mr Fryer said.

“It may be to talk to them about appropriate clothing, or the line they are taking when they are riding.

“We will be out in force.’’

media_camera Road policing Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer with 24 motorcyclists to represent the lives of their fellow riders lost on Victorian roads up until March 27. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Mr Fryer said he knew some riders would feel aggrieved, but lessons had to be learned. He did not want to demonise riders, most of whom behaved responsibly.

“While some of the 28 may have been riding on expired riding licences, they are still loved ones. They made a mistake, and they paid for it with their lives.

“Someone riding without a licence … while it’s a relatively minor crime, it’s not worth losing your life over,” he said.

“So yes, they made a mistake, and I want the rest of the riding community to learn from that.’’

media_camera The scene of a fatal motorcycle accident between St Andrews and Kinglake in April. Picture: Seven News

He said families of all road victims suffered immensely. “I spoke to a man who lost his brother 20 years ago, and he said it was like yesterday. He missed him every single day.’’

Most of the year’s deaths occurred in the period up to mid-March, and Mr Fryer said the warm, dry summer had played a part in the toll.

Recently legislated lane filtering — riding between lines of slow or stationary traffic — did not cause any of the year’s fatal crashes.

Lamenting this year’s total road death toll of 108, he said: “Road trauma just doesn’t happen to other people. At the moment, we are filling a church or a chapel or a synagogue every day and a half, with 400 to 500 people saying goodbye to someone we have lost on our roads — which is just unfathomable.”

POLICE CALL FOR NEW SAFETY MOVES OVER BIKER ACCIDENT TOLL

media_camera Policeman John Papas on a new Husqvarna 701 Motard that will be out on the roads soon. Picture: Sarah Matray

RIDER error is to blame for the death of all but four of the 28 motorcyclist deaths in ­Victoria this year.

Police statistics reveal the shocking reality behind the high toll.

The high percentage of rider error deaths flies in the face of many bikers’ opinions and some research that often points the blame at drivers.

The figures also reveal that three out of four riders were speeding at the time of the crash.

Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said it was not fair to demonise the riders.

“It is around educating the current riders that they are a very vulnerable road user group and if you go outside the conditions of the licence or the road rules, you put yourself at higher risk, and you can see that by the numbers who have died this year.

“Every one (death) has been investigated thoroughly and 86 per cent were rider error.’’

Four were assessed as having a blood-alcohol content above 0.05.

Ten of the riders were unlicensed, six bikes were unregistered and three were stolen machines, frustrating police and road safety authorities.

Six were so-called “returning riders” — men who rode when they were younger but returned in middle age on faster, more sophisticated machines but not always with the same riding skills or reflexes.

Mr Fryer urged bikers to enrol in advanced rider courses to improve their skills.

Older riders were over-represented in the total — 17 of 28 were aged 35 years or older.

Victoria could be the first state to mandate boots and gloves for motorcycle and scooter riders, with Victoria Police to lobby for the move.

“We know that 42 per cent of motorcyclists who go to hospital with leg injuries were not wearing appropriate footwear,” Mr Fryer said.

“All we’re saying is footwear that covers the ankle — a decent workboot. But it is not thongs, it is not sneakers, and not bare feet.’’

The legislating of boots and gloves will likely face resistance from some riders and provide headaches over standards. Varying helmet standards have caused confusion for riders for many years.

The government is believed to be aware of the police proposal but is likely to want to consult further, and with the TAC, VicRoads and the rider community.

ian.royall@news.com.au