Man given good behaviour bond after riding unlicensed in Bendigo

The 55-year-old man appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court this week where he pleaded guilty to charges including driving while disqualified and driving an unregistered vehicle.

The court heard police spotted the man riding the motorised mountain bike on Forest Street in Bendigo on the afternoon of June 11 last year.

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The bike, which had no registration plates displayed, was travelling at 37km/h in a 60km/h zone

Police observed the man not using the pedals during his ride up the steep street.

Officers intercepted the 55-year-old and confirmed his driver's licence had been disqualified for a period of four years in 2018. He also did not have a motorbike licence.

Police checked the bike and found it had never been registered. It was also missing an indicator and a horn.

The 55-year-old man was not wearing a helmet during the time of the offending.

Defence lawyer Jennaye Dodd told the court the man "genuinely" believed he was legally riding the bike.

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Ms Dodd said the bike had since been impounded and destroyed as her client did not have the money for the impoundment fee.

The defence lawyer submitted that a good behaviour bond was an appropriate sentence.

Magistrate Russell Kelly said he accepted the circumstances around the offending.

But Mr Kelly said the man should have contacted VicRoads to check whether or not he could legally ride the bike.

The magistrate sentenced the man to a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction.

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