Motorcycle hoons charged over alleged GoPro joyride in Qld’s Sunshine Coast hinterland

Shocking GoPro footage has captured motorbike hoons risking their own lives and other motorists while allegedly filming themselves travelling at high speeds at up to 200km/h.

Three riders have been charged over the alleged joyride along a winding road in the Sunshine Coast hinterland which was allegedly filmed and shared on social media last month.

Police allege the joyride began in Peachester, where a 45-year-old man set up a GoPro on his Yamaha motorbike to film his journey with two mates.

The footage shows the man travelling in excess of 140km/h while overtaking vehicles and at one point clocks 200km/h as he begins the climb into the hinterland.

The rider also narrowly misses hitting a huge pothole at speeds of 105km/h as a oncoming car towing a caravan travels in the opposite direction.

The road winds in various locations and was also being used by several other vehicles at the time, including a large truck.

The man is captured speeding through Bellthorpe and allegedly crossing the double lines of a narrow road more than 22 times, according to police.

The vision was later posted on social media and went viral, attracting the interest of the Sunshine Coast highway patrol unit.

Police attended a Parrearra address on July 28 where they seized a GoPro allegedly belonging to the 45-year-old man.

He was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and will face Maroochydore Magistrates Court next Monday (August 22).

Ongoing inquiries led to a 49-year-old Mooloolaba man being issued with two traffic infringement notices for high speed offences which resulted in a $1,653 fine and loss of eight demerits. 

He was also slapped with a third traffic infringement and fined an additional $460 for failing to attach the registration plates correctly.

Police alleged the rider crossed double lines and rode on the wrong side of the road (pictured) at least 22 times during the joyride

The GoPro footage was allegedly later posted online, grabbing the attention of local police

A 46-year-old Birtinya man was also charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and will appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on the same date as his fellow rider.

Police branded the riders’ alleged actions as disappointing, considering the high number of motorcyclists who have lost their lives on Queensland roads this year.

‘The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a popular place for riders, but what many fail to understand is that the winding roads can be extremely dangerous, especially travelling at high speed,’ highway patrol Senior Sergeant Shane Panoho said.

‘Riding at excessive speed and crossing double lines when you can’t clearly see oncoming traffic is reckless and puts other road users’ lives at risk as well.’

Two of the three riders charged will face Maroochydore Magistrates Court on August 22

Queensland Police shared the GoPro footage online on Tuesday, which attracted almost 50,000 views within several hours.

‘Glad they have been charged, they give a bad example for other riders. Truly a accident coming to these ones. Then their families are left with heartache,’ one woman commented.

A driving school added: ‘Those who defend this as harmless fun on back roads, need to update the rest of us on what laws apply and for who. Which rules do they think motorists can ignore and who gives them the right to choose.’

Many called for the riders’ bikes to be impounded. 

‘They put other road users at risk. Bikes should be confiscated and sold to help accident victims and they should be made to go to a hospital and see accident victims,’ one motorist commented.

One quipped: ‘Can we watch their bikes get crushed?’

Three motorcyclists were charged over the alleged joyride in the Sunshine Coast hinterland