NZ BBQ biker comes a cropper in court

Kiwi scavenger Michael Wiles was fined A$800 in the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday and lost his licence for a month. Photo / Supplied

A New Zealand man caught riding his motorbike along Melbourne's Eastern Freeway with a barbecue strapped to his body was fined A$800 ($1008) yesterday and lost his licence for a month.

The Melbourne Magistrates court was told Michael Wiles, 29, spotted the barbecue where it had been left for a rubbish collection and decided to pick it up and take it home, the Melbourne Age reported.

He threaded his body through the barbecue's frame before setting off on the freeway on January 27, 2008, reaching speeds of up to 75km/h.

But the bargain hunt came unstuck when a stunned passer-by took a photograph, which was published in the news media and led to Wiles' identity being revealed and a visit from the police.

Magistrate Lionel Winton-Smith told Wiles he had never encountered a case such as this in all his years as a magistrate.

"I have seen people with perhaps bits of wood sticking out of the car, but a barbecue?" Mr Winton-Smith said.

He settled on describing the case as "ridiculous".

Wiles' lawyer, Paul McClure, said the incident was completely out of character for his client, who had migrated from New Zealand five months before the event.

Mr McClure told the court there had been a further setback as the barbecue turned out to be "a dud".

"That's probably why it was on the side of the road."

- NZPA