POLICE have pledged to continue their hard line against "irresponsible and anti-social" motorcyclists on North Yorkshire's roads.

Roads misused by riders will be targeted by police and any "extreme speeders" - those caught exceeding any speed limit by 30mph - will be fast-tracked to court.

Reckless riders can lose their licences within days of being caught.

But Road Policing Inspector Chris Charlton warned it's not just motorcyclists who risk prosecution.

He said: "No-one should think that we are ignoring other dangerous road-users - we catch more drivers than riders at these high speeds and we take a dim view of their irresponsibility too.

"North Yorkshire Police are well aware that not all serious motorcycle accidents are the fault of riders, and we guarantee to come down hard on any road user who is jeopardising someone else's life."

As the motorcycle leisure-riding season gets under way, the force is promising a repeat of last year's hard line against risk-takers.

Police halved the number of riders killed on the county's roads last year with the support of North Yorkshire's 95 Alive campaign.

Insp Charlton added: "Five riders have been killed this year, a horrendous start to 2007. All road-users have to take responsibility for their actions, and no one more than motorcyclists, who are so very vulnerable.

Research shows 50 per cent of all crashes involving motorcycles in North Yorkshire involve the bike losing control on a bend and either hitting another vehicle or a fixed object - like a tree or stone wall.

Insp Charlton: "I am not saying these accidents are always down to speed - but they are very often the consequence of inappropriate speed for the prevailing road, weather or traffic conditions.

"We say that riders have to take responsibility for the way they ride."

He said advancing technology made it easier for the police to catch and trace speeders and other dangerous riders and drivers, and they would use every available means to prevent casualties.

Bike deaths in North Yorkshire in 2007

BIKER deaths on the roads of North Yorkshire in 2007:March 25 - A 33-year-old man from Stockton-on-Tees was killed when his white Suzuki GSXR 1,000cc bike collided with a silver Peugeot 106 on the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley Road.

March 11 - A 30-year-old biker from York was killed in a smash involving four vehicles on the A64 at the junction with the A1039 at Staxton, near Scarborough.

March 7 - A 47-year-old biker from Stokesley died on the B1257, two miles south of Chop Gate, when his Triumph motorcycle collided with a car.

February 3 - A 42-year-old man from Leeds was killed when he lost control of his Yamaha R1 on the B6451 at Darley and hit a wall.

January 14 - A 39-year old man from East Yorkshire was the first motorcyclist to die on North Yorkshire's roads this year when his bike was in a head-on smash with two cars on the A170, between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering.