The top "dash roll" and steering wheel would be padded for occupant safety. I am sure it is not an airbag steering wheel, that would be just too expensive. The low "windscreen" would be because any windscreen that you can not see over would have to have wipers. Strictly speaking this would be a requirement for Germany too. Moto Guzzi made a special low windscreen that was fitted to the California for the German market.

The mirrors were no doubt chosen because they "comply" with ADR (Australian Design Rule) regulations. It is a bit of stupidity of the rule makers that they do not automatically accept European or British standards and, just like in Europe the mirrors must be stamped with approval numbers. Most likely the exhaust system has to be stamped with Australian approval numbers too, as well as the output decibels and the model for which it has been approved. The sane sort of thing applys to brake lines too - they must be branded with Australian compliance marks.

Come the revolution the first against the wall should be the bureaucratic, pedantic, regulation makers.

Peter

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