Motorbike rider John Hogarth died after losing control on poorly repaired section of Western Freeway near Ballan

An experienced motorbike rider was killed when he lost control of his Harley-Davidson on the Western Freeway after hitting a patch of bumps caused by dodgy repairs.

An experienced motorbike rider died when he lost control over a bumpy patchwork of bad repairs on the Western Freeway at Ballan, a coroner has found.

John Hogarth, 59, of Glen Waverley, died in March last year after falling from his Harley-Davidson while out riding with a mate.

Coroner Simon McGregor on Tuesday found Mr Hogarth’s death came after he hit a section of the Western Freeway outside Ballan that was in “poor condition”.

Mr Hogarth was a highly experienced motorbike rider who had never had a speeding ticket in the past 24 years of riding, and whose 2008 Harley-Davidson was immaculately maintained.

Mr Hogarth’s riding mate, Peter Burns saw his bike begin to wobble violently in the moments before the fatal crash, and a subsequent police investigation showed a patchwork of “previous repair bumps amid smooth patches” where Mr Hogarth lost control.

Mr McGregor said, “the most likely scenario, from a combination of the observed driver behaviour and the documented road conditions, is that John lost his balance after riding over one of these asphalt bumps.”

“Having considered all of the evidence, I am satisfied that John lost control of his motorcycle after riding over the asphalt bumps on the freeway surface.”

John David Hogarth, 59, died in a motorbike crash caused by a bumpy patchwork of poor road repairs on the Western Freeway at Ballan in 2024, a coroner has found. Picture: Supplied

The road was subsequently repaired properly.

The probe into Mr Hogarth’s death ruled out virtually all other potential causes for the crash.

The weather was clear and the Western Freeway was dry, and an inspection of Mr Hogarth’s motorbike found nothing that could have contributed to the crash.

Mr McGregor also ruled there was “not sufficient evidence to establish that any of the riders were exceeding the speed limit at any stage”.

The coronial findings come amid ongoing anger about the poor state of regional roads, with a 2024 RACV survey identifying potholes and poor road conditions as the biggest safety issues on country roads.

Department of Transport and Planning data released late last year revealed maintenance of the state’s crumbling road network had fallen to record lows, with just $37.6m spent on road resurfacing in 2023-2024 compared to $201.4m the year prior.

And authorities have reduced speed limits on almost 500km of roads due to the state of disrepair they have fallen into.

The state government in October last year announced a $675m road maintenance “blitz”.

In a moving tribute to Mr Hogarth, his sister Ruth said, “the family have been devastated in losing their brother and uncle … we’ll never recover.”

“How amazing are the friends you had in your life.”

Mr Hogarth was survived by his partner Quyen, six of his eight siblings, and nine nieces and nephews.