Several hundred motorcyclists cruised at a snail's pace from Montreal to Trois-Rivi�res along Highway 40 Saturday in protest of licence fee hikes as high as 340 percent.

The protest ride, which started at 1 p.m. at Industriel Blvd. and Fran�ois-Bricault St. in Montreal East and ends in Trois-Rivi�res, was the seventh in a series of protests against rate increases instituted by the SAAQ.

Riders cruised the Trans-Canada at 60 kilometres per hour and expect to arrive in the Mauricie-area town by 3:30 p.m.

Motorcyclists pay disproportionately high costs for licences, said officials from Operation Escargot, the group organizing the event.