Australia’s postal service isn’t changing the scales on its counters, but it has loosened its weight limits for motorcycle staff as it faces a shortage of slender recruits in an increasingly heavy population.

Australia Post lifted the maximum weight for letter carriers who ride its 110 cc motorbikes from the previous 198 pounds to 231 pounds.

Postal service spokesman Scott McIntyre said Tuesday the change was made solely because the motorbikes’ manufacturer, Honda, advised that they could handle the extra weight without “any significant effects on the stability, handling or safety.”

McIntyre said the maximum amount of mail carried on the motorbikes would remain unchanged at 55 pounds.

But a postal union representative, Michael Etue, said Australia Post had struggled to find recruits who weighed less than 198 pounds.

“We’re getting a lot of women riding and Asian people _ who are a lot lighter (than average Australians) _ but Australia Post cannot meet the demand,” said Etue, branch organizer of the Communications Electrical Plumbing Union.

Etue said he feared the change would lead to dangerous overloading of underpowered bikes.