How many motorcycle riders?

[Mom]

As the title suggests, how many motorcycle riders are there in NZ?

The reason for asking is I was also one of the lucky receipients of the Ride Forever DVD, that ACC are handing out in conjunction with local councils.

The very lovely Carolyn Taylor is the presenter, and the first thing she says in the opening minutes of the DVD is that there are over 450,000 motorcyclists on the road in New Zealand. How many?

Seems like there is a lot of us out there. I have checked the landtransport web site for some information to back up this claim and got the following registration figures.

In 2007 (the latest year the statistics are available for) there were 65,658 Licensed Motorcycles in New Zealand according to this table;

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/sta.../table-31.html

This one by type and age - shows 122,840 motorcycles and mopeds

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/sta.../table-30.html

Obviously to be on the road, your bike should be registered, so there appears to be a heck of a lot of riders sharing bikes.

Then I think, maybe they got their statistics from the number of Class 6 licenses held. Try as I might I could not find that information so I rang the 0800 number to ask. Apparently those details are not available on the web, and have to be requested in writting. It takes 4-10 days to get an answer back. I have written to ask for the information.

So, is there over 450,000 motorcyclists on the road in New Zealand?

[Blackshear]

I thought we made up 2%?

[MarkH]

Then I think, maybe they got their statistics from the number of Class 6 licenses held.

So, is there over 450,000 motorcyclists on the road in New Zealand?

I think you are right. For about 20 years I had a Class 6 license, but was driving a car. Actually I have Class 1, 2, 4 & 6 - now I am selling my car and I have only driven a truck once over the last decade. I don't think the number of people with a particular class of license really tells you how many are on the road in that type of vehicle.

[xxcbr69xx]

I wonder how many of that 450,000 (if true) are farm bikes and quads.

[Mom]

I wonder how many of that 450,000 (if true) are farm bikes and quads.

Sure a valid point, but...

The words are quite clear in the script, she definately says "there are over 450,000 motorcyclists on the road in NZ" (my emphasis obviously).

Yes there are many off road motorcycles that wont figure in the registration statistics, that is why I am thinking license statistics must be the source. But what an interesting number. Using this figure, perhaps motorcyclists are not the absolute, tiny minority as some may think?

[glice]

Thats more than I would have guessed. It must be the licences. I know afew people who have them but have just about never ridden a bike.

[Ocean1]

perhaps motorcyclists are not the absolute, tiny minority as some may think?

This is a democracy m'dear, given the appropriate tweaks a 49.9% minority is effectively as tiny as 4.99%.

And expecting information from different official sources to agree is futile, the data's been collected and massaged to produce support for the above tweaks, but for different "markets".

[Mom]

This is a democracy m'dear, given the appropriate tweaks a 49.9% minority is effectively as tiny as 4.99%.

And expecting information from different official sources to agree is futile, the data's been collected and massaged to produce support for the above tweaks, but for different "markets".

Sure I hear you loud and clear, but what if this figure is the accepted number of motorcyclists in NZ. Not a bad effort really, we should get a voice. Surely one officaial department, ACC, well they were the ones that gave me the DVD stating that figure anyway, can not use that figure, and another one not? Who says we cant massage the figures too, basing ourselves with a starting point of 450,000?

[glice]

Where did you get the DVD?

[Ocean1]

Who says we cant massage the figures too, basing ourselves with a starting point of 450,000?

'Cause "WE" ain't a coherent loby group, let alone an organised institution.

Change that first, then you get to play politics.

[Hitcher]

Where did you get the DVD?

It comes with a sausage/chocolate bar at an ACC roadblock coming soon to a town near you.

[Ragingrob]

I thought that dvd was pretty average... Some of their comments seemed way too like old fashioned, and the 2/3 riders were absolute shit! The "amateur" having ridden for 2 years or whatever apparently, and he couldn't even go around a corner.

[piston broke]

maybe thats the amount of registered bikes,
i've been known to have 3 at a time

[1billyboy]

I thought we made up 2%?

For years I was one of the 1%. Back in the last century (sixtys) I was called a tempory New Zealander but I am still here.

[Mom]

'Cause "WE" ain't a coherent loby group, let alone an organised institution.

Change that first, then you get to play politics.

Who said anything about playing politics? I am genuinely interested to find out how many motorcyclists we have on the road in NZ. You were the one talking about massaging figures, I played along. Serious question here. How many motorcyclists are on the road in NZ? Do you think there are 450,000? If not, why not? If so, why so?