An exclusive club?

[Hitcher]

And scooters. Don't forget scooters. Particularly the ones you only need a car licence to ride.

[SlowHand]

Someone needs to start making cheap bikes that last a year or two, buy it back, and revamp and sell again.

As for these Dam youngins! they have no respect!!!
I think the safety is a big concern - bikes dont really look safe now do they, but in saying that, its the dam cages that scare me on a mbike.

As for walking and caning, I got corporal punishment in Korea, and recently walked the length of Muriwai (over 50kms in a day and a half) - Im never doing it again! (well, for a year at least, it was kinda fun)

[Lou Girardin]

Here are some interesting statistics from the LTSA.

Last year (2004) there were 82,000 new full car licenses and 2,835 new full motorcycle licenses issued. In other words only 3.3% of new licenses issued were to motorcyclists!

You may think - so what! Well, it seems to me that if this ratio continues we can kiss goodbye to any hope of effectively lobbying for consideration of motorcyclist's opinions and rights. For example, there has already been talk of increasing the ACC levy on motorcyclists - are you happy to pay $500 or more per year to register your motorcycle?

Did we ever have an effective lobby group?

[ManDownUnder]

Did we ever have an effective lobby group?

Yup - met in the lobby a couple of times - then started meeting at the pub - much more convivial.

[Kornholio]

Wassat?... you need a license to ride a bike??

[SlowHand]

Those aprillia rs50's are funky, no bike licence needed etc. Wait! *brainwave! now I've heard that they can crack 100 with the right tinkering, so you can do OVER 70, without a bike licence, but I can't? - legally that is, I have no trouble getting it up

[Ixion]

Those aprillia rs50's are funky, no bike licence needed etc. Wait! *brainwave! now I've heard that they can crack 100 with the right tinkering, so you can do OVER 70, without a bike licence, but I can't? - legally that is, I have no trouble getting it up

Absurd but correct. On your L motorbike licence you are restricted to 70kph. The person riding the 50cc on a car LEARNER licence is permitted to do 100kph. First day on it. First day ever in control of a powered vehicle. Explain that one Mr KnickKnackers.

[Korea]

Yes, we're heavily out-numbered, and it IS a numbers game:
1980's, 1990's 250's being sold for $3k+ crazy!
New riders have to start out on bikes that are older than they are and pay more than some tricked-out Jap-import sports car. No wonder the younger generation is driving.

The new offerings from Hyosung are cheap and classy for the beginner:
http://www.hyosungmotors.com.au/ROADBIKES.html

Whatdayathink?

[erik]

Yes, we're heavily out-numbered, and it IS a numbers game:
1980's, 1990's 250's being sold for $3k+ crazy!
New riders have to start out on bikes that are older than they are and pay more than some tricked-out Jap-import sports car. No wonder the younger generation is driving.

The new offerings from Hyosung are cheap and classy for the beginner:
http://www.hyosungmotors.com.au/ROADBIKES.html

Whatdayathink?

Roller bearing camshafts on the GT250R and GT250!? Cool! I know my Zeal hasn't got those.

What is desparately needed (apart from blowing up the LTSA) is CHEAPER BIKES.

I reckon we'd benefit more from LESS CHEAP CARS
That would possibly slow the increase in numbers of cars on the road and make motorcycles more attractive.

[Eurodave]

I reckon we'd benefit more from LESS CHEAP CARS
That would possibly slow the increase in numbers of cars on the road and make motorcycles more attractive.

'kin oath, no more of this $1 down & 4 years to pay bullshit!!!

[Pixie]

Bet they didn't walk to school in bare feet either,learn the intricacies of the fountain pen,or take the cane across their arse like a man.When learning to ride also meant learning how to start your bike....by the light of the silvery moon,under the old oak tree and crying in the rain.When ''going home'' after work was not a solid statement of fact.Bikes go into the ''too hard'' basket....too ''real''.

Weak little PS2,metrosexual wankers
Probably green voters as well

[zadok]

Excellent ideas there guys:
Riding scooters on car licence
Don't upgrade from 250cc limit
Shrinking rural population (riders)
Soft
Cars cool and cheaper
Expensive bikes

A nation of soft city dwellers! What % of the population live in Auckland now? 33%?

[Macktheknife]

Be interesting to see the stats for this year and next, as a consequence of ever increasing fuel costs.

There was apparently a 46% increase in motorcycle sales in the last 3 months, I wonder why? Mostly in the sale of 200cc or less. So I heard from a mate of mine in the business anyway, BTW those are national figures.

[Phenoix]

Yes, we're heavily out-numbered, and it IS a numbers game:
1980's, 1990's 250's being sold for $3k+ crazy!
New riders have to start out on bikes that are older than they are and pay more than some tricked-out Jap-import sports car. No wonder the younger generation is driving.

The new offerings from Hyosung are cheap and classy for the beginner:
http://www.hyosungmotors.com.au/ROADBIKES.html

Whatdayathink?

Speaking from the young generation, once you get your nice cheap jap car, You still need to lower it, tint the windows, put in a stero system worth more than the car. Otherwises your just not cool.
After spending all this money, you need to make shure its locked up tight.
And what could look better than a nice new ZXR one one wheel down queen st anyways

[SPman]

And what could look better than a nice new ZXR one one wheel down queen st anyways

If its down Queen St, probably a nice new ZXR shoved up the arse of a youffs lowered, tinted, sound pulsing, cheap jap car!