Bike sales up 50% this year?

[steved]

I read this on Stuff and without paying money to LTSA, does anyone know how I can confirm the numbers of bike registrations. They'll tell you for free how many people died on the roads this week, but you have to pay to find out how many cars/bikes there are.

If true, yippee! Nothing like economic decisions to get people onto two wheels.

[Lou Girardin]

I'd guess that most are scooters.
Still, the more 2 wheelers out there the better.
It cuts down the individual odds.

[bungbung]

I read an article on stuff, could be the same one. The reference was to bicycle sales, and referred to comments made by bicycle shop owners.

[Gforce]

the fuel is going up crazy....

[steved]

I read an article on stuff, could be the same one. The reference was to bicycle sales, and referred to comments made by bicycle shop owners.

I think it was a different article bungbung.

Car sales slump as fuel price soars
04 May 2006
By ADRIAN BATHGATE

After defying spiralling petrol prices for the first three months of the year, car sales slumped well below 2005 levels during April.

There were 5109 new cars registered in April, 7 per cent down on the same month last year. Used imports took an even bigger hit, dropping 24 per cent to 9805.

April saw petrol prices hit record highs, with the price cracking $1.70 a litre for the first time last week. Petrol finished the month 14 cents a litre higher.

Sales figures for new cars for the four months of 2006 show large car sales are down 10 per cent, while smaller cars are up 22 per cent. Sales of four-wheel-drives are down 1 per cent, but have been buoyed by the introduction of more fuel-efficient models.

New car sales for the four months to April were 24,482, still 4 per cent ahead of last year.

Industry commentators have attributed the strong start to 2006 to consumers bringing forward their car buying plans, either to beat price rises as the dollar falls, or to move to a more fuel-efficient model.

Mr Kerr said prices had begun to rise in response to the Kiwi dollar.

People are still trading four wheels for two, with motorcycle sales up 50 per cent in the first four months of 2006 compared with 2005.

Mr Cuming said Kiwi motorists were looking at their motoring habits more than ever before because of rising petrol prices, vehicle emissions and climate change. "People are very aware of the cost of motoring now."

[SPman]

Nothing like petrol going up to sway people away from the dark side......

[madboy]

You could try trawling www.stats.govt.nz. I know they have new cars, or maybe it's new vehicles? I'm not sure if they have bikes, but it's worth a shot anyway.

[onearmedbandit]

I get industry based newsletters quarterly that tell me all the figures nationally and by region, new and used cars and bikes. Must be due for another soon, if I find it I'll let you know.

[Jonty]

I'd guess that most are scooters.
Still, the more 2 wheelers out there the better.
It cuts down the individual odds.

I think you're right. Went in to look for a scooter for my GF last week at the shop and we had to put her bloody name down and then there maybe one available in 4 weeks!!!

So if anyone has a scooter they can sell me please let me know PM

[steved]

I get industry based newsletters quarterly that tell me all the figures nationally and by region, new and used cars and bikes. Must be due for another soon, if I find it I'll let you know.

Cheers OAB. I'm interested.

[rogson]

Try contacting Keely Gibson at LTNZ (email: Keely.Gibson@landtransport.govt.nz). She sent me some licensing info a few months back that gave new and renewal licenses by age and by license class. She may also have new registration info that lists motorcycles and mopeds separately (since they are different classes of vehicle). If not, I suspect she will know if it is publicly available and where.

[dawnrazor]

was only talking with someone about this the other day. If it keeps growning at that rate its only a couple of years before bus lanes will be for cars and the rest of the road will be for bikes.

Scooter shops must be cranking it in.

[Dutchee]

If you can't see there's more bikes out there, you should be in a cage. When we went to work last Friday (in the van), I saw at least half a dozen bikes (somewhere between 6.30am & 7am) - on days like that (crappy) it's been unusual to see another bike in the past.
Bus lanes for cars only - sounds good to me, still too many of those damn things out there.
Good thing about more bikes is if fuel ever drops again & less bikes on the road, more drivers will be aware of the vulnerability of bikes & their riders. Win/win situation in my books.