Who's rich then?

**kerfufflez** · 10th June 2007, 14:55

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4090379a10.html

I liked the comment about the 250% attention span.

**Brian d marge** · 10th June 2007, 15:01

Yup I want one of those 1500 cc motorbyscooters with 4 ( count em ) 4 speeds

Stephen

**Big Dave** · 10th June 2007, 15:02

"bought his 1500cc four-speed motorscooter"

Got me.

**Toaster** · 10th June 2007, 15:06

If only I had a porsche AND big bike AND scooter! Nice for some.

**Steam** · 10th June 2007, 15:55

Rich drivers switch to scooters
Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 10 June 2007

Motorists are turning to two-wheeled transport because of rising fuel prices, traffic congestion - and a desire to be fashionable.

More than 17,000 mopeds and motorcycles were registered in New Zealand last year - a 65 per cent jump on 2004 figures. Over that same period, the price of regular petrol rose 35 per cent and diesel prices went up 48 per cent. Auckland had more bikes registered than any other region last year (7565) followed by Canterbury (2773), Wellington (2113) and Waikato (1546).

Sales manager Miles Allpress, who works at Retro Scooter in Auckland, says the rise is partly due to a bigger range of cheaper brands, many from China.

Vespa shop owner Goetz Neugebauer says students used to push sales, but the typical customer is now a high-earning professional in their late 20s to mid-40s.

"The people who come to me have got a Porsche or a big motorbike and use the Vespa for town."

Aucklander Kristian Larsen, 50, bought his 1500cc(?????WTF?? I want one of those!!) four-speed motorscooter three years ago when he moved to the inner city. He is a "dry weather scooter rider" and drives a car on rainy days. It costs $7 to fill up the scooter's tank, which takes him 250km.

"It's absolutely fantastic for commuting or doing anything in the central city because you can park it anywhere and manoeuvre it in places that you couldn't do a car."

It reaches speeds of 110km/h and can be ridden on motorways. He has avoided major accidents, although he has had "a couple of altercations" with other drivers.

"It does tend to sharpen one's survival instincts. Your attention span has to be 250 per cent."

The price of 91 octane petrol peaked at $1.76 a litre in July and August last year and has been fluctuating since then - prices reached $1.60 last week.

**boostin** · 10th June 2007, 16:37

Originally Posted by Steam

Rich drivers switch to scooters

"It does tend to sharpen one's survival instincts. Your attention span has to be 250 per cent."

I like my attention span to be around 800% when on my bike. It can be hard when I have 1.5 brain cells, to operate my 1500cc motorwhatsit, only on dry days though.

**Toaster** · 10th June 2007, 16:54

Can anyone tell me what the heck a 1500cc motorscooter is?! (apart from the obvious answer... a large motorbike).

**boostin** · 10th June 2007, 16:57

Most likely a 1000cc typo...or an extra 0 typo...you get the idea

**Toaster** · 10th June 2007, 16:57

On petrol prices.... the crude price is down, the exchange rate up, why is it we are paying a fortune for our petrol? Ridiculous profits I assume. Just like utility (power, phone) and insurance companies.

The cost of living is getting ridiculous. Especially with crippling mortgage rates cutting my burger budget out.