Are there more bikes around here?

[Grub]

Do you get the feeling that we are seeing more bikes all the time? For ages I thought it was just that now I'm riding one I'm noticing them more. Not so, there's more out there.

Registrations of new motorcycles over 60cc have gone up by more than 15% every year since 2001 ...

Year Sales ..%..
2000 3,598 -6.52
2001 3,575 -0.64
2002 4,118 +15.19
2003 4,967 +20.62
2004 6,341 +27.66
2005 7,654 +20.71
2006 9,596 +25.37

The total fleet is growing at the same rate so it's not just new bikes coming in to replace crashed or otherwise dead units. These are the total fleet numbers

Year Bikes
2004 72,699
2005 76,895
2006 83,904

OK ... how do we stack up against cars?

Year Cars ....... Bikes %
2004 2,525,401 2.8%
2005 2,622,357 2.9%
2006 2,702,485 3.1%

So there's a higher proportion of bikes to cars in the NZ fleet so there is a change in the mix of the fleet. It's not quite as good as the heydays of biking in NZ./ Here's some interesting sales of new motorcycles stats ...

Year Sales ..%..
1970 5,529 +136.89
1971 12,881 +132.97
1972 14,763 +14.61
1973 25,760 +74.49
1979 21,558 +48.45
1980 29,957 +38.96
1981 24,571 -17.98

Don't despair though, part of the reason for the resurgence of bike sales may be that all those teens from back then are now in their 40s and 50s with disposable income and no kids at home to hold them back.

[James Deuce]

The majority of them will be 50cc scooters.

[skidMark]

but most of those will be scooters because of tihht asrses that wanna fight petrol costs.....

cant exactly take a 50cc scooter out for a ride in the country....

[Grub]

The majority of them will be 50cc scooters.

Nope, no cigar. Have altered the original post .... the stats are for motorcycles >60cc

[James Deuce]

You tease!

[Grahameeboy]

We are being stalked I say

[JimO]

i think you will find there are a lot of born again bikers about and as there are more bikes on the road there will be more born agains tempted back into riding

[Grub]

Just another stat (yep I woke early) there are over 9,000 KB members divided by the number of registered bikes makes our membership 11.08%.

Not bad Spank

[Blackbird]

cant exactly take a 50cc scooter out for a ride in the country....

That's just a mindset! When I had my first bike at 16, a Suzuki 50; I covered huge distances all over the country. It was freedom to go where I wanted, when I wanted and speed was irrelevant. Let's not forget the Suzuki 50 which successfully completed the 2003 Southen Cross either.

[skidMark]

That's just a mindset! When I had my first bike at 16, a Suzuki 50; I covered huge distances all over the country. It was freedom to go where I wanted, when I wanted and speed was irrelevant. Let's not forget the Suzuki 50 which successfully completed the 2003 Southen Cross either.

yeah but scooters are sooooo

gay?

[Blackbird]

yeah but scooters are sooooo

gay?

Probably great fun as long as your mates don't see you

[more_fasterer]

but most of those will be scooters because of tihht asrses that wanna fight petrol costs.....

Were you drunk when you wrote that?


Grub, I've been wondering the same thing. Wasn't sure if it was me being more observant of all 2-wheeled traffic or not. And who cares if they're on a scooter? At least they're not in a holden or urban assault vehicle.