Cheap motorbike travel has dangerous downside

Recent convert Katey Griffin says motorcycles are cheap, fun and convenient and she likes "the whole chick on a motorbike thing". Picture / Kenny Rodger

Despite already having had one accident on her new motorbike, 23-year-old Katey Griffin does not regret buying her 250cc Suzuki one bit.

Like many others, Ms Griffin has turned her back on cars to combat the soaring cost of petrol.

"The main reason I bought it is that it's really cheap to run. It costs about $10 to fill up and that generally lasts me about a week," said the office administrator from Kingsland.

"I was paying about $70 to fill up my car, so it's way cheaper."

The Herald reported yesterday that motorbike sales were rocketing to combat the increasing cost of fuel.

But Ms Griffin, who had never ridden a motorbike until her buy two months ago, admitted it could be dangerous: "When it's wet and there are lots of cars around it can be quite scary but it's cheap, lots of fun, easy to park, and I like the whole chick on a motorbike thing."

Ms Griffin, who bought the 1986 Suzuki from a friend for $500, had to sit a test to get her motorbike learner's licence. "I have fallen off recently though. It was a bit wet and I slid out because I was going too fast.

"You just need to be really aware of what's going on around you."

The only drawbacks of motorcycling were helmet hair and the cold.

Land Transport New Zealand yesterday urged motorcyclists to take extra care.

"When people on motorcycles crash they are more likely to be injured or killed than if they are in a car," said spokesman Andrew Knackstedt.

He urged motorcyclists to make themselves as visible as possible by wearing appropriate safety gear.

"We also want to remind drivers there are more motorcycles on the road now and they need to be aware they are not always easy to see."

Alan Price, of Colemans Suzuki in Newton, said sales of smaller models had risen significantly in the past eight months. "Each time petrol goes up, we sell more bikes to people who are sick of paying for petrol."

The biggest rise in sales had been in GN 250cc models, which sold for about $3500. "They do 28km to the litre, so to fill it up would cost about $17."

Scooter sales had also risen.

A Transport Ministry spokeswoman said trends governing motorcycle casualties were invariably linked to the number of registrations.

She said 19 motorcyclists had been killed this year, compared with 24 at the same time last year.

ON THEIR BIKES

2003: 6772 new motorcycle registrations, 761 injuries and 28 fatalities.

2004: 8869 new registrations, 721 injuries and 34 fatalities.

2005: 12,789 new registrations, 903 injuries and 36 fatalities.

Source: Ministry of Transport