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Thread ID: 90596	2008-06-09 04:48:00	Buying a scooter as a cost cutter good or not good idea?	Morpheus1 (186)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
676724	2008-06-11 07:21:00	If it were me I'd buy a 20 year old 400cc bike.....or a 10 year old 750cc..... How bout a 15 year old 1200. Actually it uses as much fuel as my wifes 1500cc car but boy does she have great roll on acceleration (the bike that is :p ). Pulls like a 14 year old... err... um... You can buy a second hand scooter off Trade something for $1000 and second hand gear (new helmet though). You can't carry much and you are exposed to the weather but for some commuters, its great. No (or little) parking costs as well especially in the big smoke.	dolby digital (5073)
676725	2008-06-11 22:34:00	They showed this on TV the other day, girl said it used to be $6 a week to fill up, now its $7. Husband suggested I get one. Hah. Back roads, 100km speed limit, in black ice and below zero temps with logging trucks powering up my behind. I don't think so...............	pctek (84)
676726	2008-06-11 22:47:00	And I thought you Mainlanders were TOUGH, pctek!! :D "It's a hard road to find the perfect transport"	johcar (6283)
676727	2008-06-11 23:35:00	Motorcyclists (and also motor scooter riders) are people who have had an accident, are having an accident or will have an accident . Include in your costings accidental injury and income protection insurance for when you are hopefully recovering from the inevitable accident. Its dead easy to come off on a wet greasy road, if you have to brake suddenly or swerve in an emergency, and motorists don't seem to give a stuff about riders. " I didn't see him your honour"	KenESmith (6287)
676728	2008-06-12 03:30:00	And I thought you Mainlanders were TOUGH, pctek!! :D Drivel. That stupid Speights ad, with the 2 guys? Ones an Aussie and the others from Auckland. I've never met so many people that complain about the cold as down here.	pctek (84)
676729	2008-06-12 04:52:00	Quick rough cost calculation: The best a scooter would do on petrol would be 40 km per litre. Thats my guess since some motorcycles get near 30 km per litre. To go 4000 km, it would take 100 litres, costing $200 at $2 per litre. The best an economical car would get would be 20 km per litre - probably less but I'll keep the maths simple. For this car to go 4000 km it would take 200 litres or $400. If I did this correctly, a scooter only saves $200 every 4000 km. Most cars would be less efficient, probably costing $500 - $600 per 4000 km, so the savings would be greater. It all depends how much the scooter would be used in a year, the more km's, the greater the savings.	Strommer (42)
676730	2008-06-12 05:02:00	It all depends how much the scooter would be used in a year, the more km's, the greater the savings. Only if you assume people are taking their mopeds long distance. As soon as you factor maintenance, parking, and WOF, then bikes start to look good. Especially when you can cruise past stationary traffic. The downside is the cold though... as you well know.	Thebananamonkey (7741)
676731	2008-06-12 06:31:00	Only if you assume people are taking their mopeds long distance . Yes, thats my point . In other words, if someone gets a moped or scooter to save $$ on fuel, and they don't do many km's, they will not save much unless parking in a big city is considered . When WOF, registration and gear is included, it does make a scooter not so economical if its not used for a lot of km's . Sure, the fun factor, and ease + cheap parking, and filtering through traffic jams can all add up making a scooter beneficial, but if only looking at $$ running costs it can be different .	Strommer (42)
676732	2008-06-12 07:03:00	What I meant was that maintenance on a 50cc is going to be less frequent (less things to go wrong), and cheaper too. WOF's aren't needed, so you don't need to worry about them. If you're just on a 50cc, then all you need is gloves, a helmet, and an ok jacket. So gear isn't that much of a consideration. The only reason to get a scooter, as I see it, is if you do live in a city. They're just easier than cars. Colder, and scarier though. And financially, they do make more sense. My sister spends ~$5-7 a week on petrol, and she goes everywhere on it. Show me a commuter that gets anywhere near that.	Thebananamonkey (7741)
676733	2008-06-12 11:42:00	Well if you don't have to far to go perhaps you could do two things at once and work only as hard as you want too..... http://www.electricbikes.co.nz/ or if you want to go further and still want to be seen as looking after the planet..... www.efun-ev.com Cost... oh I dunno... a cent a kilometre plus battery replacement costs every couple of years or so that they last for. Of course this is simplistic as you'll have to factor in buying cost over what you may get back as a resale plus any other factors such rego etc. But they do have the advantage of easy start and quiet running!	Robinz (9362)
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