Scooter sales jump as buyers pawn TVs, laptops for cheap transport

At scooterhire.co.nz you don't have to pawn your flat screen TV to ride a scooter! Summer is here and it is a fantastic time to ride a scooter. Check out our "Sizzling Summer Sale" on our website www.scooterhire.co.nz.

By Mark Hinchliffe
The Courier Mail
January 13, 2009

MOTORISTS desperate to survive tough economic times are pawning laptops, furniture and television sets to buy scooters for cheap transport.

Scooter sales rocketed 7.6 per cent last year, helping the two-wheeled market to a record 3.2 per cent increase, according to figures released yesterday by the Federal Chamber of Austomotive Industries.

Car, van and truck sales dropped 3.6 per cent.

Major Brisbane scooter dealer Joe D'Ercole said he expected sales to continue rising, The Courier-Mail reports.

"The whole reason Vespa exists is that after World War II there was a credit crisis, mortgage issues and high fuel costs just like today," he said.

"The main problem is that people can't get credit to buy a $2500 scooter. People are even selling off household items just to buy one.

"I had one guy trying to sell his big flat screen TV because they had two of them. The trouble is, what's a second-hand TV worth?"

FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar said the drop in fuel prices below $1 a litre would not slow the scooter or low-capacity motorcycle market.

"With the sort of economic challenges around, people will still be looking at those sorts of economic alternatives," he said.

Piaggio scooter brand manager Simon Gloyne said the factors that drove scooter growth in the past six years remained.

Source: Click HERE

Who hires scooters?

At scooterhire.co.nz, we are traditionally quiet at this time of year, however people are still hiring scooters from us. We are often asked, "what type of market do you attract"...well, there doesn't seem to be one particular group of people that hires scooters.

Last week we had a backpacker in his early 20s from the UK hire a scooter for 24 hours. He wanted to explore the East Coast and in particular wanted to visit Tokomaru Bay, 90 km up the Coast. We suggested that he should take a short blast up the coast to Wainui that was only 5 km up the Coast and return to explore the fantastic local scenery. Our intrepid explorer was determined, so thats what he did. I bet the Coasties are still talking about the mad pom on a scooter!

We recently had a thirty something couple hire two 2-seater scooters for the day. On a fine Gisborne winter day, they arrived early morning, with their pre-schooler and slightly older boy that were wearing their own helmets. As a family, they spent the day zipping around Gisborne, visiting relatives, a cafe for lunch and sightseeing. They came back buzzing and booked again for a fortnight.

A few weeks ago, we hired a scooter to a lady of mature years that had flown into Gisborne to visit a sick relative. After several days, she felt that she needed to break out and explore Gisborne. The weather was atrocious and she came in during a brief fine spell to hire a scooter for several days. We warned her about the unfavorable forecast, but this did not deter her. Several days later she returned as scheduled with a huge smile on her face. She had taken the scooter out at every opportunity between showers and had a blast!

Just goes to show that scooters transcend all market groups!

Scooterhire.co.nz Review

Hey, this is kind of cool! Unaccustomed to bragging as we are...we found the following review of our services when surfing the web checking out our web-cred. I can remember this couple as they stayed at our motel and their car was never used over the several days that they stayed. Can also remember taking a photo - If you are out there please feel free to send us a copy!

"Gisborne by scooter!" by Val (from Hamilton)

April 2007 - My boyfriend and I had a long weekend last April and stayed at Teal Motor Lodge. It was a relaxing time with fantastic weather, great restaurants and magnificent accommodation. What was the highlight? – well… the motel had some cool scooters to hire from “sooterhire”. We had never ridden scooters before and we thought what the heck! This was the most fun over a weekend that we have ever had! We parked up the car and never used it. We went to heaps of cafes the beaches and a ride out to some bush domain just out of Gisborne (forget the name??) What a hoot! If you go to Gisborne would recommend that you hire a scooter from this awesome company – I guarantee you will have a smile for days after!

http://www.reviewblue.com/NewZealand/NorthIsland/GisborneArea/GisborneNZ/BusinessReviews/29-3699-2.html

Why Are Scooters So Popular?

Sure, the "petrol prices" are assisting the boom in scooter sales, but there are many other reasons:

• The lower price of scooters
• The ease of use
• The freedom
• The rediscovery of youth
• "Free" and easy parking
• They are a babe magnet (it's true!)
• The environmental benefits?
  
• We think it's just because they are FUN and COOL!

...but is there another reason??

Because us folk at scooterhire.co.nz do the hard work for you, we are happy to share with a selected few a more compelling reason why scooters are becoming sooo popular:



For those that are interested, the "model" in the video is a V-Moto Milan and is available from scooterhire.co.nz by the hour!