It’s time for SA to embrace the motorcycle: AMID
With the Covid-19 pandemic’s devastating effect on the economy, it may be a perfect time for consumers to look at motorcycling as a solution to not only their transport requirements, but also to take some load off their financial problems
So says Arnold Olivier, national director of the Association of Motorcycle Importers and Distributors (AMID), commenting on the increased number of consumers searching for lower priced vehicles as the country eases out of lockdown.
The motorcycle industry fully opened for business, along with the rest of the automobile industry, on June 1, subject to all the required health precautions.
Olivier says economical and reliable motorcycles and scooters are available from as little as R15,000. For a sum of R20,000 it is quite feasible for someone to equip themselves with a brand new scooter, helmet, jacket and gloves and have money to spare for a training course.
“The R40,000 to R90,000 price bracket offers a number of sub 500cc motorcycles and scooters that will easily commute at freeway speeds economically. These units generally have a two-year unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty and are from reputable brands such as BMW, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Kymco, Suzuki, SYM and Yamaha.”
As an example of fuel savings that can be made by motorcycling, Olivier quoted an example of a person living 15km from work, using a vehicle with a fuel consumption of 10l/100km, will result in an annual fuel cost of about R21,000.
“A small capacity motorcycle or scooter using roughly 3l/100km will have an annual fuel cost of R3,500. The saving in fuel alone will easily take care of maintenance and insurance and also have the added benefit that the motorcycle will pay for itself over a two-year period.”
He says that with interest rates having been lowered recently, motorcycle dealerships are offering attractive finance options that are available through various finance houses nationwide.
Olivier also made a case for motorcycles in terms of time saving.
“That typical 15km journey will probably take between 45 minutes to an hour in peak hour traffic in a car, but 20 minutes max on a motorcycle. That is a minimum time saving of one hour per day and equates to roughly 250 hours per annum.”
Addressing the perception of motorcycles being dangerous, Olivier said riders can manage the risks more easily than most people realise.
“Undergoing basic training is the first step. Correct and appropriate safety gear is the second. However, the biggest contributor to safety is the attitude of the rider relative to other road users and conditions.”
A rider who rides in a manner believing that everyone should see them, with an aggressive attitude, is a big danger to him or herself. A rider taking appropriate preventive measures will find a completely different world out there, he says.