Free tolling, better finances and lower taxes on many motorcycles are given as credible reasons why Norwegians buy motorcycles like never before.
According to figures Dagens Næringsliv newspaper has collected from Statistics Norway (SSB), at year-end, 166,000 heavy and 27,000 light motorcycles
were registered in Norway, an increase of around 26 and 25% in five years.
Arve Lønnum in the Motorcyclists’ Association believes it’ll be a record in 2019.
‘’Even now, before March is gone, it looks incredibly good. This applies to both the sale of lighter motorcycles, which are far above normal, and the
sale of the heavy motorcycles, which are well above the very good start last year’’ said Lønnum.
Owner of AMD Motorcycles in Oslo, Geir Arnestad, has his theory on the causes, and pointed out that even electric cars must pay in the toll ring in Oslo, while motorcycles pass free.
‘’But it is not so simple that it is only the toll ring that creates sales increases.
Good family finances and lower taxes on many of the bikes play a major role, of course’’ he said.
When it comes to mopeds, the development has gone the opposite way. At the end of the year, 163,000 mopeds were registered, which is about 7% less than five years ago.
‘’There you see the effect of the electric bicycle boom; they are cheap, easy to park, you do not need a driver’s license and they are quick’’ said Arnestad.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
