jump to navigation

The price of pleasure. 6/4/2008

Is now RM2.70 a liter.

The government just announced that the price of fuel is going up 40% at midnight tonight. Aside from the huge queues from idiots topping up their tanks $20 worth of petrol just to take advantage of the price hike, I wonder how this is going to impact car drivers. If you ride a bike to work, on a regular basis, you’re already ahead of the game. Bikes are way more fuel efficient than cars, tuned superbikes excepted.

However, motorcycles imported into this country are still subject to a 100% import duty, and pay disproportionately more in yearly road tax than a car, based on engine size. Considering the fact that bikes are more fuel efficient, take up less road space and parking space, do a lot less damage to the environment and infrastructure than a car, I think some sort of break is in order, don’t you?

And no, don’t whinge to me about salaries. I haven’t had a pay rise in well over a year.

Comments»

1. KY - 6/5/2008

the way this was announced with half a day to create all these stupid traffic jam is just dumb.

2. ziniac - 6/5/2008

What a time to get a bike eh? If you’re bikeless, that is…

3. Grant S. - 6/6/2008

Will it make any of us ride more slowly to conserve fuel though?
Melaka to KL in 40 minutes @ 220km/h still makes the Flying Banana about as fuel efficient as an SUV ;)

4. rick - 6/7/2008

Some type of break seems in order for sure!

5. Paul - 6/14/2008

Is the 100% duty on imported motorcycles to protect the domestic motorcycle industry?

6. thesnark - 6/16/2008

Paul : Supposedly so, except that the duty applies across the board to all motorcycles, irrespective of engine capacity.