In my never ending quest for the Can Am bike, (hehe) I saw this article today. Living in Thailand much of every year, I love riding motorcycles and take motorcycle taxis more than any other vehicle.

http://www.clutchandchrome.com/news/news/motorcycle-taxis-la-and-new-york

I wonder how that is legal. New York only issues a very limited number of taxi medallions (a number that has been unchanged for more than 50 years) and has done everything in it's power to shut down people who try to use limousines as taxi services. Why would they make an exception for motorcycles?

I wonder what a medallion costs these days. I remember many years ago a driver telling me it cost 25,000. That was his way of quickly justifying the fare. That was a lot of money then and I have no idea if he was fibbing or not.

Best regards,

RA1

In 2009 they were selling for $766,000.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2009-08-05-taxi-cab-new-york-city-medallions_N.htm

Wow. I was not thinking about "owning" the medallion when I said 25,000 but an annual fee. Even at NYC's exorbitant fares, one year's revenue will not take in that amount of money (766,000). 800 a week + gas + maint seems pretty hard to swallow also.

Last time I checked a seat on the NYSE was going in this same neighborhood but it has declined at least once or twice; it appears the medallion never has had a "bad" year.

The 10 bucks in 1937 was a real deal. The average wage then was 897 per year so this was only 2-3 days work.

Best regards,

RA1

Some how I can't envision a NYC executive type going to a business meeting on the back of a motorcycle. Let's get real here. Females with their $300 coif getting blown to hell? Guys in $2000 Hugo Boss suits risking getting NYC mud splashed on their pants? Or getting drenched in a sudden squall even although the sun was shinning when they left?

Can you imagine them pulling up to the curb and unstrapping their Louis V briefcase from the carrier and checking their gold Rolex to make sure they were not late? Talk about being the laughingstock of the competition.

Yeah, so probably both illegal and impractical.