Motorcycle permits now costlier than new, entry-level bikes in Singapore

Singapore’s reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities now extends to one of its cheapest modes of transportation: motorcycles. 

The cost of a 10-year motorcycle permit in the city-state hit a record S$12,801 ($8,984) this month according to data from the Land Transport Authority, up over 200% in four years and more than the cost of a new, entry-level bike in the Southeast Asian nation.

Singapore controls the number of permits, called certificates of entitlement, as a way to limit the number of motorcycles and cars on the road. As of September, the city caps its motorcycle fleet