By David Farrier
It wasn't just 'Boobs on Bikes' at this year's annual parade through Auckland's CBD, but also boobs on a tank.
An estimated 90,000 people lined Auckland's Queen St – about 10,000 less than last year.
Organiser Steve Crow says that's a reflection of the economy, which hasn't been as inflated as his special guest from the states - Chelsea Charms.
What size are her breasts? Apparently 153XXX.
"2008 was a bad year for us," says Mr Crow. "This year's looking better."
Mr Crow - the man behind the parade - has had a rough year. In May, he had to put not one but two of his companies into liquidation, blaming "piracy, illegal downloading, and just the general downturn".
That has meant the last two Erotica Expos in Christchurch in Wellington had a lower turnout than expected. So Crow started over, halving his workforce and using the parade yet again to advertise for Auckland's Erotica Expo.
"The days of having lots of money awash are gone," he says.
Of course today no one had to pay - this was a free-for-all gawkfest, and Aucklanders were gawking.
John Wright, for example rode a bike in the very first parade, and can't stay away.
"It's not violent, it's not young rugby players knocking the shit out of each other," he says. "It's fun for half an hour."
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