Seems to me mopeds have stayed under the radar for a long time. The price of Honda trails, monkey bikes, mini 50's, and everything else has been steadily rising (with some big leaps now and then.)
Mopeds are finally hitting that nostalgia status, the "what's old is new again" coolness.
Everyone is so used to selling within the community, that they didn't notice the "outsiders" coming in with real cash to spend.
Every bike I've sold in the last year went to people outside the community, for prices that everyone here laughed at.
Puch Maxi for $1200? You're crazy!
You're right, I only got $1100.
It happens with (almost) every hobby. Once it starts getting really expensive, the purists complain. Cars, bicycles, skateboards, mopeds...
It's all the same.