I can see the sense behind 1.5in, too - pick the right headset and you can fit anything in there. With 1.5/1.125 tapered steerers getting more common, I think it's a middling-to-smart move.
Yeah rookie mistake, just look at cop cars they're all white...if white wasn't the fastest colour they wouldn't catch the baddies...who always drive in red or black baddy cars