Motorcycle Industry is Doomed

[Ninja 1]

Sex Appeal is also an important factor to consider! Plugging your bike into a computer for a diagnostics check to sort injectors out has no where near the macho chick magnet appeal of tweaking some carbs and making some noise in the garage.

[ph0rk]

Originally Posted by Ninja 1

Sex Appeal is also an important factor to consider! Plugging your bike into a computer for a diagnostics check to sort injectors out has no where near the macho chick magnet appeal of tweaking some carbs and making some noise in the garage.

I hope you are kidding.

[VxZeroKnots]

Originally Posted by ph0rk

I hope you are kidding.

I don't think he is....

[Superpacman13]

At the ripe age of 20 I can say that you guys need to watch some more news, that way you can keep making the sweeping generalizations about the future .
Back on topic though, the American/ Industrialized countries view of motorcycling may be becoming more endangered but this does not mean motorcycling is dead in any way, shape, or form. Motorcycles are considered a luxury item here because we deem that we need the 2013 FJR at $16,000. Then because that is not ridiculous enough we buy the $1000 suit that color matches our new bike etc. This is the aspect of motorcycling that may be struggling due to a decline in the economy, but motorcycles are not dead. I think that if we make that distinction this thread might have a lot less personal attacks, and maybe some information.

[ph0rk]

Originally Posted by Superpacman13

At the ripe age of 20 I can say that you guys need to watch some more news, that way you can keep making the sweeping generalizations about the future .
Back on topic though, the American/ Industrialized countries view of motorcycling may be becoming more endangered but this does not mean motorcycling is dead in any way, shape, or form. Motorcycles are considered a luxury item here because we deem that we need the 2013 FJR at $16,000. Then because that is not ridiculous enough we buy the $1000 suit that color matches our new bike etc. This is the aspect of motorcycling that may be struggling due to a decline in the economy, but motorcycles are not dead. I think that if we make that distinction this thread might have a lot less personal attacks, and maybe some information.

It is too hard to make subtle distinctions while yelling at kid to get off your lawn.

[ct-ktm]

Originally Posted by HelmetHead Cycle

If this trend continues, in 10-20 years when the current median rider age of 49 years old reaches 60-70 years old, and riders die off/stopping buying motorcycles, there will be effectively no new motorcycles sold in America.

We better enjoy them while we have the chance!

There might not be any new Harley's around but I would be good money there will be new KTM's...

Harley like most companies wanted to get bigger and bigger and probably made a lot more from products not bikes ..People are changing and don't want to spend $75.00 for a $25.00 shirt that says Harley..
On the bright side the used ones will be more affordable maybe..

My 4 year old Grandson will be getting his first bike this spring..

[DOGSROOT]

Originally Posted by ct-ktm

..People are changing and don't want to spend $75.00 for a $25.00 shirt that says Harley..
On the bright side the used ones will be more affordable maybe..

I dunno, Gramps...

I wouldn't wear a used Harley shirt if you paid me.
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[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by ct-ktm

Harley like most companies wanted to get bigger and bigger and probably made a lot more from products not bikes ....

What do you base this Myth on?


Apparel accounts for less than 11% That includes the T-shirts, Leather Jackets, Assless chaps, Helmets, Boots, Gloves, Glasses....

"Revenue from MotorClothes® apparel and accessories, (not parts) was $75.1 million, up 3.1 percent compared to the year-ago period."

Not sure where you found $75 t-shirts??? Ours are $30 and they must be priced right because we go through them very quickly.

"Revenue from motorcycles during the second quarter of 2012 of $1.22 billion was up 21.6 percent compared to the year-ago period. The Company shipped 83,502 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide during the quarter, up 25.0 percent compared to shipments of 66,815 motorcycles in the second quarter of 2011."

[corndog67]

I don't know, CT, but our local Harley dealer is selling quite a few new Harleys, Triumphs and Kawasakis. Sure, they are luxury items, toys, whatever, but I'm still buying them. I see a pretty steady stream of customers there. I see new Harleys all the time around here too. Is it wishful thinking that you aren't seeing new ones or what?

[jdfog2]

Originally Posted by Hawk62cj5

I put off buying a bike for almost 10 years before buying one .

I was 23 when I started looking at bike and here are the reasons why I didnt get one

1 Another payment
2 More insurance and other bs
3 Evey one told me it was going to kill me , lost a friend on one a few years before, talked to him 45 seconds before he died
4 gas mileage didnt offset the added cost and shorter maintenance cycles

So the years past and other things came along ,rock crawling , marriage ,vehicles , kids ect ... but I kept looking at them time to time and about bought a V strom after sitting on it , still got the pic of it on my phone of that bike .Last July I walk into a bike shop , look at the Vstrom and KLR then notice an awkward little dual sport in the corner behind the helmet rack covered in dust and tires low in air . Find out its a super sherpa , I go home do my research find out its a good little bike , called the insurance company and find the insurance is cheap enough so I go back and buy it a week later . I was 32 , not a young guy but still below the studies average . In a prefect world I would have bought it when I was 23 but I guess its the same reason alot of guys wait until later to buy them . I would still be waiting if I HAD to have a bigger bike but I dont so Im having fun riding my little Super sherpa , I know some people think its sillly for a 225 pound man to be on a 250cc bike but screw them Im still having fun .

Super Sherpa's ROCK the Casbah!
I wanted one pretty badly - or maybe any 250 DS that I could make into a Moto type bike. But at 6'3" and 260 lbs I kept getting odd looks every time I sat on one...(Not what kept me from buying one - I was worried about my effect on the suspension and figure it would cost over $1K to beef one up - a pretty large percentage of the cost of the bike.

So I got a VStrom. I am VERY happy with my Strom but I still want a 250 someday!

[jdfog2]

Originally Posted by GoUglyEarly

Last I checked the youth of America has been fighting overseas for over ten years straight. Unlike older generations they didn't need to be drafted; they all volunteered.

Be careful before you start condemning groups you don't belong to. I have a buddy named Zsu who both rides and cracks skulls in his day job as an MP

American culture is increasingly urbanized and media based so I get where these views of 'softness' come from, but there are plenty of kids who still ride.....it only takes a glance at all the Red Bull and Monster ads and sponsorships to know there is still money to be made in motorcycling.

Its the economy causing new bike sales to drop, bottom line. You can point out as many success stories as you please (just like the casinos like to do); the fact is that our earning power continues to decline against the Consumer Price Index and that is going to have an effect on 'luxury' item purchasing, especially in demographics that are not yet financially established (which takes longer to accomplish than it used to).

See for yourself: http://econographics.files.wordpress...-dollar-vs.jpg

I am retired military so I have a LOT of respect for our servicemen. However, we ARE raising a lot of pussies these days !

I think I read in a VFW Magazine that slightly less than 1% of males that have turned 18 in the U.S. since 2001 have or ever will have served in one of the military services.

That's not to say that the other 99% are pussies but let's face it - guys didn't get their (hair) tips frosted and wear skinny jeans and think it was cool to look like they were a unisex model 20 years ago.
A Man should NEVER aspire to being thought of as "cute" by women (or other men for that matter). But I see all kinds of ?males? trying to look cute everyday in the workplace and out and about.

Manhood in general, but especially younger males - are in dire need of help in the U.S. - I imagine Western Europe is about the same (it seemed worse when I lived there for ten years).

IF you are a younger man and you're reading this - I am probably NOT talking about you because you (most likely) wouldn't be here if you fit that description.

[viverrid]

Originally Posted by jdfog2

That's not to say that the other 99% are pussies but let's face it - guys didn't get their (hair) tips frosted and wear skinny jeans and think it was cool to look like they were a unisex model 20 years ago.

So back in your day what did the kool kids want to look like? Elvis?

Howsabout the Beatles,which one did you look like? Or maybe you favored a Mick Jagger or Jim Morrison look? You probably couldn't pull off a david Bowie. Yeah, everyone looked macho back in the old days!

[corndog67]

After all, when your role model is Justin Beiber or possibly Ice-T, you either get a latent homosexual, or wannabe gangster. What else is there?

[atomicalex]

Originally Posted by Ninja 1

Sex Appeal is also an important factor to consider! Plugging your bike into a computer for a diagnostics check to sort injectors out has no where near the macho chick magnet appeal of tweaking some carbs and making some noise in the garage.

Were I in the position to date, a guy will an up-to-date VAG-COM cable would be a keeper in my eyes..... Just sayin'......

[Wraith Rider]

Originally Posted by jdfog2

A Man should NEVER aspire to being thought of as "cute" by women (or other men for that matter).

Why? Because you don't like it? What's wrong with being cute? And for the matter of the thread, why should a cute man not ride a motorcycle? (Or how should being cute affect his manhood?)