Comments on: J.D. Power Study: U.S. Motorcycle Riders Aging, and Leaving Market (News)

By: Flippy

Flippy — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:11:41 +0000

Im in the motorcycle business and started riding at 11. Now Im in my 40s. Had a ton of bikes, but like most of you mentioned, cell phones and texting are really scaring off a lot of people. 3 rider got rear ended this week, sitting at a light. But you also need to recognize that the American people are being trained to hate bikes. Why didnt we have a cash for bikes program during the recession? Why dont bike riders get a deduction for fuel efficient (low carbon foot print vehicles?) Legislation has turned against the industry. In my state many moto-cross tracks are closing and track days have dropped to 45.00 just to spur activity. New bikes are too expensive and the industry has mostly stopped creating good all around motorcycles. I dont need a bike that has less then a 5 gallon capacity. How wants to be at the pump all week? Whats with the gas mileage of cars lately? Despite rising prices motorcycles still lack a lot of modern day electronics. Prices have gone up and you get less for your buck. The accessory market is flooded with too many players who run over to China, break patent laws, and ship junk back to the US. With regards to the other posts, I am a geek and I love bikes. Everyone should be on bicycles and/or motorcycles…the world would be a better place…but I sense, it is becoming more of a sport where people would rather watch than participate. I support a tiered new rider system that only allows them to operate low cc bikes until certain criteria are met. I support education in the DMV which educates children and drivers to respect motorcyclists.

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By: Jerry Sepulveda

Jerry Sepulveda — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:28:31 +0000

At 50 I now own a 2008 Aprilia Tuono Factory R (used $9000)for riding the back roads of Texas, and a 2006 GSXR 1000 (used $5000) for commuting to work while working in Florida -Both had less than 6000 miles and completely stock when i bought them! I enjoy riding “responsibly” as often as I can. I get totally twisted when I see a group of young squids tearing down the freeway at way past legal speeds, and stunting in traffic. I blame the motorcycle media/magazines for encouraging this ridiculous behavior and can see the negative impact it’s having on the industry. The older HD posers are also a problem having never acquired the proper riding skills and are constantly seen drinking and driving away from local “Bike Nights”-I cringe when I see them walking their bikes to a stop and peddling away from a slow start…However I can’t complain about the ladies who take advantage their rides to dress up in their finest boots and leathers (Bike Night is really a costume party!)
I guess I’d just like to see sanity return to a sport/hobby I have been involved with, and enjoyed, for the past 30 yrs. When guys and gals enjoyed their machines for the ride and the wrenching to form friendships. “It’s not what you ride, it’s that you ride”!

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By: Don H

Don H — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:39:57 +0000

Think about this;How about some grass root promo work by manufacturers to re kindle the interest in the motorcycle world.Give the youth a reason to the leave the keyboard and see what they are missing.Make your choice,flat track ,motocross,ashphalt.Many of todays older riders can equate their passion for riding to the early exposure of racing.Its been over 45yrs. for me and many of my riding friends and the fire still burns.May be these marketing people need to reach back and realize what helped create loyality to our sport. Others of done it, seems to work.

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By: Gary VV

Gary VV — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:33:12 +0000

Forty year rider . I think it’s because besides the entry fee for the initial purchase, we’re looking at three hundred plus for a set of tires .Eight dollars a quart for oil. Fifteen dollar oil filters. On and on you find outrageous prices for bike stuff. Bikes are way too complicated to troubleshoot and repair for the average guy . Some of the dealers have three to four week waiting periods for service appointments. Ninety dollars a hour for labor rates for a very average mechanic to work on your bike. Sometimes they do more harm than good .Before anyone gets all bent over the last sentence, I’ve seen it over and over again. You can buy some cars for less money and when a decision is made as to which is more practical . Guess which one wins.

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By: ytroy

ytroy — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 01:10:00 +0000

I have to agree with 8K dirtbikes and no entry level bikes, I just turned 45, got given my first bike at 4 and have never looked back. I have purchased new bikes from dealers but always feel as if they are only in it for a buck, no service, no place you want to stop in and talk to other bike owners, my current Ducati I bought on Craigslist from the original owner. The Ducati dealership in town only had one and they were not allowing test rides, I even offered to write a check before they took it off the stand, No Way No Deal No Test Rides. I watched Craigslist for 90 days, bought the same bike 1100 miles, Ti Pipes, Race ECU, Sargent Seat and a few carbon and billet bits for 2100.00 less than the dealer wanted. They wonder why they sell fewer bikes Hmmmmmmm……. That 2008 S4RS is still in their showroom and its 2011. Wake up Motorcycle dealers

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By: takehikes

takehikes — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:46:18 +0000

As one of those older riders and having once been in the industry I think I have some insight to the problems in the motorcycle industry. I started riding at 14 some 45 years ago, at that time nearly everyone started with a small bike….a 160 Honda for example. It was cheap and reliable. HD sold a few 1200s and Sportys, Triumph/BSA/Norton made some in roads but the vast majority of bikes were cheap and small. There was not much in the way of off road bikes, it was mostly hare and hound and trials type bikes and it was barely a blip on the radar in sales. So you started with a small bike and slowly, SLOWLY, worked your way up in size until you got up to one of those bikes. The game changer was the Honda 750. suddenly you could get a fast reliable bike fairly cheaply. Along the way the whole gamut of bikes exploded and now what do we have? Near 200 mph capable bikes for first time riders and dirt bikes with sophistication that nearly none of us can use? The giant numbers HD posted were mostly my age group that suddenly had money and became a bunch of wanna-be’s…
the future as I see it is every manufacturer is going to shrink their offerings with HD being very vulnerable. They have no bikes to feed to the high end. The other major manufacturers at least have some street and dirt bikes that can devlop brand loyalty when the ride ris ready to mov eup. Much like the auto industry there will be contraction.

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By: Curtis

Curtis — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:53:21 +0000

I definitely think the cost of entry is a major factor. It will be interesting to see if the situation corrects once low-cost Chinese bikes flood the market.

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By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:58:28 +0000

How mnay under 30 have good enough jobs? Japan and China have many of the jobs that used to pay good wages here…so they are getting what they deserve really.

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By: Mr. Mike

Mr. Mike — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:34:21 +0000

It appears to me that increased interest in motorcycling in the U.S. was just a fad and now it is returning to normal. Earlier in the decade Baby Boomers with disposable income saw motorcycling as the thing to do. A large proportion of them made their way in herds to the local H-D dealer, bought the bikes and the chrome and the logo-ed apparel. Some took once-in-a-lifetime tours, others rode on weekends and some just cruised a few times. Eventually the economy turned South, many aged out or just lost interest and now Craigslist is well stocked with great, low mileage bikes. Score!

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By: Mr. Mike

Mr. Mike — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:02:03 +0000

I see it more as a result of the increase in population. There is simply much less undeveloped land available now than there was decades ago. Areas that kids used to ride their dirt bikes in have been transformed into malls or vast suburban tracts where homes are just a few feet away from each other. Nobody says you can’t let your kids ride on your property, provided you live out where their riding won’t disturb other people’s peace and quiet.

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