MD Readers Respond to Motorcycling and Economics - What are You Missing (or what have you gained)?

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• I purchased an '04 Kawasaki Mean Streak in the summer of '08 and rode it most days to work. While my truck gets 20 mpg on the highway, the Meanie gets 40 mpg. I could go to and from work all week on one tank of gas for about $12-$15. It was a great way to make those $50 fillups in my truck stretch to almost a month. It didn't change my riding habits one bit. My riding buddies and I still went on our planned weekend trip to all 6 New England state capitals. It was cheaper than driving and soooo much more fun! Ride safe!
  
  
• For a while I was considering buying one of several new motorcycles. On my short list was an FJR, Kawasaki Concours 14 and Kawasaki 1700 Voyager. Now I will be hanging on to my money. This is not a regular periodic recession, this is the beginning of a world-wide depression. The future is not bright.
  
  
• I think it's a good thing in a selfish way and only in the H.D. market. Maybe there will be alot of used H.D.'s out there after the fad of the last years is over. As a long time rider, over 45 years, things have gotten way out there with stuff like H.O.G. and all the people that thought they could just buy a lifestyle without paying their dues. I love and have ridden all types of bikes and respect all views on what a proper bike should be. Maybe only the true to the sport will be left when the dust settles and the people that buy bikes in the future will not buy them as just a toy or accessory to their ego, but because they understand what a "biker" is. You don't have to ride a H.D. to be a "biker", you just need to show up in any weather or any time.
  
  
• Ironic, isn’t it, that when BMW gets serious about racing, its motorcycle design gets as conventional as they come – no Paralever on that bike! I’m not criticizing the S 1000RR – quite the opposite. In fact, it looks like a real contender on the sportbike scene, and it might even be affordable.
  
  
• The economy hasn't really had an effect on my motorcycle habits, mostly because I buy used motorcycles and pay cash. My family enjoys riding dirt bikes in the desert. The last few years we have noticed more and more brand new 3/4 ton diesel pickups towing brand new toy haulers full of brand new quads and dirt bikes. In the meantime, we were in the same desert camping in our 1982 motor home and riding our used dirt bikes. Surprise, this year there are a lot less of those new rigs out there but we are still enjoying the same desert. It doesn't have to be expensive to be fun!
  
  
• I am a recent convert to Motorcycling. After many years of wanting to do it, I finally took the MSF course, and passed my license test. I was all set to go out and purchase, when the economy hit the skids. My personal job outlook is also a little uncertain, so I have had to table the cycle purchase for now. Maybe in a few months? Meanwhile I keep reading, and trolling on line. I have stopped going to the local dealers to wander around, it is just not fair to them, or me for that matter.
  
  
• I turned down a brand new 2006 Ducati 999S for less than $15,000 MSRP last week due to the stinking economy. However, it hasn’t sold so I just might try again, but I’m scared that things will get worse. Several of my peers have been laid off and I’ve never experienced anything like that before. In past recessionary periods I experienced pay cuts, changes to my benefits, etc., but so many people being laid off without even a discussion of a pay cut or benefits reduction is unprecedented for me. Things aren’t good at all and even a $15,000 motorcycle is now a real extravagance, perhaps even a foolish purchase at this time and in a different economy or for the well-healed it’s a steal.
  
  
• I use a Yamaha TW200 for work a close commute, and my R1 for rides. I get the lowest low mileage benefit my insurance offers. My Tdub's 1.4gall gets me 2+ week of of rallying to and from work. Car is for ladies and to go surf ;)
  
  
• Let's see, I'll make this quick. I was laid off from a prominent architectural firm after years of working there, and now I'm forced to sell my 05 BMW R1200RT which I love and will miss dearly. God Bless Barny Frank!
  
  
• To help pay for kids private school, I stopped driving a car to work in 2005 and went back to commuting by motorcycle, like I had in the '80's. The yearly commute covers about 6000 miles. Insurance for my car was about $600 per year. The entire yearly cost of driving the moto is about $600, so using it instead of the car saves a lot of money. Insurance for 3 motos is $110 for the year, rear tires last 20k miles, fronts about 18K miles, 48-51 mpg, depending on traffic and tire inflation pressure. The chain gets oiled every morning before leaving for work, so at 48K miles the original chain is still ok. Paying attention to traffic around me and planning two traffic lights ahead means that the brakes hardly ever get used forcefully.
  
  The other thing that saves me a lot of money is that H, K, S, & Y are not making anything that I really want. A really interesting motorcycle would still be the one you want three or more years after you originally purchased it. What sport bike would still be desirable after three years without any updates? Here are a few examples:
  
  A street version of that 10,000 rpm Ducati single from the 90's.
  
  A Legend series of high rpm 4, 5, and 6 cylinder Hondas styled like the racers of the 60's with sweeping exhaust pipes, but with modern suspension.
  
  A dirt track styled single with 50 hp weighing less than 300 lb with a 3+ gal gas tank.
  
  A modern 450 lb CBX with real suspension, not the junk they put on the original. Take a CBR600rr, add two cylinders, don't "detune it for torque", and you will have buyers lined up, I'll buy two. Why are there no 1000cc V5 or 800 cc V4 Moto GP replicas? Why was there no 400 lb XR 750 HD dirt track replica? (The new HD XR1200 is 150+ lb too fat to be really desirable.)
  
  The product planners at most motorcycle companies don't have a clue as to what to sell, probably because it's just a job for them and they drive a cage to work. They should all be fired!
  
  
• I'm a Real Estate agent, and my business has been a bit slow the past several months. I had been moderately interested in replacing my 8-year-old heavyweight tourer with a new model, but am being forced to wait until cash flow improves. Other than that, I haven't curtailed any of my biking activities.
  
  
• Kim, this is what I did...mainly because I couldn't afford new bike. I'm self employeed and have seen my business drop between 50% and 70% since last July. However really believe that tough times bring out the creativity in lots of folks. Many of us can only keep riding by learning again what our parents taught.....use it up, wear it out, eat it up, or do without. Just can't live without a bike.
  
  
• I am a bike nut and have over 32 years of riding at age 50. I have owned around 35 bikes and now have six. I have a vstrom 650, burgman 650, vfr 800fi, bmw f 650cs, r 1200r, and helix 250. I buy lots of gear and farkles, but with the downturn in the economy and income decrease, I have cut all spending and am trying to sell a bike or three. The values of six months ageo are gone, and I have no takers. I will either sell them at trade-in value or keep them. It really sucks!
  
  
• I personally have not been affected by the economy but my motorcycling has. I just bought a new off road bike to compete in Hare Scrambles and looking at the 2009 race calendar I see the amount of races available through out the season has decreased. Attendance is down at the races, a lot of people just can't afford to do it anymore.
  
  
• I happened to need a new bike last summer because my 12 year old daily commuter was starting to have serious mechanical problems. This just as my company was going though layoffs and gas was hitting 4 dollars a gallon. One year earlier I definitely would have shelled out for one of the dream bikes I’ve been wanting for so long. I test rode Ducatis and Aprilias but in the end held back and bought a 2 year old Suzuki SV650S. I couldn’t be happier. This is my first sport bike and it’s making me a better rider every day. I’ll probably still step up to an exotic liter bike someday, but this confidence inspiring little twin is going to help me get a lot more out of it when I do.
  
  
• My habits have not really changed at all. I commute to work on my bike as often as weather allows me to in the Midwest. I take as many riding trips as time and money allows. I purchased a new Harley Street Glide in early September but if I had known the economy was going to tank this badly I probably would have held on to my Road King a while longer. I have never ridden my bike to save money on gas. I do it because I love to ride. However, that does not mean I don’t appreciate a smaller gas bill 6+ months of the year.
  
  
• You asked how the economy has affected our riding patterns. One, I sold one of my two bikes, though I would have sold it anyway irrespective of the economy. I simply got into too much TROUBLE on my ZRX1100! It's not good when the cops in two counties know who you are, hehehe...
  
  I kept my W650. Where I used to ride 9k miles/year, I rode 3.5-4k last year. The vast majority of that mileage was commuting; I'm lucky to have a couple of nice back roads I can take to work. When I wasn't commuting, I'd take rides on back roads in and around my area. Long Saturday rides every weekend are out; if I make those long rides now, it's perhaps once a month I'll do them, and I'll take shorter rides on the other Saturdays. Overnight motorcycle trips are out for the foreseeable future, since the higher cost of food, gas, and electric has eaten up what used to be disposable income. For example, I paid $192 to heat my small, 2BR apartment last month! And to think I used to bitch a couple of years ago when I was paying $100-$120 for gas heat...
  
  I'd wanted to get a different motorcycle, something that's better suited to my needs. I'd love to get a V-Strom or SV-650, a couple of bikes that are perfect for me. That is OUT; that's a pipe dream! My W650 meets my needs 80%-90%, so I'll be making do with it for I don't know how long. I'd also thought about getting a second bike again; I like having a second bike for a lot of reasons. However, how can I justify that, when I don't know if I'll be employed a few weeks or a few months from now?
  
  I'd also wanted to do a riding school. I was going to do Freddie Spencer's school before I was canned from a previous job two years ago. While I quickly got another job, I had to use my money for paying bills, not doing Freddie Spencer's school. I'd still like to do his school, but I can't see that happening any time soon-not when you're talking $2k-$3k minimum that could be used for a rainy day. For that matter, even though Keith Code's school is a lot cheaper and offered locally, even THAT is out of the question. If I do a school at all, it'll be the MSF's Experienced Rider Course.
  
  In short, I'm watching my money very closely; I have to! I'm not earning any less than I was 2-3 years ago, but I'm not making any more, either. Furthermore, it's not going as far. Electric, heat, food, it's all more expensive now, so the disposable income I used to have is no longer there. Combine that with President Obama and his Democratic Congress plans to expand spending, that means we'll have even LESS money in our pockets due to the higher taxes that must surely come our way to PAY for all the BS Washington is planning for us. I'll keep riding, but I'm not doing as much of it as I used to.
  
  
• I am a daily rider which includes commuting 72 miles and anything else that comes up along the way. I have a 2003 Harley Davidson FLHTC with 120K miles that I use for the daily mount. I also have a Ducati Multistrada 620 for weekend mountain fun, a KLR 650 to get my off road jolly’s, then there’s the Bandit 1200 for track days (few and far between) the antique BMW R75/5 (in pieces right now) the 1980 Yamaha XS650 that might turn into a street tracker (if time and money permit) and my sweet wife has her trusty bright racing orange 06 Sportster 1200XL.
  
  The economy stinks right now but I haven’t felt it where riding is concerned. I have always been an avid rider and don’t see any changes for me on the horizon. I was riding every day when riding wasn’t cool and will continue to do so. My father started me at age 9 on a Bultaco 100 Lobito and I have been a scooter junkie ever since. I have been called a ‘biker’ by many because of my consistency but I think that term is better used for the lifestyle, dress like a pirate group. Don’t take offense, I’ve got my share of leathers but I also have textiles and Gerbings stuff for the nasty days.
  
  When in doubt, trust your instincts and twist the throttle.
  
  
• Motorcycles are definitely not cheap transportation, gas mileage is about the only area they are cheaper than a car. Maintenance, tires, replacing riding gear, insurance, etc... all these costs make motorcycling more expensive per mile than driving a car.
  
  I'm lucky and have a good job. They gave everyone a 5% pay cut this year in lieu of layoffs. With a little less money, we're trying to cut back here and there. It hasn't really affected my riding in any way, riding is too big a part of my life. We're cutting back in other areas; taking lunch to work most days, skipping expensive coffees in the morning, and eating dinner out only once a week.
  
  I believe the economy is in better shape than the media is portraying. The desire for people to go out and enjoy life will cause people to loosen their wallets and spend money. That in turn will bring the economy back.
  
  I have 2 motorcycles, a 2003 ZX-636 track bike and a 2002 CBR-954. Both bikes are ridden regularly and I thoroughly enjosy them, I'm planning for a great riding season next summer.
  
  
• In relation to this economy and motorcycling from a personal perspective, I have gone from motorcycling for pleasure to riding only for necessity. I went from owning two motorcycles and three cars, down to one car and one motorcycle. Truth be told I actually ride a bicycle everyday to work and have done so for the past year and a half. The days that I need to get home quickly I ride the motorcycle to work. In July of 2008 I sold my 2006 Triumph Speed Triple in order to have more money in the bank for a "Just in case" scenario. Mr. Speed was paid for and I could use the cash in hand a lot more than the joy of the ride. I kept my second bike, a 2004 Ninja 250 for necessary motoring duties. Although the 250 is fun in it's own way, it just cannot provide the joy per mile smiles of a Speed Triple. As it stands, I am grateful to have the little Ninja and the economy can have it when they pry it from my cold dead hands. Even in the worst of financial times, a person has to have some self respect. OK, a 250 Ninja does not get much respect in America, but it is two wheels and a motor and it continues to give me joy when I do ride it. So, the economy has affected my riding, but it has not stopped it. That in itself is worth celebrating.
  
  
• Referencing your 2/09 article in motorcycledaily.com …..
  
  I re-entered the rider market this August – not so much to save on gas but for other more compelling reasons. While my Triumph ST averages 50mpg compared to the Benz at 24mpg, I find more important reasons for initiating the 2-3 day per week ride.
  
  I am an executive of a marketing company in southern California and don’t know of any company that isn’t feeling the pinch of the recession. Conditions are pushing management and others to find new ways not only to save money but to innovate in how to do business. All of this contributes to significant stress and pressure. How better than to hope on your two-wheeler for a cruise?
  
  Here in SouCal we are very lucky to have good weather virtually all year round. The worst of it has been the past week where morning temps dropped to a chilling 40 degrees. Still, riding down the Pacific Coast Highway at sunrise, even at 40 degrees provides a ‘mental clearing’ and relaxation.
  
  So my suggestion is that when once faces tremendous pressure, states of mental overwhelm, fear, and anxiety, one healing choice is to get on the bike and take a ride.
  
  As a marketing company exec my suggestion would be that the industry re-focus its message. Touch on the emotional benefits and enjoyment of riding. Saving a few bucks on gas is good – particularly when it goes back to $4++ but for now, tap into the improvement in how one feels when riding. Perhaps that clarity will open the door to new ideas for beating the recession!
  
  
• I've been riding more, not less. Over the winter here in upstate NY I commuted (22 miles) by bike whenever temperatures were over 25F in the morning and no precipitation was predicted. I ride a 1989 NX 250 that cost me $1200 and gets 68mpg. Anytime I can put miles on it instead of my 2004 Mini Cooper, I do. I've never had a "track day" so I'm not missing them. I plan on touring and camping for a week on the NX in the spring. Bad economy= more biking.
  
  Note to manufacturers from me: I want more choices in bikes under 500cc. Utilitarianism is both function and style in my eyes.

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