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The motorcycle community....
- Thread starter 71243
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tangoalpha
Member
I’m wondering the same thing myself. Good topic and certainly one where there could be a lot of good discussion about, but it seems to have devolved to the point of name calling. I expect more from grown adults in terms of how they conduct themselves. The inability to maintain civil discourse when discussing matters is not limited to our forum here, but rather a much broader trend seen in our society as of late.
With everything else going on in the world, can we please keep this forum free from heated debates and name calling? Just because you may disagree with someone’s opinion is no reason to resort to name calling.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am the OP of this thread, I just/only wanted to discuss what I saw as a change in motorcycling as a whole, and the motorcycle community. All went well until someone stooped to insulting / disparaging me, [for my intelligence & grasp of the English language] for reasons I do not know. Am I not expected to respond to that? Am I not permitted to defend myself against that?
Back on topic.
My wife and I just took a run out west to Red Lodge MT. We were surprised by the lack of motorcycles of all brands. A few years ago we couldn't count the numbers, there were hundreds of motorcycles running the same route as us, almost continuous. I would see a group of 4-5 bikes, then 1/2 mile later a another small group, then maybe a mile on a few more. There would always be other motorcycles in sight. This last trip We could run for miles and not see another motorcycle, and I would bet on one 600 mile day we saw a few dozen, maybe 50-60 motorcycles the whole day. Ten years back you would see that many, or more in an hour or less. We had noticed the one morning we left our motel at 6AM and did not meet another motorcycle for about 150 miles.
I belong to HOG and our group runs out to Red Lodge, MT and up Beartooth Pass every July, 26th time this year. Ten years ago we had 150 people show up for the ride. This year there was 60. Two less because we showed up on the RT, Harley riders only! We tagged along with because we know everyone on the ride. They were taking pictures of the group, first year riders, women riders and so on and someone mention we need a picture of the first year BMW riders!
My wife and I just took a run out west to Red Lodge MT. We were surprised by the lack of motorcycles of all brands. A few years ago we couldn't count the numbers, there were hundreds of motorcycles running the same route as us, almost continuous. I would see a group of 4-5 bikes, then 1/2 mile later a another small group, then maybe a mile on a few more. There would always be other motorcycles in sight. This last trip We could run for miles and not see another motorcycle, and I would bet on one 600 mile day we saw a few dozen, maybe 50-60 motorcycles the whole day. Ten years back you would see that many, or more in an hour or less. We had noticed the one morning we left our motel at 6AM and did not meet another motorcycle for about 150 miles.
I belong to HOG and our group runs out to Red Lodge, MT and up Beartooth Pass every July, 26th time this year. Ten years ago we had 150 people show up for the ride. This year there was 60. Two less because we showed up on the RT, Harley riders only! We tagged along with because we know everyone on the ride. They were taking pictures of the group, first year riders, women riders and so on and someone mention we need a picture of the first year BMW riders!
Interesting, I remember when I got my first, [a 1959 H/D Sporty] in 66. and I remember the first time I took a trip on it, I do not remember seeing even one motorcycle along the way. Even several years later, there were times that I was turned away from a motel, due to being full. [yeah right]. One time I secured a room in sight of the other motel....that parking lot remained empty all night.
Back then, we were considered [by some] undesirable . And IMO the Hollister incident was still fresh in some peoples minds .... if only in story. Which of course was exaggerated big-time.
Motorcycling grew, maybe I took it for granted.
I'm sure many of us here can remember when there was no atgatt [gear] motorcycle specific. It was borrow something dry & or warm from normal clothing . So perhaps the "slow-down" is just another motorcycling hiccup we'll get past.
Motorcycle riders are definitely accepted many times over what they were back in the 50's and 60's. Hollister and a few rebels made a tough image to over come.
As for ATGATT, I remember putting on many miles in tennis shoes, jeans and a jean jacket. Not many riders wore anything special when I started riding, perhaps a leather jacket here ant there. I am still a bit of a rebels, I wear a helmet most of the time, but will ride without from time to time. I do wear a mesh jacket with armor, but mostly because I hate getting roasted by the sun and wind. The rest of the riding gear is lace up military boots, jeans and gloves.
As for a motorcycle industry slow down, I am afraid it is going to be over, other than small commuter bikes. I wonder what it will be like in ten years. I see talk of electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles taking over sooner than most of us would ever imagine. Where do heavy touring bikes fit in if the typical vehicle is electric.
Times are changing and I think us old farts are going to be surprised in a few years.
As for ATGATT, I remember putting on many miles in tennis shoes, jeans and a jean jacket. Not many riders wore anything special when I started riding, perhaps a leather jacket here ant there. I am still a bit of a rebels, I wear a helmet most of the time, but will ride without from time to time. I do wear a mesh jacket with armor, but mostly because I hate getting roasted by the sun and wind. The rest of the riding gear is lace up military boots, jeans and gloves.
As for a motorcycle industry slow down, I am afraid it is going to be over, other than small commuter bikes. I wonder what it will be like in ten years. I see talk of electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles taking over sooner than most of us would ever imagine. Where do heavy touring bikes fit in if the typical vehicle is electric.
Times are changing and I think us old farts are going to be surprised in a few years.
crucian
New member
I consumed this entire thread and although indigestion set in a time or two, it is a good discussion. The perspective that I can't escape is why should I care about how many riders there are? I enjoy seeing other bikes but as long as I'm able to mount up and ride, ride, ride, I don't care about how many others are out there.
Where I live, horses remained primary transportation until the late 1950's and even now, hardly a day goes by that I don't see a mounted rider along the roadway. For those of you that have assumed a lifestyle where equines are aliens, that's your choice and no one should criticize. If however you still wanted to ride a horse bad enough, plenty of horses and plenty of places to ride.....life outside the beltways.
I'll ride motorcycles until I drop and behind me are many others who will stay in the saddle long after I'm gone. Of that I am supremely confident. It's going to be just fine......
Where I live, horses remained primary transportation until the late 1950's and even now, hardly a day goes by that I don't see a mounted rider along the roadway. For those of you that have assumed a lifestyle where equines are aliens, that's your choice and no one should criticize. If however you still wanted to ride a horse bad enough, plenty of horses and plenty of places to ride.....life outside the beltways.
I'll ride motorcycles until I drop and behind me are many others who will stay in the saddle long after I'm gone. Of that I am supremely confident. It's going to be just fine......
36654
New member
Obviously, you've never been to Great Falls or Potomac, MD. Reportedly, the equine population center of the US.......
crucian
New member
Oh, you're talking Poodle Country
. I was more referring to places where a fella can mount a nag and ride to town, or wherever. That I bring up to reinforce my contention that just as riding horses has not nor will ever go away, neither will riding motorcycles. And yes, just as the metro Washington DC area has plenty of Show Horses, Pebble Beach has plenty of Show Bikes so valuable they are never ridden. Gimme a 1973 Bultaco Alpina and 40 acres and I'll ride!People overestimate the size and profitability of the entire US motorcycle market. They are a luxury item here.
HD has been more successful than anyone else over the 30 years at selling large motorcycles. The market simply cannot support itself without diversification. There are probably more Civics and Corollas sold in the US than all motorcycles sold in the US on a yearly basis.
AMF diversified HD into all sorts of stuff, Snowmobiles, minibikes, dirtbikes, boats, golf carts…..The "new company" has done the same thing they have diversified into branded soft goods and SWAG. They have put their name on everything, but there is the old saying "keep them wanting more" -perhaps they are overexposed.
Trust me, BMW would LOVE to have a slice of that pie, but they are a little too conservative and their stuff is a little too euro for many folks. Still difficult to find BMW shop shirts on a regular basis.
KTM has taken a page out of the HD branding book and has an insane amount of branded SWAG.
HD has been more successful than anyone else over the 30 years at selling large motorcycles. The market simply cannot support itself without diversification. There are probably more Civics and Corollas sold in the US than all motorcycles sold in the US on a yearly basis.
AMF diversified HD into all sorts of stuff, Snowmobiles, minibikes, dirtbikes, boats, golf carts…..The "new company" has done the same thing they have diversified into branded soft goods and SWAG. They have put their name on everything, but there is the old saying "keep them wanting more" -perhaps they are overexposed.
Trust me, BMW would LOVE to have a slice of that pie, but they are a little too conservative and their stuff is a little too euro for many folks. Still difficult to find BMW shop shirts on a regular basis.
KTM has taken a page out of the HD branding book and has an insane amount of branded SWAG.
36654
New member
Oh, you're talking Poodle Country
Poodle country? Surely, you jest. The horsey set prefers something more sporting. However, a Poodle-Lab mix save the wear and tear on the vacuum and help.
40-acres gets pretty small, fast. Been there, done that at the age of 11 in rural PA
36654
New member
Let me ask you..............would you sooner have the economy and MC sales of 1998 or 2007? I would opt for 1998.
pglaves
#13338
On a national or cultural level I don't know. But in 1998 I was working 50 hour weeks and am now retired with a pension and social security so from that point of view I personally like 2007 and now.
36654
New member
Let me put it this way...............in 1998 MC sales were a bit lower than today. But, the economy was good and the budget deficit was nil. In 2007, MC sales were 2~3x the 1998 levels, the economy was riding a soon to collapse housing debt bubble and the federal budget was in deficit.
My point is........we are fixated on this 8-yr period of easy credit fueled MC sales as the supposed norm for MC sales. When, if we considered MC sales for the 20-yrs prior to that period, we would see that we're at a relatively normal level.
