I have a good friend who has been at the corporate level of the motorcycle industry for many years, working for several major brands. He is now working for an off-shore electric motorcycle company who makes e-sportbikes. His take is that from some riders e-bike (motorcycles) such as urban riders, will be a complete solution. But, for many Millennials, electric motorcycles will be a gateway to ICE motorcycles, at least with the current limitation of e-motorcycles.
Greg Feeler
Ambassador & amateur K-Bike collector, it seems
1972 R75/5, 1990 K75, 1990 K1, 1992 K75S, 2003 K1200RS
Two wheel non motorcycle riding will always be dangerous. The Tour De (insert location here) riders that push the “I have the right of way” (which they do) reality a bit too far, coupled with the 4-wheel operators that think they can “squeeze” by the two wheel rider when the rider is in their lane......its a bad recipe.
The motorcycle is barely seen as ok in a lane on the road. The edge of the road is a tough spot, at least around here.
I’m up for an electric bike but realize I won’t receive any respect from the 4-wheel operators.
OM
"You can do good or you can do well. Sooner or later they make you choose." MI5
Mod Squad
2009 F800GS 1994 TW200
There are places around here that have signs saying "Bicycles use full road width", I guess the idea is to tell cars not to try passing. Usually urban areas where cars generally don't make any better time than a bike anyway. I don't know how well it works.
2020 R1250 GSA Low
The key to bike / auto safety is courtesy: from the riders and from drivers. Riding side by side on a 55 mph or faster road is both discourteous and dangerous. Crowding a rider trying to stay out of the mud at the edge of the road is discourteous and dangerous.
Be courteous and respectful. It will go a long way towards happiness and safety.
That is, by the way, also a great way to generally lead your life.
YMMV but if it does, I'm sorry.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/
E bikes are still maturing. I would guess that gas powered scooters, moped, etc will become obsolete as better E versions become available at competitive cost.
Likely the same for step thru motorcycles 50-125cc city bikes....and maybe other like the city centric TW200 etc
The curmudgeon side of me scorns E augmented bicycles. You either ride for the exercise and joy of that and the view or if you want to just cruse for the views get a moped to scooter
The "ICE engines are still superior for anything outside of the city" and "I want to go with more junk" are my arguments of why more people may jump from an Ebike to an ICE-powered motorcycle (and maybe some day an electric powered motorcycle).Originally Posted by lkchris
We need more of the "oh, that's super cool" and less of the "get off my lawn" - as all of us on two wheels are vulnerable road users...
Current: 2007 BMW R1200RT, 2013 F800GS
Former: 1995 BMW K75S, 2009 BMW G650GS
MOA Member #:150400, IBA#: 37558
I recently took one of my nephews out in my truck, learning to drive, getting ready for his license. He'd failed miserably the first time around. I told him that what I wanted him to take away from his time with me was the advice "always remember the two C's". Common sense, and Common courtesy. "If you always practice those, you'll be fine". He passed the test last week.
Well...Harley Davidson certainly hopes so. In fact, they’re betting on it.
As a kid I can remember putting playing cards in spokes and riding as I imagined my bicycle was a motorcycle, so maybe there is something to their thinking that all paths lead to motorcycling.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"Der Bimmer ist wunderbar."
Tango Alpha
2002 R1150RT
[QUOTE=drneo66;1234889]I was just reading about the explosive growth that the bicycle market has benefited from in the past year.
I think it's a short lived fad for most. Like buying a treadmill or Peloton thing. Fishing was waaayyy up in 2020 as well.
2015 GSA
[QUOTE=craigjv4;1235188]People are used to their typical activity level and "active" folks get disturbed very quickly when they feel cooped-up. The conscientious folks who don't wish to congregate but still want to get out gravitate to things that allow that even during the pandemic. So riding bicycles, fishing, (even ice fishing for goodness sake), hiking, running, bird watching, canoeing, etc. become more attractive than typical. I expect used bicycles to appear at a lot of garage (rummage) sales once the pandemic is under control.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/
[QUOTE=PGlaves;1235220]I'm not so sure about that. Just as we get a handle on the pandemic, gas prices will be skyrocketing and it won't be just because more people are on the roads. I won't mention the other reasons because it involves the "P" (not pandemic) word. I think gas will be north of $3 a gallon by the end of Feb. And I think that will happen here in Texas. Maybe more. People may decide hanging on that that cheap form of transportation is a good idea. I'm glad we don't own any vehicles with more than four cylinders.
Scott Taranovich
McKinney, Texas
2019 R1250RT
[QUOTE=PGlaves;1235220]Paul, you may be correct about the pandemic driven bicycle purchases, but then again, many things I expect to not go back to the pre-pandemic normal. All my tech feed sources say that work will be forever changed by the great increase in people working at home. People and companies have found that this can work, and in many cases be better. Will movie theaters survive in the long run? Already many studios are releasing new movies directly to streaming services. Right now they feel they can't wait longer to get a return on their investment. But, consider that millions have invested in really high end home theater technology, and will those people go back to paying $12 or $15 a ticket to sit in a big dark room and buy popcorn at $10 a tub? I speculate that many who bought bicycles because of the pandemic have found the endorphin high of a good ride, lost some weight, discovered their neighborhood & city, and like all that well enough to keep at it. We'll see.
Greg Feeler
Ambassador & amateur K-Bike collector, it seems
1972 R75/5, 1990 K75, 1990 K1, 1992 K75S, 2003 K1200RS
I know that motorcycling can be a dangerous activity, but I find sharing a lane with cars much scarier. I have four close friends who are avid bike riders, and in the last four years all of them have had serious accidents (broken bones, and/or concussions). I love bikes, but I think I will stick to trails (where an e-bike would be awesome).
rickdm
Having two bikes. mountain and road, and like both very much, have for over the last twenty years. In the last three years gave up the road bike because it was too dangerous, not enough road with todays drivers. Though the e-bike revolution has been real strong in mt, biking for the last 3 years, more so in Europe than the US. I think if any growth in motorcycle riding occurs it will come from this group of thrill seekers, that have the "need for speed", seeing most are from the downhill community. My best friend who owns a bike shop has said that most if not all e-bike sales 60% have been mountain bikes with about 40% in road version of comfort bikes. Though battery technology has come a long way ,it still has a major leap to make it feasible for the motorcycles community, only because of riding distance .
I'm close friends with a couple in there late 70's. They bought a pair of RadRover e Mt Bikes this summer. While they will never transition into MC, they have had a really good time getting out and touring around the countryside on their EBikes.
The range of those things are impressive!
Nick
1978 R80/7
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