Interesting conversation re: demographics

[redbirds_imp]

I've done the "RV" route twice, once in '93 and again in '04. I should have remembered how bad the experience was the first time. Never again.

[4 Paws_imp]

How are boat sales doing?
I can't help but think that boating could be construed as a family together time similar to RVing while motorcycling would not be.

[Nortoon_imp]

I have two friends with boats. They have a saying. "There are two days you enjoy a boat, the day you buy it and the day you get rid of it".

Each year Gil brings his boat up from Fredericksburg, Virginia so we can enjoy a weeks fishing on West Lake next to the Sandbanks Park on Lake Ontario. It seems there is always something that needs repair before his visit. This year it was a $1000 repair on the four carbs of the motor. On his way home the trailer had a flat tire in the hills of Pennsylvania.

I am lucky that I have a historic dam to fish from 10 minutes from my home. The last time I was there I caught a 2 pound Pickerel (Walleye). It was a perfect size for eating, and I seriously considered taking it home. But I am a catch and release fisherman. After I long pause I told the fish he was lucky and tossed him back in.

[LongRanger_imp]

The one I like is, "a boat is a fiberglass hole in the water in which you throw money."

[Stichill_imp]

The thing about boating and RV'ing is that you spend an inordinate amount of time and effort puttering about to get them ready for an outing. By the time you roll out of the driveway, you're exhausted with preparations. Then you work to lug and maneuver the thing to wherever it is you're going. Upon arrival, you do a lot of puttering to get it set up and/or ready to operate. You fuss around with innumerable things while you're using it. Then you have a lot of futzing to do to make ready to go home. Once home, you have a lot of clean-up and tear down to do before stowing it.

With a motorcycle, you do your basic maintenance. When you're ready for fun, open the garage door and go. Instant fun starts at the end of your driveway. When you're all done having fun, ride back home and into the garage, hop off, and go inside the house. Relax.

[the Ferret]

Doesnt explain the drop in motorcycle sales and rise in RV sales though.

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, I came to the same conclusion when considering the purchase of a ski condo. The numbers didn't work and the hassle of furnishing, maintaining and cleaning the unit would outweigh the benefit of ownership. I now stay in hotels instead.

[Capo]

They are unrelated. It's like trying to correlate a rise in broccoli consumption with a decrease in the number of people bowling.


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[LongRanger_imp]

Ferret, I don't think they're related. Any aging boomer can buy an RV and tour the country with his family, but not all aging boomers can or want to buy a motorcycle, especially if they've never ridden before. We're quite the minority as you know.

[the Ferret]

Are you sure? Motorcycles and RV and boats are all toys vying for our disposable income. If someone gives up motorcycling do they just stay home?..or do they find an alternate rescource for their wanderlust?