Is Honda next?

[Nortoon_imp]

I am wondering if all the road rages that we see nowadays just simply scare people in getting a street motorcycle. I know some hard core dirt-bike motorcyclists, they would get in the dirt any time, but just don't ask them to get on the road with other cars and trucks around.

Like the TV news, people are attracted to You Tube videos of danger and violence. Our local station tried a happy news item at the end of each newscast, but stopped because it did not interest the viewers.

There is more road rage shown, simply because there are more vehicles and more cameras. As our cities grow, it takes longer to go to work downtown. So people become less polite, more impatient and aggressive. Even on the weekends when they are just going to a nearby mall, they are still rush hour impatient and aggressive .

I can understand this. It took about a year after I retired, and a lot of nagging from the second driver, before I lessened my rush hour bad habits. Now both my wife and I book our appointments between the morning and afternoon rush hours. We very seldom go downtown anymore.

When planning my day ride routes, I avoid city streets and busy highways. Quiet rural roads are preferred. It may take a little longer, but sure is a lot more enjoyable and safer. Luckily I live in a suburb on the outskirts of the city where quiet 80 KPH rural roads are only minutes from my home.

Stopped by a local dealer up in Anthem. He used to have three dealership up in the northeast (New Hamshire) and closed them during the great recession. Moved back to AZ and opened a new dealership.

He says he sells mostly ATV/UTV's, then dirt bikes followed by adventure bikes. Slowest moving bikes - the big cruisers.

He had plenty of inventory; even the big bikes; I assume the diversity of inventory keeps feet in the building. I was there to look at new old stock Yamaha Roadliner. Love the Art Deco style but I tend to fit the tall bikes like your adventure bikes so I should stick with those.

Now Honda is pushing the mid sized bikes, and smaller intro sized bikes (CB300, CB500's) and I understand they are selling fairly well. Something they need to do; bring in younger newer riders since the industry needs new blood. Look at all the old farts that have to give up riding or really adjust their ride (three wheelers, scooters, golf carts.....). So it's nice to have bikes for the old timers, but frankly, our demographic is dying off.

I believe the heritage motorcycles like the CB1100 and Bonneville are less attractive to young riders, because they didn't ride in the 60s and 70s. They have no idea what a 4-cylinder Honda or Triumph Bonneville should look like, and probably don't care. But we do.

When I decided to return to motorcycling in the fall of 2013, I wanted a Triumph Bonneville T120. But I was put off because the BASE price was $13,000. When my buddies road British bikes, Bonnies were $1300 out the door. I bought a one year old BSA Lightning for $700.

After looking around the Internet, I bought a new 2013 CB500XA that winter for less than $6800 out-the-door because it had an upright riding position and was inexpensive. I though it was a homely looking thing, but learned to thoroughly enjoy it because it was surprizing quick, reliable, light and nimble on the twisty back roads.

Being a member of the CB500X Forum, I say with confidence that they are a lot of old farts returning to motorcycling that bought and enjoyed it for the same reasons. The younger crowd would probably find the CB500R sport or Rebel 500 cruiser/bobber model more attractive.

And yes there are very few of us that rode in the 60's, 70s and 80s that are still riding today. During the last three years of riding, I have only met 2 that I knew then. One at the motorcycle show, and the other at a rest stop in Calabogie that has been popular with motorcyclists for more than half a century. You can't go back. But you certainly enjoy can going forward, even if you ride by yourself.