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I am not so pessimistic about the future of motorcycles. Admittedly I live in a touristic part of Canada, but I see a LOT of motorcycles cruising through my town. Motocross and off-road trail-riding is alive and kicking on the many semi-legal logging roads. The electrification of motorcycles is an other huge addition to the scene, with the growing (and a little confusing) grey zone between electric bicycle and electric motorbike as an interesting aspect. (My 13-year old son has a picture of a prototype of the Damon Hypersport as wallpaper on his iphone.
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As far as I can see sales of most major motorcycle manufacturers are up since mid-2020. In short, I think it is looking good for the industry.
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"When working for a virtual audience, remember to manage the butt crack when crouching."
Funny you should mention that....
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I see lots of teenagers riding on the new-fangled electric bikes that are bumping on motorycle speeds. I'd like to think that some of these guys might think that the next step to a legitimate motorcycle isn't a large one.
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(04-23-2021, 02:50 AM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: The world is changing, Vata. I couldn't wait to get behind the wheel and ride when I was a kid. I wanted the sense of freedom that a car and a motorcycle represented. But today, most kids consider that same freedom to be the ability to be in digital contact with anyone or anything they could ever want. They can meet up with their friends without leaving their bedrooms. It's something that we have to come to terms with.
I work in a car and motorycle museum on weekends, and see two types of young people (kids of any age up to... let's say 14).
The first type is the kid who was taken to the museum by their car or motorcycle enthusiast dad, with high hopes that the kid will "catch the bug" and become an enthusiast as well. More often than not, the kid feels forced to be there, and the dad leaves feeling sad.
The second type of kid is the kind who has read about every type of car or motorycle and is literally dragging his parents through the museum, pointing out every little detail. They either want to quote all of the things that they have learned, or they ask questions about everything... "I know the difference between a V-twin and a parallel twin. See this one?... That's a V-twin. How 'come that one doesn't have a chain?" The parents look at me, shrugging, saying "He just likes this stuff, we aren't motorcycle people." To which I answer "Please nurture this... we need a lot more of these kids!!"
I dreamed of owning even a mini-bike when I was 13 or 14. Glad I bought that 70' Suzuki 100 Wolf , new for $395 plus tax! It changed my life!
