I bought my 2006 Hayabusa in Jan of 2006. Made some amazing friends here in south florida, used to go to bike nights and sunday morning meets, post on soflasportbikes and sportbikes.net. Busa got stolen back in 2010 and for 9 years I was bikeless. In jan of 2018 I bought a brand new z06 Vette with 650 horsepower and 650 lbs feet of torque but still missed being on 2 wheels so last saturday I picked up a leftover new 2018 CBR1000RR ABS. Went back to the forums and realized most of them are graveyards with last posts being made months or years ago. Also I realized I dont see many bikes out there anymore. Not even the sunday harley riders. What happened to Motorcycling in america?
What happened to the motorcycle community?
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Motorcycling is a dying sport. Most young people are not into bikes so it's just us older folks and surprisingly many don't own computers. I have seen the trend coming for some time. Perhaps when electric bikes hit the market things will change as most young folks do understand science and will op for green transportation.
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Millennials is what happened.
Im 36 and I love facebook, instagram and texting but that doesnt keep me from riding a motorcycle. About 10 years ago or so when I was into bikes I used to see plenty of guys and girls my age who were into it. A dude here in south florida where its hot and rains almost daily only had a bike as his primary means of transportation. But now they have all disappeared.
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58 Posts
I’ve wondered the same thing.
I also started riding in 2006.
There were so many forums back then.
I learned so much from the seasoned riders on them.
YouTube wasn’t a thing yet and people took time to write out their thoughts.
There has also been a noticeable decline in motorcycle dealers in my area.
The ones that remain have very little inventory.
California has put a growing number of fees and regulations on bikes and cars that are sold new in the state. It’s too bad.
I'm glad I started when I did.
I also started riding in 2006.
There were so many forums back then.
I learned so much from the seasoned riders on them.
YouTube wasn’t a thing yet and people took time to write out their thoughts.
There has also been a noticeable decline in motorcycle dealers in my area.
The ones that remain have very little inventory.
California has put a growing number of fees and regulations on bikes and cars that are sold new in the state. It’s too bad.
I'm glad I started when I did.
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10,607 Posts
We meet every Sunday at a local coffee shop. That is our small group of about 20, sometimes more. A few weeks ago there were a few hundred bikes at an event. There is something happening most every weekend throughout the North West during the summer.
Race SE of Seattle last weekend, Toy Run on the big island this coming weekend, and much more.
UK
Race SE of Seattle last weekend, Toy Run on the big island this coming weekend, and much more.
UK
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1,928 Posts
Definitely do more Riding alone than did as little as 3 Years Ago.. Used to be all kinds of events even in remote little town or or least some close by .. Very Few and Far between Now .. Think Insurance Costs of Riding Events and not as much interest in them is definitely a Key Factor ..
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27,445 Posts
Texters
Out of 12 of us that meet for breakfast once a month, the so called "breakfast biker gang", usually only 3 or 4 ride to it. I make fun of them but the fact is, those that no longer ride point to texters as the reason they no longer do. Texters are far worse and more of them than drunk drivers. But with both on the road, people that used to ride all the time have stopped. Aging is playing into it as well. I no longer mind not riding and it used to bug me when I couldn't. And it's only going to get worse. I wouldn't want to ride in a third world country either and that seems to be the direction we are headed if...okay, I won't go there.
Out of 12 of us that meet for breakfast once a month, the so called "breakfast biker gang", usually only 3 or 4 ride to it. I make fun of them but the fact is, those that no longer ride point to texters as the reason they no longer do. Texters are far worse and more of them than drunk drivers. But with both on the road, people that used to ride all the time have stopped. Aging is playing into it as well. I no longer mind not riding and it used to bug me when I couldn't. And it's only going to get worse. I wouldn't want to ride in a third world country either and that seems to be the direction we are headed if...okay, I won't go there.
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1,395 Posts
While it may not be any one "thing", I believe that the primary de-motivator is technology. It has helped us become lazy and significantly less "involved" in actually living a life, allowing us to live vicariously through social media or other singular activities online. Look at the auto industry and how little you have to do to... well, can you actually call it driving anymore?
Went to my first track day this past June and was surprised at how many there were around my age or even a bit older (50-ish). While it was nice to see so many still active at such an advanced age :smile_big: it was disappointing to realize that, like true rock 'n rollers, the demographic is slowly ageing out.
Riding a bike is a very involved and inherently dangerous activity and today's youngsters just don't seem to want to bother with it...
Went to my first track day this past June and was surprised at how many there were around my age or even a bit older (50-ish). While it was nice to see so many still active at such an advanced age :smile_big: it was disappointing to realize that, like true rock 'n rollers, the demographic is slowly ageing out.
Riding a bike is a very involved and inherently dangerous activity and today's youngsters just don't seem to want to bother with it...
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10 Posts
There are plenty of riders where I live and members/topics are active on the Honda Shadow forum I frequent. Notably that forum does not allow political discussions, which don’t really work online the way they can in person. If some of you in the south and west want to ride to meet me halfway, say in Kansas, I’m sure we could have a friendly breakfast and agree to disagree on the causes of America’s declining position in the world.
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769 Posts
Members of our riding group come and go, off and on, year to year. But we've been riding together for decades, and we're slowly moving over to roadsters.
As for why there are no younger new riders, their priorities are different. Give them a reason to ride and they might join in. Offer up some useful, sensible commuter type bikes like we had in the 70s/80s. Instead of the pricey driveway ornaments and a lifestyle. And putting an inexpensive single cylinder dirt bike motor on a street chassis doesn't count. When was the last time you saw a commercial for an affordable commuter type bike targeting younger riders instead of a bike suitable enough to be accepted into the tribe? And what makes this such a hot subject anyway? Is it because the sport is shrinking here in the states? Or because these younger generations don't want to join the declining super secret boy band?
As for why there are no younger new riders, their priorities are different. Give them a reason to ride and they might join in. Offer up some useful, sensible commuter type bikes like we had in the 70s/80s. Instead of the pricey driveway ornaments and a lifestyle. And putting an inexpensive single cylinder dirt bike motor on a street chassis doesn't count. When was the last time you saw a commercial for an affordable commuter type bike targeting younger riders instead of a bike suitable enough to be accepted into the tribe? And what makes this such a hot subject anyway? Is it because the sport is shrinking here in the states? Or because these younger generations don't want to join the declining super secret boy band?
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276 Posts
But will you be back? I had a bad crash in July of 2018. While in the hospital and for months after I thought I was done. After a lot of time to think, and talk, we decided to get another bile. Its hard to give up once its been a part of your life for so long. I'm still working through the injuries, move around a lot slower, and have to take more frequent rests while riding than I did before the accident, but it sure feels good to get back on the bike.
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27,445 Posts
Oh no slum!! I guess the fact you are posting says you are mostly okay. I hope you weren't as buggered up as I was in mine. Maybe sometime you'll feel like talking about it. We can all learn from this kind of stuff. Whether we want to admit it or not.:thumbsup:
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229 Posts
Summer happened in my case. I got a new bike in May, then hip surgery & by the time I healed enough to ride again it was 102. Wasn't a problem in my youth but is at 62. In 4 months I've only got 623 miles on it. Sep 25 is marked on my calendar. Should be cool enough to ride then.
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432 Posts
I think you may be on to something, but who knows... I'm not sure anything happened other than the normal cycle of things... recreational motorcycling, recreational boating, recreational aviation and recreational auto racing have all taken a hit... I've participated in all of them, and they all ask similar questions, and usually someone will try to say it is a generational thing -- perhaps in part, but not exclusively... All of these sports require money, in some cases quite a bit (motorcycling often being one of the least expensive), but when the economy takes a hit, one of the first things we quite spending money on is items we purchase with disposable income, boats, planes, bikes, RV, etc... largely because we're not sure how much we'll have... historically it takes at least a generation or more to recover... then there is the thing with the Boomers, and inordinately large generation with relatively large amounts of spare time and money -- most generations won't be so fortunate, so we return to more normal times...
As for those missing the camaraderie of the open road -- not all of us rode with groups... I tried it once or twice, and found that I often rode much farther to get to "the ride" than I did on the ride... not for me, but we all ride for our personal reasons... it'll be what it is...
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15,915 Posts
Whoa, back up a minute. You tried to slip that past us. Your posting so you must be semi-0kay. Are you?
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58 Posts
And aNOTHer thing.....since this has been bugging me.
My cable company cut BEIN Sport Channel halfway through the MOTOGP season!
No warning, no apologie, nothing.
I LOVED watching MotoGP!!!!
It's gone now.....no more Marquez, no more Rossi.
I was still hurting from Dani Pedrosa retiring last year. :crying:
American's are motorcycle illiterate.
My cable company cut BEIN Sport Channel halfway through the MOTOGP season!
No warning, no apologie, nothing.
I LOVED watching MotoGP!!!!
It's gone now.....no more Marquez, no more Rossi.
I was still hurting from Dani Pedrosa retiring last year. :crying:
American's are motorcycle illiterate.
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10,607 Posts
Sometimes you can get live streaming. Or motogp.com has a video pass you can buy, or go to youtube after the race and search, or even a google search can find it. Italy this weekend.
UK
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