Are we at the end of the era for motorcycling?

**swbarnett** · 5th January 2011, 07:03

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Was thinking... While I have no intentions of stopping riding, all you need is a group to stop, high levies etc, and the shops won't survive. Can't look at, browse and buy bikes if there is no shop supplying them

Certainly it will be tough times for the bike shops. When the cheap import cars started coming in in the late 80s a number of them went under. It was very hard to get good gear but the selection of bikes didn't suffer much, just fewer places supplying the same selection. Of course, buying from oversees back then involved a plane trip to physically visit the store - no online shopping until the mid 90s.

**240** · 5th January 2011, 07:24

I'm not sure that young guys arn't riding.My step son rides as does a lot of his mates,I can't see much difference between now and twenty years ago personally.
Moto cross riders often end up as road bike riders as well and there are plenty of those guys around.
As for electric??? bollocks! I can't see people riding around on a large electro magnetic field motors which pump large amounts of radiation into your ball sack which is sitting about 6 inches above!!!
Fuck that! the thought of an electric bike is gay enough without being made sterile and radioactive as well!

I believe that like cars engines will become smaller,more powerful and more fuel efficient and possibly even high pressure diesel.

**Grasshopperus** · 5th January 2011, 07:45

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

What you have to realise is that an out of control bike can kill an innocent bystander just as quickly as a car. It's a lot easier to bin a bike than it is to crash a cage, and I've seen many bikers (usually the ones on sports bikes) riding like complete muppets at well over double the speed limit. If you're on one of those group rides and someone tries to show off by popping a big wheelie and crashes into you then what do you think is going to happen?

Too many people on KB say "I hate boy racers, but my GSXR1000 does close to 300kmh". There's not much difference in the attitude of many people who ride bikes and those who drive performance cars. You might have more in common than you think.

I've been on KB rides before with some of the litre bike boys, and it often turns into a "Race you to the finish, loser has to shout a round of beer at the pub" kind of situation.

Who the hell are you and what have you done with smokeu?

**pritch** · 5th January 2011, 08:00

There have been a few changes since I started riding. The dealer I bought my first bike from was a one man band. He was the salesman, the parts guy, the receptionist, and the mechanic. His turnover in any department was probably modest.

Even in the 70s one of the dealers here consisted of the owner/salesman/mechanic and a parts guy/receptionist/back up salesman.

Probably most people did their own maintenance back then so much less was put through the dealers' workshops.

Some of the dealers now seem to have a large staff and a drop in sales will hurt them relatively quickly. I suspect that it's the workshop business that is keeping some afloat.

If sales fall away too much the big dealers may eventually be replaced by smaller operations.

As for the "golden age" I believe this is it. There has never been such a selection of incredible machinery available to so many people. When the Brough Superior was produced in the nineteen twenties only a very few people could afford it. Currently there is some wonderful machinery available to someone on the average wage. OK, other priorities may intrude, but if someone wants it enough they can do it.

Make the most of it, it may not last.

**bogan** · 5th January 2011, 08:49

Originally Posted by 240

As for electric??? bollocks! I can't see people riding around on a large electro magnetic field motors which pump large amounts of radiation into your ball sack which is sitting about 6 inches above!!!

and how do you think the spark is generated for you ICE bike?

also, we are at a 20 year high for number of registered bikes, I don't think that signals the end of biking at all.

**Voltaire** · 5th January 2011, 10:06

As for the "golden age" I believe this is it. There has never been such a selection of incredible machinery available to so many people. When the Brough Superior was produced in the nineteen twenties only a very few people could afford it. Currently there is some wonderful machinery available to someone on the average wage. OK, other priorities may intrude, but if someone wants it enough they can do it.

Make the most of it, it may not last.

I remember when I was looking at a Ducati Darmah and the only one was in the window in a bike shop up Ponsonby Road...Auckland Motorcycles...? it was 6K, 8 years old and it was 1985.
I bought a better one that I still have in Sydney for about 3k AU, and Frazers had several for around 3500K.
Now there are 200 Ducatis on TM, so yes this is probably the golden age.
I wonder what 3K in 1986 money is worth in todays...I was on $10 an hour at the time....as an Electrician.....what do they get now...$25-30?

**SMOKEU** · 5th January 2011, 10:11

Originally Posted by Grasshopperus

Who the hell are you and what have you done with smokeu?

He's around here somewhere....

**Buyasta** · 5th January 2011, 12:08

Originally Posted by Grasshopperus

Who the hell are you and what have you done with smokeu?

Initially I thought he was worried that some unfortunate racially pure aryan sort of fellow might be mown down by a rabid minority type, but on further consideration it seems more likely that his concern (and rightly so), is that mowing down minorities on a motorbike lacks the grand sense of tradition inherent in judiciously applied Zyklon B.

**SMOKEU** · 5th January 2011, 12:45

Originally Posted by Buyasta

Initially I thought he was worried that some unfortunate racially pure aryan sort of fellow might be mown down by a rabid minority type, but on further consideration it seems more likely that his concern (and rightly so), is that mowing down minorities on a motorbike lacks the grand sense of tradition inherent in judiciously applied Zyklon B.

Nicely said.

**240** · 5th January 2011, 14:43

Originally Posted by bogan

and how do you think the spark is generated for you ICE bike?

also, we are at a 20 year high for number of registered bikes, I don't think that signals the end of biking at all.

True, but the spark is generated by a small pulse from a cdi with no magnetic leakage, not a massive constant electric field frying the testes and organs, you may as well strap a microwave to your arse! (allthough it may be good in winter

)

**Swoop** · 5th January 2011, 15:02

Q: Are we at the end of the era for motorcycling?

A: No.

Absolutely not.

**dangerous** · 5th January 2011, 15:13

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

What you have to realise is that an out of control bike can kill an innocent bystander just as quickly as a car. It's a lot easier to bin a bike than it is to crash a cage, and I've seen many bikers (usually the ones on sports bikes) riding like complete muppets at well over double the speed limit. If you're on one of those group rides and someone tries to show off by popping a big wheelie and crashes into you then what do you think is going to happen?

Too many people on KB say "I hate boy racers, but my GSXR1000 does close to 300kmh". There's not much difference in the attitude of many people who ride bikes and those who drive performance cars. You might have more in common than you think.

I've been on KB rides before with some of the litre bike boys, and it often turns into a "Race you to the finish, loser has to shout a round of beer at the pub" kind of situation.

FUCK... you are so full of shit

Originally Posted by shrub

I sometimes wonder what the future holds for motorcycling, and I suspect that it's not rosy.
1...
2...
3...
4...

hehe... less thinking, more riding, and ya post is full of it aswell LOL, (differance being you are a good fulla shit guy) disagree I could counter question all 4 of your issues... its what we make it.

**bogan** · 5th January 2011, 15:42

Originally Posted by 240

True, but the spark is generated by a small pulse from a cdi with no magnetic leakage, not a massive constant electric field frying the testes and organs, you may as well strap a microwave to your arse! (allthough it may be good in winter

)

I suppose the ignorant shunning technology they do not understand will leave more electricities for me! Unless of course you have studies to back up your claims?

read this

**SMOKEU** · 5th January 2011, 15:44

Originally Posted by dangerous

FUCK... you are so full of shit

I couldn't be even half as full of shit as you are even if I tried. I've always wondered, do you actually try and act like a complete fuckwit, or is it just something that you can't help?