The recession - give up biking?

[McDuck]

Crap, the ressetion, i am 3 days into harvest, i am expecting to collect about 2k in overtime. With this i will upgrade the cage and over the next 2 months get rid of a small personal loan.


I have worked out that i need to do 15000kms per year on the 400 to make it worth keeping, or go and see family 20 times per year which last year that number was up around 25, so the bike stays.



Other than that i am going to spend sweet FA (altho i will spend a little on bike bits and tropical fish)

[Katman]

(altho i will spend a little on bike bits and tropical fish)

And some chips?

[McDuck]

And some chips?

Depends on how good i am at keeping fish

[Tony.OK]

My work is very export driven and we've been on 4 day weeks since October, overseas orders dried up quickly once the talk of recession started.
There's been no overtime for 6 months either................that was paying for my racing.................have been ticking it up for a bit , now its crunch time

Any of you with booming businesses feel the need to sponsor a racer feel free to get in touch

[discotex]

I think these times are just little wake up calls for all of us to take stock...1928, how did they manage....well they did and we have it a lot better now.

Assuming you're tongue in cheek suggesting we need a couple more world wars to get us sorted then


Seriously, when the "experts" talk about the recession they are putting a massively positive spin on it so we don't freak out about a depression not the other way around.

We'll lag behind the US/UK but it will hit given the trade deficit and our high personal debt.

But no I won't be giving up my bike regardless. Not when gas could be $2/l (or more) again in the near future.

[Beemer]

Work has definitely slowed down this year - I was flat out in December and earned more than double my normal monthly income, but pretty quiet since February. I'm self-employed so when clients stop hiring me, I have to try and find that income elsewhere.

Definitely thinking of selling the bike, not because I need the money but because I got a thirsty Yank tank for my birthday and I love driving it so much I have - shock, horror! - lost interest in riding the bike! I've just relicenced it for three months to give me time to see if I still want to keep it, but to be honest I dream of the Corvette more than the Goose!

[discotex]

Definitely thinking of selling the bike, not because I need the money but because I got a thirsty Yank tank for my birthday and I love driving it so much I have - shock, horror! - lost interest in riding the bike!

Lynch mob in 3.............2...................1...............

[Finn]

I'm thinking of giving up the recession and doing more biking.

[Beemer]

Lynch mob in 3.............2...................1...............

Hey, the other half has still got six bikes and I'll still be going on the back of his - it's just my interest in riding my own bike is waning!

[discotex]

Hey, the other half has still got six bikes and I'll still be going on the back of his - it's just my interest in riding my own bike is waning!

It was just a prediction how KB would react. Personally I say do whatever makes you happy. There's room for 4 wheels and 2 in this world

[elevenhundred]

I need my bike to stay sane so It won't be going
I don't have a car, mortgage or any other kind of debt so the only thing I have to watch out for is job security.
The worse thing for me so far with the recession is the NZD/USD rate, there's a few big ticket items I want to buy (piston kit, ignition etc) but don't want to pay that much!

[yungatart]

Fortunaltly the wine industry just can not stop grapes growing.
They just keep growing and need to be looked after.
The wine industry is a constant when compared to other industries.

But wine is being stockpiled around the world.
To turn a profit, the wine needs to be sold, surely?

[ckai]

People are getting laid off because their "bosses" are paying themselves too much. Take the Big 3 motor companies in the US, Mr Pressie isn't too happy with them after they take his money, laid off staff, and gave themselves bonuses.

In NZ, the first industry to get hit in a slowdown is the building and property industry since we LOVE our houses so much. It's a kick in the teeth after it went stupid for so many years, but the good ones said this isn't right and prepared for the "normal" trading to resume. I know, used to work in the industry for 3 years.

If there are so many people getting laid off, why can't we find staff!?

Because, and I'm generalising here, they decide they can bitch about the "reccession" and blame that for not being able to get a job. For all of you that are doing something after being laid off, good on ya, that wasn't directed at you.

Would I think about selling the bike? Nope - looking at getting another one if I can find more staff as well as a flashy car both for marketing - if we can find staff that is. haha

Agree the media has glorified this "recession" a bit too much but then again that's what the media does now - reports on bad shit. When I heard it was gonna hit, the wife and I rushed out and brought new bikes. With the new "recession" interest rates coming into force, we'll pay our mortgage off 17 years earlier with the same repayments!!

You can choose to take the gloomy road or you can see it as an opportunity...

[caseye]

With 25 odd years in the building industry ( selling marine plys, solid timbers, hardware, construction equipment,framing timber, concrete and services) not to mention the last 5 years as a company/project manager.
I can tell you all that once I became unemployed a littel over a year ago, I tried for and did not get any of about 35 real jobs.
I believe that most of thoise jobs were never hired for as the companies simply didn't go ahead with hiring.That was over a year ago.This recession is real.
But Sell my Bike? or the wifes brand new littel baby bike? ! Hell No!!
Working a straight 8 hour day these days, actually doing the work and loving it.Job secure? don't know but I'm there as long as theres a job to do.

[tri boy]

It's only just kicking in here.
Will NZ suffer as much as many places? No.
Will it take longer to climb out of the low than larger countries? Yes
If your personal debt is manageable, then you get by on a reduced lifestyle that you are used to.
If your debt is too high, then your in for a painful time.
Closing down/packing up supercross cycles in Hamilton for the CH-CH based owner this week. He did the numbers, got some advice, and pulled the pin.
Do I care?Not really. My debt is minimal. I own my bikes, and some free time riding and visiting friends is what we dream of when we are working, so I'm taking full advantage of it as soon as possible.

How long will the downturn last? Tune in at March/April next year. MHO