Whatever happened??

[Mr Merde]

What happened to biking in NZ?

Here goes another "when I was young preamble" but WTF.

I got my full bike licence her in NZ when I was 15 years old. There were no restrictions then and you didnt even need to wear a helmet, unless you went on the so called "motorway".

Bikes were cheap, society tolerated us as we were only kids and the cops busted our chops if we were caught being naughty.

There were thousands of us. Symonds Street was one long bike park. Wherever you went you were bound to run into kids out enjoying themselves, on bikes. There was beach racing, road racing, trail rides, trial events and all manner of sports events all over NZ. We had our 'bikie gangs" that were the bad boys. We had our hoons who just loved to speed and play around. We lived the life. Rides were very inpromptu and we didnt really know where we were going or when we would get back. It didnt matter what you rode as long as you rode.

Get back to NZ after 30 years and it has all changed.

Bikes are bloody expensive, we are looked upon as oddities by the rest of the motoring crowd and the cops now come down on you like a ton of bricks if you put the slightest foot wrong and get caught.

The thousands have become hundreds, rides are organised, you dont run into other bikers as often. Off road events for bikes are getting scarce almost to the point of non existant The hoons nowadays are in cars. The whole culture now seems to be more about what you ride rather than riding. Money rules the mindset.

Thirty years ago the speed limit was 70 mph (112kph) now its 62mph (100kph) and on average most bikers stick to the speed limits. A few brave souls take dire risks and go hell for leather, but only for short bursts. Have we, I say we as I am as guilty as everyone else, become so afraid of the powers that be, that we only dare rebelling where we think no one else is watching other than our peers.

I dont feel as though I am really getting down in print what I am trying to say.

Maybe I can sum it up by asking the following.

Where have all the rebels gone, where have all those persons who pushed the limits dissapeared to. Have we become a bunch of boring old farts desperately trying to capture the thrills of our youth without any of the danger?


Rant over.

Vilify me if you have to, I dont really give a shit. Red reps gratefully accepted on the condition that you actually mean what you say. Death threats taken on board in the acknowledgement that to recieve one it must mean I am alive and I do so much want to be just that.



Mr


by name, by nature

[Coyote]

Hooners are frowned upon like smokers. Doesn't mean there are none of us around though

I like the fewer bikers around. Generally those into bikes are serious about them and aren't all about image. Fortunatly that's what cars are, image, and I couldn't care less about the cars the poser's are into. Doesn't mean I don't like the look of bikes though

And they are bloody expensive, but the performance to price ratio is still better than a car. And my RG is great around corners (though a bit sluggish) and it's as cheap as chips

[The Lone Rider]

we are looked upon as oddities by the rest of the motoring crowd

Have we become a bunch of boring old farts desperately trying to capture the thrills of our youth without any of the danger?

Everyone that I see gives me smiles, little kids wave at me at the lights, and people roll down a window to talk to me about my bike.

As I am in my 20's and love road hogs I certainly hope the life expectancy rate hasn't decreased 40 years over the last month lest I be considered an old fart now

[Mully]

The hoons nowadays are in cars.

This will be part of the reason.

Way back when (I'm 26 by the way, going on what I've read) cars in NZ were expensive. This is why more people rode bikes (for example, Uni students). With the event of cheap Japanese Used Cars, car prices came down. Nowadays, Universities are crowded with cheap cars, with only a few motorcycles outside. This, I suspect, is because carrying books etc on a bike in Auckland weather is too much of a hassle when you can run a car for about the same (and certainly buy one for less) money as a bike.

I think this is also why you say bikes are expensive. I think it has more to do with cars getting cheaper than bikes getting more expensive per se.

[Motig]

I would say what would have been the new biker generation have become "boy racers"

[Riff Raff]

Where have all the rebels gone, where have all those persons who pushed the limits dissapeared to.

They're taking it to the track were you can legally speed. Noticed an increase in trackdays for motorcyclists recently? It's far too risky to speed on the roads these days, especially up this way.

[MD]

Cheer up Mt Merde.
As Mully and Riff Raff said;
1. cars got cheaper, that was the downfall for bikes
2. those that chase the thrill of unlimited speeding go to the track. Which is a pain in the arse because like you, most of us want to taste that spontaneous rush whenever we feel like it, not have to wait on a set date at a set far distance peice of seal with an entrance fee and other travelling costs like accommodation.
We still find the odd place and time but reality is the fear of big fines and worse, loss of licence, does hold us back.

[Spyke]

i blame a society of pc idiots saying that biking is signing your death warrent and that you were born to work and have no fun, plus most parents believe the propoganda and don't let thier prize posetions out of the china cabinet.

damn annoying im at the stage of conning my mum into letting me have a bike and its hard work, made easier by the fact that dad use to ride bikes.

[Swoop]

Where have all the rebels gone...?

The next wing mirror I remove will be in your honour.

[pete376403]

Never remember the open road limit at 70mph unless that was an Auckland Motorway (well, at that time, the ONLY motorway) thing. I recall it as 55MPH which got rounded up a little to 100KMH with metrication. Apart from the time that it was put down to 50 MPH during the first petrol crisis (along with carless days). Hemets were compulsory if you went over 30MPH (ie out of town)

But everything else you write rings true. No capacity limits for learners in those days either. My first bike was a 350 AJS, second was a 500 Matchless. After I got a speeding ticket on the Matchie decided I'd better get a license. Did the license test on a 650 BSA Thunderbolt.

[Babelfish]

I was thinking about this while riding escort for my wife who was driving a car avec trailer so speeds were very tame. I got passed by loads of cars on the moronway filled with kids, their eyes lit up seeing something outside of the norm throbbing next to their car. Out come the little waves to get a reponse, followed by feverish wriggling as they get a wave back. It was fun, and different and highlighted to me that a bike isnt just another vehicle on the road. The fact that there isnt so many bikes out there is not necessarily a bad thing. Not very rebelish I'm sure, but we'll get to that when the little cunts grow up and I have to put a boot into their cars.

[MSTRS:Me]

Cops and their resources have come a long way in 30 years, but bikers are still just an individual on 2 wheels. Therefore we must pick our hoonery moments with care. There were a few today

[peasea]

Maybe I can sum it up by asking the following.

Where have all the rebels gone, where have all those persons who pushed the limits dissapeared to. Have we become a bunch of boring old farts desperately trying to capture the thrills of our youth without any of the danger?

You haven't met me have you? I'm not into clubs or gangs but rebellious I have always been. Ask my siblings, my teachers of days gone by, my employers or even my missus. You could also ask one or two coppers, a lawyer or two or maybe even some magistrates. I'm fifty now and I STILL do rebellious things on a REGULAR basis. Sure I pay a few fines but it's only money (some people buy art) and whatever I get nailed for probably felt good at the time.

What price fun????

[miSTa]

I think it has more to do with cars getting cheaper than bikes getting more expensive per se.

1. cars got cheaper, that was the downfall for bikes

Added to the fact that cars have got cheaper you also now have the ability to buy any car you like with no money. Back in the early 80's you needed 33% deposit for a car and 25% dep for a commericial vehicle, obviously buying a bike was the cheapest and easiest way to go.

[Ixion]

You haven't met me have you Mr Merde? Still here, still pissing people off , especially authorities (incuding the authorities on this site).

The biker spirit of bloody minded, fuck you in your face, rebelliousness is still alive. So long as I am alive, anyway. And there's some younger ones here to carry on the tradition. You can tell which ones, they're the ones that keep getting sinbinned. And a bloody good thing too. And the authorities (including those on this site ) are still trying to clamp down on it. I've taken the liberty of quoting a few of your posts "behind the scenes". I'll quote this one , too.

Want a true blue 60s rebel type? Try Mr Mikey. Chip off the old block. Utterly disgraceful he is, complete lout. Or Mr Crazy Steve. Oughta be banned. From whatever. Ain't it great , the disgraceful antisocial bastards are still giving TPTB the fingers. They'z as good as we ever was.

(Speed limit was never 70mph, though. Not that we took much notice of it).