Where do you want to see motorcycling heading?

**Digitdion** · 15th May 2010, 12:01

Originally Posted by Woodman

You know, I think that a lot of "motorcyclists" are caught up in their own world and sometimes forget that there is another whole world out there.
A lot of us ride bikes, but don't consider themselves to be "motorcyclists", just like rugby players are not neccesarily "rugby heads", they just like playing rugger on saturdays.

My opinion

Well said young man!

**Bass** · 15th May 2010, 12:24

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

I understand there is an over representation of motorcyclists in road accidents, but other than this (which is concerning, don't get me wrong, but also bear in mind that a 20kmh accident on a bike can seriously harm or kill, whereas in a car it will fuck your bodywork - motorcycles are simply more dangerous than cars, doesn't mean that they are 'bad') what makes you believe the govt will legislate us off the road? Seriously. What indicators do you have? Is this happening overseas already? Will the manufacturers and the support industry not have anything to say? And why us? Are we that bad? What about alcohol issues? Smoking? Don't these have more bearing on the average kiwi?

Government is largely about balancing the books and so, in many ways, ACC and the public health system are both our friend and our enemy. We cost the goverment an amount disproportionate to our numbers and voting power and that's fact, not opinion. It is true that so do other groups in our community e.g. cyclists, equestrians and rugby players. However, the way ACC was set up means that the government cannot do much about those other groups and still be the goverment for very long. They can do something about us though, and they are.
These circumstances don't apply e.g. in the States and so there is not the same pressure to act.
Alcohol and smoking affect much larger groups and so the goverment treads more softly, but even so, they have done quite a bit about smoking and are currently drawing a bead on alcohol.

**Katman** · 15th May 2010, 13:41

Originally Posted by T.W.R

Brilliant from someone who has and likes people to know as he thinks it's a status symbol a bike that was portrayed as the 1st real factory produced badboys toy

I'm intrigued to know how my choice of motorcycle has any bearing on what I've said here.

Perhaps you can enlighten me.

**Ender EnZed** · 15th May 2010, 13:42

Originally Posted by Katman

Me, I'd like to see Motorcycling entice the numbers to it's fold that it truly deserves.

I'd like to see the Old Guard accept the fact that an increase in motorcycling numbers is not going to affect their 'hard man' image.

I'd like to see new motorcyclists, who desire to one day be the Old Guard, accept that you'll only get there by surviving.

I'd like to see Motorcycling attract the numbers required to become a political force.

I'd like motorcyclists to realise that the only way that we have a chance of becoming a political force is by becoming an accepted part of society.

I'd like to see Motorcycling grow up.

I read the whole thread and I still don't understand what you're trying to achieve Katman.

Are you trying to convince me to think something? If so, what?

Are you trying to convince me to do something? If so, what?

**Katman** · 15th May 2010, 13:52

Originally Posted by Ender EnZed

Are you trying to convince me to think

Yes.

**Paul in NZ** · 15th May 2010, 13:56

I'm also kind of confused by this thread.

A motorcyclist is a person that has or rides a motorcycle. Nearly everyone owns a car or (say) a house and yet you could not realisitically expect every, or even the majority of drivers to agree on a direction or an issue. Sure - a subtribe may be convinced of something but not the whole group, they are simply too diverse.

Motorcycling is not a nation. Its a generic term and even if you could set up a representitive group the vast majority of sub tribes would complain that it does not represent their best interests and rebel against it. In fact a significant portion of motorcyclist would rebel against things that were in their best interests. Face it - most riders distrust, dislike and actively avoid others outside of their own groups and its getting more 'normal' to do so. (waving for example)

There is a significant group of people who ride just because it does annoy others - (the BAD HD boys n gurls, mean sprotbikers and the fuggin wankers don't think I can ride just because I'm a girl posse spring to mind. Nothing wrong with that - just accept it for what it is and don't elevate it to some kind of higher level of being, its not.

We all got here via different paths, we will all be staying here for various lengths of time and we certainly won't leave together - I can't see it changing!

**Katman** · 15th May 2010, 14:05

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

We all got here via different paths, we will all be staying here for various lengths of time and we certainly won't leave together - I can't see it changing!

And the way I see it, from here motorcycling has a choice of two paths to take.

One will take motorcycling from strength to strength and encourage more motorcyclists, thereby providing us with a voice that will be listened to.

The other will continue taking us along the same downhill slope that we've been on for some time now.

**shrub** · 15th May 2010, 14:28

Originally Posted by Katman

And the way I see it, from here motorcycling has a choice of two paths to take.

One will take motorcycling from strength to strength and encourage more motorcyclists, thereby providing us with a voice that will be listened to.

The other will continue taking us along the same downhill slope that we've been on for some time now.

As a marketer, much of what I do is watch trends and look at the future, and motorcycling as we enjoy it does not have a particularly flash future.

Riding a motorcycle as a form of transport is illogical if you can afford the higher cost of driving a car, and as the developed world becomes richer less and less people need to ride bikes - remember in our youth we bought bikes because it was the cheapest way you could get a decent set of wheels - Triumph Bonneville vs Mk2 Zephyr in my case; one was quick and handled, the other was a Zephyr. Today's kids choice is a Hyosung 250 or a Nissan Skyline. My 19 year old rides a Street Triple, but if I hadn't introduced him to bikes he would not have been bitten by the bug and he would probably drive a Mitsubishi Evo or similar.

Sadly for our sport he is in the minority - he has no mates his age into bikes and when he goes for a ride it's with me and with my mates. We have lost the young generations to motorcycling, and even though lots are interested, very few are willing to spend the money to get a poxy 250 and grind their way up the ranks the way we did when they can go out and buy a supercar tomorrow. That means as we get older and hang up our helmets (and yes, it will happen) the number of bikes on the road will decrease.

**Dare** · 15th May 2010, 14:30

Originally Posted by Katman

And the way I see it, from here motorcycling has a choice of two paths to take.

One will take motorcycling from strength to strength and encourage more motorcyclists, thereby providing us with a voice that will be listened to.

The other will continue taking us along the same downhill slope that we've been on for some time now.

You want political clout? Start a religion! Brian Katman take us to the White-house!

Originally Posted by shrub

Sadly for our sport he is in the minority - he has no mates his age into bikes and when he goes for a ride it's with me and with my mates.

It's growing quite rapidly in Auckland from what I've seen, what with the very limited options when it comes to A to B in the CBD.
But then I wasn't there in the 'golden age' being a mere whippersnapper, so would have no idea how it compares.

**Paul in NZ** · 15th May 2010, 14:41

Originally Posted by Katman

And the way I see it, from here motorcycling has a choice of two paths to take.

One will take motorcycling from strength to strength and encourage more motorcyclists, thereby providing us with a voice that will be listened to.

The other will continue taking us along the same downhill slope that we've been on for some time now.

Motorcyclings future is museums, gangs and scooters with a few stroppy women doing their own thing.

**peasea** · 15th May 2010, 14:43

Originally Posted by Pixie

Don't want to see it - but it will effectively be banned in NZ in 20 years

"..........from my cold, dead hands."

**Headbanger** · 15th May 2010, 14:52

Originally Posted by shrub

As a marketer, much of what I do is watch trends and look at the future, and motorcycling as we enjoy it does not have a particularly flash future.

That means as we get older and hang up our helmets (and yes, it will happen) the number of bikes on the road will decrease.

Uh, aren't bike registrations at their highest level since 1980?

**peasea** · 15th May 2010, 15:01

Year Registrations
1951 24779
1952 27469
1953 27634
1954 28627
1955 27031
1956 28588
1957 30145
1958 33531
1959 34093
1960 36377
1961 41689
1962 43084
1963 44159
1964 46743
1965 46362
1966 46201
1967 44989
1968 44480
1969 44364
1970 47144
1971 56441
1972 64706
1973 76674
1974 86779
1975 95730
1976 99412
1977 97956
1978 96781
1979 111798
1980 125701
1981 132730
1982 132963
1983 130407
1984 126357
1985 122756
1986 116892
1987 111985
1988 103648
1989 92945
1990 82437
1991 72676
1992 62748
1993 57493
1994 54799
1995 48917
1996 46000
1997 50040
1998 60458
1999 59390
2000 58566
2001 57836
2002 57454
2003 56047

Still looking for something more up to date.

**shrub** · 15th May 2010, 15:08

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Uh, aren't bike registrations at their highest level since 1980?

I don't have the stats to hand, but I know that 2007 was the highest number of registrations since the 1980s, but were a fraction of the number of registrations of the 70s, and followed on from many years of very low numbers of registrations. The majority of bikes purchased over the last few years have been big and expensive bikes and have been a result of the economic boom times we all enjoyed over the last 6 or 7 years, and a major influence on motorcycle registrations have been the born agains. Only problem is that unlike complete newbies, born agains are a finite market.