A motorcycle industry crisis? Your thoughts

**Padmei** · 16th May 2013, 20:51

Check out Stuff for an article in the motoring or tech section I read the other day. it basically said that young people weren't into cars as much as they were when we were young as social interaction now is centred around screens rather than using the car as a means of socialising. The main car manufacturers were trying to blend social interaction with their cars.

I posted a few years ago about the lack of young fellas on bikes. I can't see any simple motivation to get them back - unless they had a ride on their dads/ uncles/ brothers bikes & caught the bug.

Maybe some have-a-go days put together by motorcycle groups in carparks/ open spaces with 250s may perk interest?

**Brett** · 16th May 2013, 20:54

Originally Posted by Padmei

Check out Stuff for an article in the motoring or tech section I read the other day. it basically said that young people weren't into cars as much as they were when we were young as social interaction now is centred around screens rather than using the car as a means of socialising. The main car manufacturers were trying to blend social interaction with their cars.

I posted a few years ago about the lack of young fellas on bikes. I can't see any simple motivation to get them back - unless they had a ride on their dads/ uncles/ brothers bikes & caught the bug.

Maybe some have-a-go days put together by motorcycle groups in carparks/ open spaces with 250s may perk interest?

The whole issue of a changing society with regards to social media is an interesting point to ponder...hell, we're having this discussion on a forum rather than having ridden down to the local pub as a bunch of 'mates' to talk 'shit'.

**fridayflash** · 16th May 2013, 21:03

getting back to the nescessity bit, me and all my mates had trail bikes, then at age 15 (almost to the day) we all got roadbikes or road legal traillies
we certainly couldnt afford cars yet. those really were the best days..roaming and exploring everywhere, i was already a bike addict but those first days of using a bike for fulltime transport really cemented my passion for riding. yet my teenage son and his mates dont seem to have the same interest
altho they have had trailbikes etc they seem to be happy staying home and playing space invaders (ok ..xbox)

**Hitcher** · 16th May 2013, 21:11

It's not just bikes. The under 30s don't drive cars as either. The stats about ages groups with driver licenses compared over time tell a very telling story.

Beware academics who think everything has to fit into a quadrant.

**Drew** · 16th May 2013, 21:13

Improve the safety stats for bikes, by increasing rider ability, through training and stiffer licence requirements.

That makes the activity infinitely more marketable. Which will increase our numbers.

Simple. Get the fuck to it you lot!

**Brett** · 16th May 2013, 21:21

Originally Posted by Hitcher

It's not just bikes. The under 30s don't drive cars as either. The stats about ages groups with driver licenses compared over time tell a very telling story.

Beware academics who think everything has to fit into a quadrant.

Very true. This extends beyond academia though, to a real problem that the motorcycle industry is going to have to deal with. It's (the m.cycle industry) living at the moment, struggling a little...but living. A shrinking pie however means that there will be a lot less to share amongst the manufacturers...that said, there is still the whole Asian market that is being kept removed from this at the moment. A little interest in China & India can yield large volumes, but I suspect that there are large internal (to these nations) factors that are barriers to their uptake in leisure motorcycles at the moment. I have only done some high level research on Asian markets at this stage.

**Voltaire** · 16th May 2013, 21:21

True about the Social Media and Computers, my oldest is 18 and is only just getting his licence and my 16 year old would rather txt and play Xbox. I bought them a car to learn in, a 20 valve injected 2 door Toyota.....its 20 years old but nice to drive, way better than the 1200 cc VW I had.....does it get used much.....no.
As Justin Beiber once said " the times they are a changin'...

**Big Dave** · 16th May 2013, 21:28

Quadrants are for squares.

FWIW.
H-D Aus recently recorded a series of best-ever months. Not 'since 2008' - but best ever sales.

Hopefully it's just taking NZ longer to emerge from the malaise?

**Tigadee** · 16th May 2013, 21:30

Here's the situation for me:
I got into riding as a mid-life crisis thing. Needed something new and challenging to do to get myself out of the rut my life was in.

Now, however, it's evolved into my lifestyle and a necessity - I can't imagine not biking into work everyday, or running to Pak n Save to get groceries on my bike. It also costs me 25 dollars a week for petrol on the bike, while it would be 70 or more in the car. I also could not tolerate the idea that I was one person driving into work in a vehicle designed to carry five, burning almost as much fuel carrying only me as it would carrying five people.

Even though I have the burden of higher rego costs and higher costs of parts for the bike, I actually make it worthwhile by using the bike so frequently and all year round, and saving on time cutting through jams, and now it is the car which is a drain as I use it maybe once a week only (the kids walk to school and my wife can't drive because of an illness) and the car rego ticks away.

30 years ago, a good jacket and maybe regular leather boots/gloves, and of course, a helmet was all you needed for the bike - and petrol of course. Nowadays, you need 1,000 dollars worth of gear for armoured jackets, pants, gloves, boots and full-face helmets, at least that's what you should have and will need to survive on the mean streets. The market, insurance and registration costs for motorcycles is just plain silly and should follow the same as cars or less.

In other countries where there are swarms of motorcycles, all the factors of rego, running costs, parts and labour are cheaper or cheapest of all the forms of private transportation. New Zealanders may come to the morotcycle as things get more expensive, not just petrol but other costs of living, BUT what really needs to change are the costs mentioned and sensible retail prices.

**Gianz** · 16th May 2013, 21:31

I read an article sayigng that young people don't care about ownership of things anymore, it's all about the experience.

I think Jimi Hendrix was thinking the same.

**Brett** · 16th May 2013, 21:32

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Quadrants are for squares.

FWIW.
H-D Aus recently recorded a series of best-ever months. Not 'since 2008' - but best ever sales.

Hopefully it's just taking NZ loger to emerge from the malaise?

At a rather simple level...wonder if the weather had/has much to do with it? If I lived in somewhere with nearly year-round sun...I doubt I would use anything BUT a motorcycle to get around.

**Brett** · 16th May 2013, 21:34

Originally Posted by Gianz

I read an article sayigng that young people don't care about ownership of things anymore, it's all about the experience.

I think Jimi Hendrix was thinking the same.

True for Gen X and later I reckon. I often find myself in this mindset to be honest, I live for new experiences and a richness of life. I think at a level though, ownership of things ties into this.

**Ocean1** · 16th May 2013, 21:42

Originally Posted by Brett

True for Gen X and later I reckon. I often find myself in this mindset to be honest, I live for new experiences and a richness of life. I think at a level though, ownership of things ties into this.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-tim...g-people-today

**awa355** · 16th May 2013, 21:47

Originally Posted by AllanB

A motorcycle is no longer 'cheap' transport - it was 30 years back but with the introduction of import cars a young man can pop down fuck all cash and load up the HP on a very high performance car that will carry him and his mates around looking for fat slags to pick-up and get high with. He can then park up his noise box outside Joe Publics house at 1.00am fuck one of the fat chicks in Joe Publics front garden, leave a sloppy used rubber and a few empty cans of RTD's on the drive for Joe Publics kids to walk past on their way to school, then do a few dounuts before driving off home to mums house to sleep off the night.

Plus if he rides a motorcycle the helmet will muck up his hair and he will more than likely have to pull up his bloody trousers so he can get a leg over the seat.

Shit !! was that your place??

sorry about the mess, Wont do it again. Promise