Laconia Observation
 

I was passing through Laconia last week during bike week. I noticed all the riders were 45+. I then traveled up to North Conway later and it was the same thing. Could the Harley, bad boy biker thing be going by by?
I feel like I am noticing an uptick in the BMW motorcycle types than in the past. Could those be more interesting to the younger generations since they are more adventure bikes than drive around blipping your throttle bikes.
Thoughts?

Harley is dead. They just haven’t realized it yet.

I am out of touch, apparently. Sure, I see the handwriting on the wall for HD but I also missed something important, apparently. I did not see the popularity of a 1200 CC TOURING DIRTBIKE coming. Seriously? A touring bike with knobby tires and a seat 34" from the pavement?

I just sold one, and perhaps I will show its pic in a nearby thread. Gorgeous bike. But I could barely touch the pavement with both big toes. A dirt bike that only tall guys can ride, which is a long distance touring bike, with knobby tires and 1200 cc. Huh?

I might get a Harley.

Sure, Harley’s dead.

Keep telling yourself that.

While I liked my GS, it was a compromise on the pavement and dirt.

Carry on, nothing to see her just another thread that will evolve into HD’s suck.

Indeed. I talked with a guy from the UK last week in town. His ride was a Ducati complete with aluminum panniers and so much stuff bunji corded on that he couldn't get it up onto the center stand without unloading half of the stuff. He had just arrived in Nova Scotia beginning a 6 month tour of North America. I wonder how many sets of knobby tires he will go through.
That sort of bike is certainly a statement, but it's not my language.

Best
Les

It's a shame you don't know anyone who can help you get one. ;)

It's looking more like September to come out to ride with you and Jeff. Maybe you'll have one by then. :)

On topic, we went to Montreal last weekend and saw a ton of Harley's but I would say everyone was in their 60s.

Saw a lot of new Sportsterish bikes, one or two I would want to try. Jim, they were low in the saddle, worth a look.

It’s not just HD. I have no opinion on them either way.

It’s all those big old cruising bikes.
Like old British cars the people that are interested in them are aging out.