Decline of Motorcycling

[trader220]

I started riding as a kid of maybe 12 years old in the 1970’s. Learned to ride off road, took my licks. Worked on getting better and working my way up from an 80cc to 125cc and tried to be competitive.

In 1988, I bought my first street bike I and I road steadily for the next 17 years racking up maybe 150k miles on various bikes over the years. Plenty of commuting and lots of pleasure riding. In 2006 at the request of my then wife I sold my bike when my son was born. Fast forward 4 years and we split up. I missed riding and I bought a bike. My son is now 12 and although he’s big into cars, he shows almost no interest in the bikes.

I have now come to the point where there is so much congestion, so many people texting, checking email, and checking social media as they drive I am losing my desire to be out on the road with these idiots.

In 88 I bought a HD xl1200. I owned several other HD’s until I sold my 01 Road King Classic with 80k miles on it in 06. In 2011 when I got back on a bike I wouldn’t even consider an HD. Driving by the local Starbucks seeing the “riders” leaning on their bikes sipping coffee made an impression on me. I know that's not the majority of riders, it just made an impression on me. I swapped over to sport bikes. Since then I have done several California Superbike Schools since then and I enjoy going to the track. Getting quicker and quicker for a 54 year old man.
Just really losing my passion for the street with all the idiots.

That’s my rant…

[Yorkie]

I thinks its a familiar story - I am a year younger than you. Started riding on the street at 16, gave up when my kids were very young (and my Dad had a serious MC crash) then got back on a bike once the kids went off to college. Following a smash a couple of years ago I sold the street bike and now I'm focused on off road riding. I live in LA and the "battle" to get to the open road has just become too fraught with distracted idiots. Its just no fun anymore.

None of the younger guys where I work ride street bikes. They cite the danger. Ironically, a lot of them ride road bicycles but they have no interest in motorcycles. Quite a few seek their fill of freedom with vehicle camping (overlanding) and a few are building expedition type off road vehicles.

If the number of MC registrations are anything to go by we are seeing the slow extinction of the motorcycle. Sad.

[vash]

as i age, i made myself a soft promise not to be one of those guys that starts a discussion with "when i was your age...or i remember when..." TBD if i actually can pull it off.

i still love riding. i am in the process of buying ($$$) luggage to change the game. i think i will find enjoyment with distance riding.

right now. with gas at $4+, i ride to save fuel money.

[trader220]

Its not even a "when I was your age thing"

I see it even when I am in a car.

Several years ago I was on my way to see my parents in NJ. It was a lazy Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm, clear and sunny out, still plenty of light.

I was on a 4 lane road, two lanes each way, double yellow line. Even on my sport bike I could barely pass the only other guy on the road. It was a 45 mph road and he couldn't stay in one lane or keep any consistent speed. He was doing 25 then 55 then 35 in both lanes, in one lane back and forth. I could see him texting the whole time. Finally we got to a traffic light. I got off my bike in full leathers with full helmet and he didn't notice as I walked over to his car and banged on his window. The kid must have pissed himself. He was steering with his knees and double handed texting the whole 3 miles I was behind him.

That's what got me starting to think about how much I really needed to be on the street.

The massive increase in the deer population is not a good thing either. They're now in places I never ever saw them as a kid growing up in the area.

[ramonesfreak]

I quite in 2009. I miss it a lot. Desperately want a new triumph Daytona. But the streets have became incredibly dangerous with the cell phone use...and the older I get the less comfortable I am with the idea of serious injury or death

I seriously can’t think of any activity as dangerous as riding on the street

The 911 fills the void for me. Sounds cliche but every time I drive the 911 it feels as exciting as the day I got it... which is how motorcycling always felt

[cstreit]

I've lost all my passion for the street -

..but gained more bike passion around off-roading than I ever had for street riding. Give it a try.

[ramonesfreak]

Not trying to be offensive but I never understood people who said they rode to save gas $. I can’t imagine taking such a risk to saves few bucks. I only rode because I had a obsessive burning passion in me to ride that had to be satisfied

Originally Posted by vash

as i age, i made myself a soft promise not to be one of those guys that starts a discussion with "when i was your age...or i remember when..." TBD if i actually can pull it off.

i still love riding. i am in the process of buying ($$$) luggage to change the game. i think i will find enjoyment with distance riding.

right now. with gas at $4+, i ride to save fuel money.

[vash]

i feel being technically savvy and riding a motorcycle are mutually exclusive. you dont need to know both to be considered, "not a poseur".

did riding get more dangerous with cell phones? yea, probably. but the danger as always been there. cars..now there are more of them.

buddy and i once almost got clipped by a wandering driver..i think he was getting a blowjob while driving.

[vash]

in my area..motorcycling is blossoming. i see more and more women riding. all types of bikes. it used to be some occasional lady on some HD soft-tail. now, all venues. sportbikes, big adventure bikes..cruisers. super sexy.

yesterday, i was left in the dust by a lady way more proficient as splitting lanes than myself. she was on a BMW 800 adventure type bike. full luggage. i only split lanes in the slowest of traffic. she had a higher threshold. super sexy for a lady i couldnt see her face, her body, etc..just sexy tho.

[911boost]

I never see anyone parked looking cool on a sport bike or big dual sport bike.....

Yep.

Only folks on Harley’s now do it for the looks.

Yawn.

Next time do a search and just add it too the hundreds of other threads on this....

Now if you want to start a discussion on the younger generation not enjoying riding, then that’s different, however let’s see some stats. I went on a few hour ride yesterday up into the foothills near home and they were a few different types of bikes with us. It was a slow pleasurable ride since there was still some fine grit down on the road. The youngest person with us had just turned 21....

[911 Rod]

If the general population can't even drive a manual transmission, how do you expect them to ride a bike?
Definitely declining.

[jwasbury]

I'm a daily commuter into NYC on a moto. I am probably one of the few people who commutes into Midtown every day who can honestly say I enjoy my commute.

I've been riding motor bikes for almost 30 years and these days I use the bike purely as an efficient means of transportation. When people make noise about the dangers, I tell them the facts: my average speed during the NYC commute is 17mph. Max speed rarely exceeds 40mph. I practice ATGATT, which is full face helmet, armored jacket and pants, boots, gloves, etc. I also ride bicycles extensively, and average speed is only slightly lower - I wear a helmet but otherwise am exposed. So, I think my bicycling is a more dangerous activity than moto commuting.

I also enjoy how my coworkers can't seem to grasp the concept of riding a motorcycle everyday (rain, freezing cold, etc. - only thing that stops me is snow). I am often confronted by a work colleague saying: "you didn't ride today, right?" People's heads explode, its kinda funny.

[Chocaholic]

I ride for pleasure only. Not transportation. The street is fine if you ride country roads and live accordingly. A matter of priorities. Riding is a priority for me. Living in city congestion is not. Works out fine.

[vash]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Not trying to be offensive but I never understood people who said they rode to save gas $. I can’t imagine taking such a risk to saves few bucks. I only rode because I had a obsessive burning passion in me to ride that had to be satisfied

i dont think the risk increased that much. always been there.

i like to think my riding skills have gotten better/wiser. i dont mean i can go further on a wheelie. i mean, i dont even try wheelies anymore. it is crazy how awake i get on my bike riding to work. super vigilance will knock the sleep out of your brain in a hurry. i strategize on my route. (i take uncrowded farm roads) and i keep my head on a swivel. i watch for those potential spots where danger can come. i can almost call it now, even in my car. just yesterday in my wife's car, i told her.."that Chrysler 300 is gonna come into our lane." it happened, and i was ready. she was approaching a slower moving car and i just felt she would want to go around by whipping into my lane. she did.

i dont mean to defend motorcycling. do what you want. to be honest, i'm more envious you have a 911 still. i like riding.

if i get killed riding, its on me and the knucklehead that ran me over. Sammy can do that Darwin thing about me.

will i ride forever? nah. what will make me stop is the inconvience and discomfort. hot weather, cold weather..that extra time spent putting on my riding armor..etc.

[Tobra]

People suck. It is bad enough in a little sports car. I would never ride a scoot on the street, not anymore.

[Evans, Marv]

I started riding in 1968 and rode for several years as my only means of transportation. I've had bikes off and on but never a Harley. They just never seemed my kind of bike. A number of guys I've known for a long time got bikes (mostly Harleys) and have since given them up. They used to say they "made them feel free." I suppose since I rode for quite some time as transportation, that's how I view a motorcycle - transportation. It's a given that it's really enjoyable to ride on nice days, but I don't get out on days less than that. I'm lucky I live out of town where the roads are more fun as opposed to freeway use. My neighbor, who has ridden since his early teens (in his 60s now) and used his Harley almost on a daily basis, was taking his wife to work in the city at 5:30 AM Friday and hit a dog on the freeway. The bike went down, they went sliding. He got cracked ribs, road rash, and cracked pelvic bone. She came out of it OK and is a little sore in places. I guess the old saying, "It's not if but when" is pretty true. I've been down once already a long time ago. I agree with the traffic assessment about congestion and inattentive drivers. My bike is pretty old sport bike - a 2003 model, and I'm not planning on getting a newer one. I still see Harleys parked in front of restaurants our here and also see lots of sport bikes, but I think the older crowd is in the process of going by the wayside.

[dw1]

I've had a variety of on & off road bikes but I gave it up after almost getting killed several times by brainless a-holes in SUVs.

With manual transmission becoming extinct in new cars and people wanting self-driving vehicles so they can spend more time texting or talking on their phones, is it any wonder that situational awareness and driver involvement is at an all-time low?

This probably means that motorcycles and true sports cars will become a small niche for the true devotee.

[Seahawk]

My Dad rode motorcycles on the street for nearly 70 years. He was doing multi-day rides with his pals in his late 70's. He never dirt biked.

I grew up dirt biking a lot and always had a dirt bike until a few years ago. I love it, still borrow my neighbors KTM and putter around the trails here.

I never, ever felt comfortable motorcycling on the street. Weird, that.

[vash]

Dirt biking correctly is very difficult for me. Corners are a B. That foot down dirt roosting corner thing is best learned young, for me.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by vash

Dirt biking correctly is very difficult for me. Corners are a B. That foot down dirt roosting corner thing is best learned young, for me.

You should attend one of Colin Edwards riding schools. He’ll have you sliding a bike around with your foot down in two days. You also will get to shoot all sorts of interesting weapons and Colin owns one of everything. His wife is also quite the hottie, so there’s that, too.