These numbers tell a lot of the story. The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:
1990: 32
2009: 40
2017: 47
Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!
These numbers tell a lot of the story. The median age of motorcycle riders in the USA:
1990: 32
2009: 40
2017: 47
Median age of Sturgis attendees in 2012: 58!
Good observation and most likely one of the main factors of the reduced sales of larger bikes...Also, in my opinion, bikes as well as cars, have become so "0ver Priced" in an effort to keep CEO's salaries at ridiculous levels and the Board of Directors happy that younger and older folks are spending money on other things...RegardsOriginally Posted by F6Dave
...but, are they? Let's use the number $25,000 in 2019 as the price one pays for a new Wing. Accounting for inflation, that's equivalent to $11,800 in 1988. What did a new Wing cost in 1988?
Last edited by VStarRider; 02-03-2019 at 06:17 PM.
Former Ride:
2013 F6B Standard, black; sold 7/2019
Latest Addition:
2016 Gold Wing Level 3, red; SCT transmission stuck in manual mode
2019 Miles:
7,900 as of 10/6
You're probably right. I read somewhere that if you calculate the price of a new car in hours of labor, using the average wage for a U.S. worker, it takes less work to buy a car than it did a few decades ago. Add to that far better mileage, performance, and reliability, and cars today are a better deal than ever. The same likely applies to motorcycles.
It's the same with fuel prices. In real dollars, gasoline is about as cheap today as it's ever been.
We all sound like a bunch of old farts complaining about millenials. They all seem like great kids to me, with financial burdens we never had when we were young. Between high rents, low pay, paying off student loans, and the added cost of the digital age. Mostly the reason they are all so broke. Seems to me the previous generation is the one with entitlement issues.
Maybe....but....
I've got some "first-hand knowledge" of college students at University of West Florida.
What will and will not do.
What they will and will not eat.
What they will purchase and then say they are broke.
Example: I have a phone plan with TMobil where I have 4 phones, unlimited data & texts, free CONUS calls. $100/month. No, there are no free phone upgrades. You buy a phone and you use it.
Their response: "That's just silly, I NEED the free upgrades."
Example: Seminar lecture. Free Firehouse turkey subs, chips & cookies.
They ate the cookies, brought in $5 coffee from wherever, wouldn't touch the subs because "I don't like Firehouse subs, I only eat Mike's Famous."
And then complain, again, they are broke.
I'm not seeing things from their perspective. At all.
Yes, they are broke, but it's because they have made continuously poor choices.
They do not know how to cook from raw materials - huge $$$$ savings there.
They do not know how to manage and save money.
They do not repair - they discard or get a "free" upgrade.
There's a popular radio commercial that starts out with "If you have credit card debt of more than $10,000, it may not be your fault!" Seriously???? Get real.
You make your bed; you sleep in it.
Freedom of choice comes with consequences.
"Play stupid games; win stupid prizes."
And the games are just getting sillier....
I need more Irish Creme in my coffee apparently.
Well, What are you doing with those college kids? I sent one to college and she came back ruined. The one that stayed home and got a job is doing much better and already owns a home and a good steady job. I mostly caulk it up to immaturity, and all those ideas they are teaching our kids.I just think we should be supportive of the next gen, they have the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Wife is in Grad school - again. She teaches grad school also. She sees all this.Well, What are you doing with those college kids? I sent one to college and she came back ruined. The one that stayed home and got a job is doing much better and already owns a home and a good steady job. I mostly caulk it up to immaturity, and all those ideas they are teaching our kids.
Did you know a Master's program "Full-Load" is only SIX credit hours a semester??? SIX??? This is why these kids are dying. Too much time on their hands and too many semesters ($$$$) to complete their 'education.'
Both my daughters went to good colleges, (Rensselaer Poly and Penn State) both got dual majors and dual minors in a 4 year program, and worked part time. Upon graduation, they were both debt free (scholarships, job, and work-study) and outright owners of their cars (I helped a bit here) and had money in their checking accounts. Both are currently working, doing well, supporting themselves. The elder is in IT and making more money than I ever did. The younger is in education and not making as much but she's happy. Neither have ever asked to move home nor asked for a "grant" - but they know if there's an issue, we'll work something out.
Kids (and people in general) will "push the envelop" and try and do as little as possible. "If the minimum wasn't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum, right?"
Setting reasonably high expectations and HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE is where parents - in general - are failing miserably these days.
Now granted, someone with an IQ of 70 is not going to do what my kids did, and they are probably never going to have the disposable income to buy a $35,000 motorcycle and we probably wouldn't want them on a motorcycle in the first place.
My younger daughter, after her first few days at PSU, called home and said "Thank you for not raising me like 6 year old." She was amazed and disgusted at the girls who HAD to talk to mommy several times a day for hours at a time. I don't want that dependency on a bike either.
Fourks - they may HAVE the weight of the world on their shoulders, but they are seriously ill equipped to deal with it.
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I will support those who want to make a difference, make good choices, and not play silly games.
I will NOT support what I term "willful ignorance" stemming from emotional trials & tribulations.
The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot -
the guy who invented the second one... he was the genius!
http://theringfinders.com/blog/Larry.Royal/
Sounds like you raised some great kids! I agree with HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE and that is lacking in our society and our parenting. My Daughter calls me the Tiger Dad so at least she's feeling the pressure. I do worry that they are seriously ill equipped if I was being totally honest. Suggesting that you need an above average IQ to ride a F6B sounds a bit elitist to me. I have an average IQ and turn wrenches for a living, and I do just fine on a bike. I have owned my own business most of my life, and make good money.
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