Sounds like a Harley marketing sheet. Reason #6, talks about the decline of riders under 18 years old. That's because it's to hard for young kids to "text" and look at facebook, and that other bull crap, when they are on a cycle. Young people are lost with out their precious cell phones. I have one, but don't belong to any of the social media. If I go for a ride in my truck or on the bike, and have left my cell phone at home, well, I sure as hell don't go get it. it'll be there when I am done with my ride. I guess this Forum is as close to social media, as I ever will be involved in.
It mainly confirms what most of us already know: we're an aging group. I've been to several Valkyrie rallies and the youngest rider award often goes to a guy in his mid-30s. A few years ago I read that the AVERAGE age of Sturgis attendees was 58! Those may be promising demographics for trikes, but not for motorcycles.
To their credit, manufacturers are trying to appeal to new and younger riders. Just look at some of the smaller, innovative bikes in a Honda showroom. But they don't seem to be having much success. While I've seen a noticeable increase in women riders, I doesn't seem like there are any more young riders.
As for the 8 largest selling brands, I was surprised to see KTM on the list. I would have thought Triumph might be there instead.
This forum is not close to social media it is social media.
I think powersports, in general, is slowly aging out. Snowmobiling is also a dying sport. 150,000 sleds were sold annually by the Big Four just 20 years ago. That number now is about 50,000. My stepkids have almost zero interest in anything to do with an engine...the youngest one turns 18 in August and has never driven a car, and has no interest in it at this time.
The younger generation's interest, generally speaking, seems to be elsewhere. My opinion is that is comes from everything mechanical being so reliable now. Cars and trucks are just appliances, held in no greater esteem than the kitchen stove. It is there for a purpose, transportation, and nothing else. I was a car nut when I was a kid, because you had to have some basic knowledge about them to have even an mechanical awareness, even if you didn't know how to fix it. Cars do everything for you, so the experience is so much different than it used to be. That translates into a lack of interest in other things vehicular in nature. Hell, seems like few people even mow their own lawn anymore...another mechanical piece of equipment not accessed by a large number of this generation.
All this being said, people are people, kids are kids, and the interest level may swing back around. After all, who ever thought the 70s would be popular again?!? Motorcycling has a lot of potential because there are roads everywhere, so access isn't an issue.
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
When I was a teenager in the 70s a Motorcycle was cheap transportation. I couldn't buy a car but a cheap bike was easy to find. Insurance, registration and cost to maintain was next to nothing. There is nothing cheap about todays vehicles. Cars, Trucks or Motorcycles.
Throw the amount of traffic into the mix and it is no wonder why younger folks don't want much to do with Motorcycling.
I've spent most my money on Motorcycles and Women, the rest I just wasted.
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