Why Are Young People Not Riding Motorcycles?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ย. 2024
- An observation being made by many recently is that there appear to be less and less younger people riding motorcycles than ever before. Is this perception correct and if so what are the reasons for it? What does this mean for the future of motorcycles and the motorcycle industry?
#YoungBikers #YouthRiders #OnlyOldBikers
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I'm 57. I watch my 20 year old son, and realize how differently we grew up. When I was a kid, I was always outside, playing sports with friends in any empty field, riding mini bikes, etc. Kids now are all about electronics, and do not have the adventure spirit.
we have the spirit we just are watched more closely you cant have fun without intervention you cant go out and ride dirt fields
I live in the U.S. Younger generation grew up without public land to learn to ride mini bikes, atv's and dirt bikes. The cost of these small bikes became expensive. Parents became more protective not letting their children have bikes. I've talked to young guys in their 20's, they simply have no interest or desire to get a motorcycle. Like Alf said, small bikes are popular in certain countries.
In 1996 I bought a 1991 Honda MT5 for £310. In 2024 I see a 1988 MT5 for £2,495.
Chiming in with a western perspective.
When I started riding there were cheap good running motorcycles everywhere. It seemed like there was an endless supply of early 80s Japanese motorcycles between 350cc and 650cc that you could buy for about a dollar per CC. Now you can't even get a basket case for under $1,000. Just about every bike comes with a monthly payment these days. Motorcycles have gotten too expensive.
Motorcycles have gone from economical transportation to a luxury item and a status symbol.
Motorcycling now is no longer a mode of transport for the vast majority of folks in our western society. It’s become more of a luxury hobby (outside of food delivery scooters etc). Years ago motorbikes were an inexpensive way to give young people freedom to travel and gain independence. These days younger folks just don’t travel to socialise the same way, there’s other options like Ubers, city bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters etc and a motorbike is just seen as a luxury.
Even the obsession with 600cc sports bikes that seemed to be around in the late 90’s/early 2000’s seems to have died off.
I hardly see a bike on the road near me that doesn’t have an Uber Eats box on it 😢
To add.. The complex and expensive system of getting motorcycle license in Europe at least is expensive, time consuming and with many steps. We all know that is in place to get crazy 18 years olds out of the 600cc sport bikes but repels the ones that are thinking about bikes but don't want to go trough all that mess with money and years waiting down the line. Bike storage is another thing, most people live in flats in cities now days and you have to rent some place to keep your bike save and dry.
@@Stefan_trekkieI think it’s more than that. When I first passed my test in the U.K. at 23 ( l think!) we still had to do direct access and it wasn’t cheap, but then neither was taking driving lessons to drive a car and I couldn’t wait to do that.
The car scene was big amongst younger drivers too and body kits, hot hatches, big alloys and sound systems were all the rage.
These days younger folks don’t seem to be interested in cars as much either.
Another thing to add is my first car was £400 back in 1993. These days young folks don’t want to be seen in an old car or are able to work on them to improve them. It’s just a change in the times and bikes are taking the hit right now.
I'm 50 years old and we had no electronics out in the country where I grew up. What we did have is second hand mini bikes go carts Honda CL125,s That could be tinkered with and gotten running by an 11 year-old. Now kids are raised with a cell phone in their hands At age 1. They understand electronics and software like we never did. They do not understand an internal combustion engine , and how dirty they are and Why anyone would ever want Grease under fingernails! Let alone that the government is telling them That gasoline Is the root of all evils.
I'm in Australia. From my observations, young people just don't have the money to blow on a bike and the associated expenses that go with it. It's the same for cars, for a lot of them, too. And a lot of them, like my 26 year old son, are just as happy sitting on a tram or train, going to work so they can use their mobile devices.
It might have something to do with why I quit riding a bicycle, walking anywhere, driving as little as possible, traffic has never been more dangerous.
I'm a 74 year old Canadian. In the sixties the Beach Boys sang about them. Elvis rode one. Bikes were advertised - You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda, Much less traffic. We all had jobs that would allow us to buy one. E bikes didn't exist back then. Things have changed.
I’m 69 years old and I ride my motorcycles for economic reasons and also for the enjoyment. My Yamaha TW200 gets 85 mpg and my Sportster 55 mpg versus my Ford pickup at 15 mpg.
Same here and I'm 71. Although my 23 Lowrider is primarily for fun the side benefit is $15 to fill the 5 gallon tank for the same range as my Ford Explorer that costs $45 to fill
My electric car gets the equivalent of 200mpg. I'm finding it hard to use the bike when it cost at least twice as much in fuel
Young men now grew up in safe houses with a tablet in their hands. They are a much less adventurous and risk-averse. When I was a kid, I would look outside on Christmas day and see dozens of other kids trying out their new bikes or skateboards. Now you look outside on Christmas day, and it's a ghost town.
I’m seventy years old.
We didn’t have mobile phones, internet, social media etc etc. We had passion. Today’s youngsters aren’t interested in Motorcycles. They’re too busy on social media.
As a 25 year old motorcycle rider I can tell you that the reason most young adults don’t ride motorcycles is just because we can’t afford it, most young people in this economy can barely afford their house note with a full time job let alone be able to buy a motorcycle
I'm 44. It's the way kids are brought up now. More kids road bicycles when I was growing up than they do now. Less kids play outside. Some people say it's a finance problem. It's just not a priority for kids to ride. There is a learning curve and people don't want to take the time to do it. I started on a Honda Helix when I was 12 and then saved for a v65 Magna when I was 16. By the time I was 19 I had a 750 katana and used it as my only transportation for college. I also think it has to do with risk. A lot of kids don't want to take as many risks as kids in the past. when I was growing up you got hurt falling out of trees, riding skateboards, crashing your bike of a ramp. We had video games but you didn't play all day on them. Kids now would rather just play video games.
Some of the reasons are because of the following.
The machines themselves are too expensive.
The licensing and tests are ridiculously complex and expensive for example my son who is 25 and a motorcycle technician for Kawasaki he had to pay in total £1400 to pass all of the tests AM, A2 and A.
The gear we wear if you going to ride properly and in all weathers like my son and I cost thousands.
Maintenance is very expensive compared to a for example a Citroen C1 which is pennies in servicing.
Tyres etc again expensive.
Then there is the insurance companies that have killed motorcycling for young rides with premiums of thousands to insure a 500cc plus bike.
To top it all we have the traffic volume which puts a lot of young people off because the standard of car drivers including those migrating here is shocking.
100%
The Amish in my small Colorado mountain village all own e-bikes and only ride their horse and buggies to Sunday services.
You know I'm thinking of going to real horsepower. But when I think cost the bike is cheaper. They are killing motorcycles with all the electronics. It's killing new car sales too.
I'm almost 63 and its in my soul, you either have it or you don't, I wish I could have another 63 they speak to me...
I don't think it's one thing rather a number of things that have changed and impacted on the younger gen - motorcycling is not generally perceived as a cool thing &/or a cheap way to get from A to B at your own time and leisure, there's just not the interest. I got into motorcycling because in my early 20's motorcycling was relatively cheap compared with the cost of a car (not anymore, if you want a nice bike) but also because living at home with mum and dad there was not enough room for a 3rd car but there was room for a motorbike. And once I started riding with like-minded friends I was hooked. Also, back in my day, the weekend was a time for leisure, sport and your hobbies, whereas these days, shops and shopping centres are open 7 days a week, for many younger folks work schedules now include the weekend.
to ride a moped in the UK now is very expensive, you will need
a licence
pass a CBT
buy an approved helmet
buy costly insurance
It also takes time to accumilate. or you can buy an ebike from Halfords and be riding it the next day
I bought a bike in 1996 fro £310. Finding a moped now is more like £2.5k
and do the CBT every 2 years
Canada here. Although the cost of motorcycles has just about kept even with inflation, the cost of maintenance, parts, fuel and especially, insurance, have increased astronomically. Bike are no longer simple and easily maintained by the owner. I'm 69 years old with a clean driving/riding record and get the cheapest insurance going and yet it is ridiculously expensive given our short riding season and the low mileage I do. When I tell younger riders how "little" I pay, they are astonished. They are all paying many times more than I do for lesser coverage.
For a young kid in Canada (16-19), at least here in Ontario where I live, it is not uncommon at all for the cost of insurance FOR 1 YEAR to exceed the cost of the motorcycle or car he/she may have. I about fell over when my neighbour told me the quotes he was getting for his kid before buying a used 400 cc bike. He explained that was par for the course for young kids today, including car insurance!
we spoke to a 17 year old on his 1st 125cc bike . the insurance he had to pay monthly and was very expensive ,something like £1800 per year .
Insurance companies 1st.
Licensing 2nd.
These two elements are pricing young riders out of the market.
Convincing parents is the 1st hurdle most dont even get past that
Traffic in cities is not motorbike friendly, years ago yes, not now
In the UK, it seems much harder and more expensive to obtain a motorcycle licence these days. My son in his mid thrties and an experienced driver and cyclist has struggled through the MOD 2 and MOD 1 tests which we boomers never had to take and the huge cost, both of the test and hiring motorcycles to take it, just puts them off. One of his test failures was in complete conflict with the training that would be given by the IAM or ROSPA. I just think that the UK government driven by Health Service costs, and the Insurance companies, just don’t want younger people to ride motorcycles.
The government have put so many obstacles and cost in the way.
I'm 66 and love the feeling of riding my motorcycle. The wind, the sights, the vibrations, and the smell is intoxicating and adfictive. I started riding motorized vehicles as a child so its a part of my identity. But, for young people today, growing up with cell phones and laptops, electric transportation such as bikes, scooters, erc. are hard to beat. Less cost, easy storage, no license, no insurance, basically free fuel, etc. Way of the future I guess...
I’m 30 and I purchased my 2021 Roadglide limited new in April 2021, in my 20’s my friends had motorcycles or pit bikes and that’s how I got into motorcycles, my friends helped me get my first bike a Honda shadow and it’s was the best experience of my life and the most incredible feeling I ever experienced.
Alf, talk about how catastrophic weather is limiting motorcycle miles traveled.
Let's not
😂😂@@dgross2009
Yeah...I can't count how many miles I've lost to hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards... oh wait, it's NONE. 🤣🤣. Can we stop ringing the "Holy shit, we're all found to die! " bell for just one day?
Because they spend their lives on social media and blaming everyone for their problems..and they are wimps. 😂😂😂
A lot could be due to our older generation. My daughter said she wanted to get a motorbike. When I talked to people of our generation, including a lot of motorbike riders, their immediate reaction was, "Oh no, you want to discourage that. They're too dangerous." My reaction was to show her some videos and encourage her, pointing our that there is gear to wear and training available to make it safer.
There are a number of hurdles in the process down here in kiwiland as the government certainly discourage motorbikes by adding fees/taxes to everything related to motorcycling. Even to get started you need to pass a basic handling test before you can learn, to me that is a circular barrier. Back when I got my license I just had to do a theory test and was good to go to ride on the road to learn those basic skills. It was just a logical progression from a bicycle, though not many of the younger generation ride those nowadays.
Electric bicycles have ruined the need to get a motorbike especially for city riders.
Oh ….exactly what you said. I wrote the comments above before I got into the video
Ruined or just given then another option thats cheaper ?
No license, no registration, no insurance and drink all the beer you want and take all the drugs you want, and nobody cares, if you're on an Ebike.
@davidbrayshaw3529 Love to see the stats on deaths and injuries on those things. I see kids too young to drive riding without helmets and some riding at night without turning on the light
@@dgross2009 I honestly don't think that you'd want to see those stats at all!
I'm in Australia. There has been a crackdown on E bikes and scooters in Melbourne due to excessive speeds and a mounting injury toll.
Millennial new rider here. I could not afford a motorcycle until recently in my 30s. There was always something else more important to spend money on...
I'm 62 been riding riding on two wheels and a motor since 1970. I think much of the young of the last few decades as youth were more interested in video game craze.
I put it down to not as safe due to busier roads, more idiots on phones in cars and poorer roads.
The cost is now to high to get kitted out and actually get on the road.
Younger people down seem to like the adventure of getting cold and wet whilst being outdoors. They have a feeling of (i deserve to arrive clean and dry.
Its a shame because there is so much fun to be had out on a bike, along with all the good help and friendlyness amoung bikers who share this passion.
Theres a lot more options out there. If you're young and living in the city an electric bicycle makes a lot of sense. They are quick, you don't need a license or insurance, you dont have to obey the 20 mph speed limit or deal with the constant fines and tickets. At the end of the day the govt wants us off our internal combustion machines and the young will adapt sooner than the rest of us
It’s def a cost thing
Just had this discussion with another like aged motorcycle rider, (70 years young). We discussed how the younger generation just doesn't get the feel of freedom that we did growing up. Things change, and I guess I never did. Lol
Brought my T plate Suzuki X7 for £600 early 80s i was 18/19, insurance wasnt extortionate, fuel wasnt to expensive, ride on L plates , it was affordable
I did my part, my two boys both ride Ducati Panigale V2s. I live in California. There is plenty of public freeways and highways to ride on.
Interesting topic of conversation? I'm 57 & my first wage at 16 was a CB100, I felt like the bee's knee's 😂
Excellent vid.
My experience Island of Lipari (born there) 95% scooters 16-80 yr olds ride scooters.
Australia where I currently live....most young guys are on Enfields, 883's and Japanese bikes. It's just too pricey.....I sold my Deluxe after 5 yrs for a 48, just to free up cash.
100% right, interest from youngers had dropped and others a biking or scootering because with house prices and cost of living, bikes are a luxury.
I'm in Australia. It's so expensive to buy and maintain a bike, here.
I'm a 36 year old woman from Wisconsin. Grew up in a Harley family. I'd love to get a motorcycle but they're too expensive. Right now I have a Honda Ruckus that I got used for about $2k and next spring I plan to trade it in for a Honda Navi. I would go with a Grom but I can't afford it, so a Navi it is.
In the UK you are only allowed small CC underpowered bikes when you start out.
125cc now for 2 years what's the point. Wait till 19 and you probably have a car by then anyway so skip the whole bike thing. Also only 47hp on offer at that point anyway.
@@chrishart8548 I had a 1976 Yamaha RD-400-C when I was 17 years old. It ate Harley Sportsters for lunch and handled so much better too. P.S. I just got my first motorcycle endorsement at age 57 in 2017.
I figured if the Cops couldn't catch me I didn't need an endorsement. Now days Fleeing and Eluding was a misdemeanor now days it's a felony and I have a Commercial Drivers License. Just one Speeding Ticket on a Motorycle and my Commercial Drivers License is in Jeopardy .
They should give people with a good driving record and extra 10- 15 mph over the posted speed limit for bad drivers.
they dont smoke they dont drink and they dont ride motorbikes???? It really is a different world for younger folks. but I worked for a while next door to a computer games developer. and alot of the young staff had electric motorbikes (proper bikes not the pedal assist bicycles)
The West buys one in ten of the motorcycles sold worldwide these days. Motorcycles will do just fine but not in the West.
I try to tell everybody I meet who shows the slightest bit of interest in my bike, helmet, gear, etc. to get a motorcycle. I always boast the parking benefits, lane filtering, gas mileage, enjoyment, and the fact that even "slow" motorcycles, such as a 300-400 cc motorcycle, still hit 0-60 in ~5 seconds and can easily maintain 65-75 mph, even higher if you want to speed, but they're plenty fast enough with good gas mileage. No emissions testing is required, more accessible maintenance, cheaper insurance, and cheaper annual registration fees.
I've had my R3 for 5 years and it was a fantastic investment. I've had to do some maintenance on it, but I've put 16.5k miles on it and nothing major has gone wrong.
have you seen the running costs of motorcycles these days,particularly insurance premiums!
I got my motorcycle license when I was 19 in the USA back in 1976. The test was super easy and you could ride any size bike with the "one size fits all license". Bikes were generally cheap as was insurance. I bought a Kawasaki KZ400 for like $1300 dollars on the road back then. I rode in the 70's and early 80's. I'm 67 now and just bought a Kawasaki W800 after not being on a bike for 40 years. It's a very expensive toy in every respect now. I love it but I don't want to think about what it costs me per hour to ride it. Young people generally don't have that kind of disposable income today for toys like that or the drive to go through all of the hoops associated with getting a license. It's really a shame.
I can tell you from my perspective only. All throughout my youth, I had a need for speed. I drove like a complete bellend. Even though I was an ass, I knew my limit. I knew that if I jumped onto a bike, I would have killed myself. Because of that, I stayed away from them. I put myself through several driving schools. Did some high-speed maneuvering courses. Took an offroad driving course and a short rally driving course. I only just recently got my motorcycle endorsement, and I pick up my first bike in a week. I know that the speed is behind me. I knew it the first time I was on the highway, and I complained about some damn drivers zipping around like asshats. Am I old? No. I'm not young either. I'm at a point of knowing that I have full self-control over my impulses, and I have high priority to my responsibilities. I just hope that no one tries turning me into a pancake out there. There are a lot of irresponsible drivers out there. The more training I got, the more I noticed that. My friends who have rode for years tell it's like running a gauntlet. I'm about to find out myself. Wish me luck.
Globally, motorcycle demand is still strong especially in places like India and the Far East. I’ve just come back from Sorrento in southern Italy where small bikes and scooters ridden by both young and old almost outnumber cars, so what is it with the UK, I think our youth must be lacking the sense of adventure and need for excitement we older folks had when we were young.
More hobbies are available to people.
They can't be on their phone while riding a motorcycle. 🤷
@six-pack1332 that actually is true. Too many things are fighting for their attention.
The only reason is nobody tells them to. Seriously, kids need someone to point, and they will fetch. That is it!
One observation I would like to make is that many ‘bikers’ can be rather snotty to anybody whose chosen mount is not of the same family as theirs. Try turning up at a regular bike meet on a modern scooter and you are likely to be sneered at or, at best, treated with indifference. If you want to feel really unwelcome, turn up on something electric a or worse still a tilting 3-wheeler.
There are young riders, but, particularly if they live in an urban area, most are simply not interested in the same sort ‘old hat’ machinery so beloved of middle-aged and old men.
Considering. Money is big factor today with pay to cost of living is so unbalanced. You have people who can't afford time or money to maintain let alone have a home to store a petrol bike. Then you also have a different generation of people who don't want to wrench at all. Idea of wrenching or even washing the pertol bike is a hassle to them.
Price of insurance is a big one . Kids don’t get the opportunity to learn how to ride . Absolutely insane people in cars on the roads … many other issues..
Poor young buggers don't know what they are missing, The Journey through motorcycling is pretty exciting. We bought up our young children with motorcycle riding and racing.Last weekend we went to a 4x4 show, they had various road trail bikes and kids bikes. We sat our 2yr old grand son on a small Yamaha, he instantly twisted the throttle, became quite interested and did not want to get off. He attended his 1st motorcycle race meet at 1yrs old. Having parents share the vibe is a help. I got to start riding the neighbours Rabbit scooter round & round their house. That scooter got my attention. Costs are getting a lot higher.
When we were younger, it was so much easier to obtain your license, it is so much more difficult now with progressing through different tiers of licenses as well as the cost of new bikes, never mind insurance hassles and sky high premiums.
I'm one of the old Grey bearded baldies, 73 years old, still riding a ZX12R, ex Geordie living in Cape Town.
Price point is all over the place. Lots of scooters and electric bikes out there. Big reason...it's dangerous as hell with traffic like it is in bigger cities. Distracted and dangerous drivers out there.
15 minute cities are coming and already the young people have no desire to leave their neighbourhoods on a day to day basis. It's the result of decades of grooming and dumbing down.
I am going to ride motorcycles until I’m too old. My next motorcycle is going to be an RE 450 Himalayan. I will pay cash as it’s so cheap and I will go ride the hell out of it. I got the message from your video. I totally agree with you. I’m 61 and have owned everything from 4 Goldwings, BMW, Kawasaki Concours, to a Honda Blackbird and CBR1000RR to Harley’s. I want cheaper, lighter and more efficient now. I don’t want to go 180MPH anymore nor worry if I’m going to breakdown on a Harley or spend $30,000 on a new Wing. Yeah I can buy a used Wing for $8,000 but it will never get 70-90 MPG. It won’t ride on dirt roads like the RE 450. In 1995 when I began riding there would be huge weekend groups of riders about here in north Texas. Not anymore. I do see a huge market in the future for cheaper, lighter bikes like RE offers that are well under $10,000. The demand for bikes that cost $15,000 to $40,000 are numbered. It’s totally unsustainable in my opinion.
Electric bikes don't require MSF courses nor driver licenses in most places. While electric bikes are expensive they are cheaper then motorcycles and lighter weight so in city they can be stored inside which lessen the likelihood of theft.
They do want to ride bikes. It’s so difficult. Bought a new Ninja 400 for my son, Aussie. It takes upto a year before he’s on the road due to training requirements
In Holland they made it difficult and expensive to get a license.
The costs both of getting qualified and insurance made it prohibative decades ago.
When I was starting out most people just used bikes for transport, only those who rode for fun continued. These days there are very few people riding bikes because that is their only option. So we are left with only the "enthusiasts" which it would seem is a small number of people.
Can't blame them. In the last 2 weeks I have almost been hit twice. Once close to t boning me. 2 feet. The other 2 days ago pulling out right in front of me but I stopped a few feet short. Do they notice or even care? Plus insurance is expensive and newer bike costs are nuts. In Canada even the Honda Monkey is over 6,000 dollars Can and a Vespa is over 8,000 Can. Don't know why the Monkey is so expensive. Forget anything close to new. Houses went WAY up, same with cars and truck and motorcycles. People spending 80,000 plus thousand on a pickup!!!! That's insane. Where I live (west coast Canada) I have seen so many ride share electric bikes and stations installed by the city.
"Why Are Young People Not Riding Motorcycles?" Because it is really hard to text and ride...
Cost has a lot to do with it, Getting a licence in the uk is a nightmare and expensive, insurance is expensive, then running costs , shite roads and speed cameras everywhere, we can see why its lost its apeal. My local bike shop that's been there for at least 40 years, has just shut down.
All riders have an impression to leave. Smile at kids in cars at lights, rev your engine at kids on bicycles and if you have time and storage capacity, support your local farmers stand or market.
Most of us old folks got into bikes when it was the only mode of transport available due to cost or age restrictions. Only then did we fall in love with motorcycles.
Now the low cost city transport is electric and there is little to fallen love with.
Iin the developed world motorcycles will effectively disappear when us old guys do.
My son (19) and our neighbours daughter (18) both ride 125's and have their own life but their friends are sort of afraid or have fear (or their parents have said we will buy you a car and normally a s**tbox ) Plus I have found the young peeps that do ride pay for everything themselves and are more independent than their pinny string buddies!!
In the US lots of it is motorcycles and urban sprawl..in lots of the United States there were areas available to ride off road bikes as your first exposure. Now the price of motorcycles is far higher, parenting techniques are completely different, I rode bicycle and motorcycle without parental supervision, parents didn't need to haul in a pickup or trailer bikes for my brother and I. In all of the SW and Western US that I am familiar with, massive building of all kinds has anyplace to ride far away. For people wanting to start out, price point to get involved in motorcycling is prohibitive. Manufacturers from China are a bright spot, offering some bang for your buck and have models that are not so limited..in my area highway speeds are @80-85+mph.. small displacement motorcycles are a logical start point, but prices are too high.. you buy a small bike and in months or years you have outgrown it because it can't be used for highway or medium distance trips.. can't ride w a passenger for a variety of limitations..so 2-400cc bike that you need to ditch in 18-24 months or sooner..
The number one thing is the awful economic conditions the youth are facing compared to older generations.
I've wanted a motorcycle since I was eight years old, took me till I was 36, before I finally could pull the trigger. I was 32 by the time I had my own apartment, and five years later, the inflation was so bad rent would cost 75% of my monthly earnings...
Thank God I escaped America.
32 until your own apartment????
Not trying to pry, but how did it take you that long? I had mine at 18, (now 23)
@ringadingbaby4332 Streets, college, room mates. Moved out at 16 working entry-level jobs, never made more than minimum wage. Without getting personal. Let's just say the moral of the story is don't place woman on a pedestal, worship money like everyone else instead.
@@nonyabusiness4151 ah I see.
Welp, I’m glad everything’s working out ok for you now 👌 👍
Yes, ebikes and escooters are part of the problem, and for good reason. They are ace! They cost peanuts to run, and with legal ebikes you can ride them anywhere. All the places that you'd never bother pedaling by your self, and where the police would be called if you rode a motorbike, are there for you to explore. I've owned a legal ebike and I've explored so many places that my motorbikes and bicycles have never taken me to. Escooters are fantastic too. I've never owned one, but I have rented them in a few different cities, and I've come to the conclusion there is no better way of getting around an urban environment. You can take them on public transport, you can push them round shops, take them into your work or flat. And they are fun, which is the main reason we ride motorbikes too.
Another reason I've thought of for the lack of youth interest is the death of sports bikes. When I was a teen in the 90's nearly everyone, including the grey and balding, were razzing around on Fireblades, GSXRs, etc. It looked fast and dangerous and seriously cool. Now all the youth see the older gen doing is pottering around on retros or pretending to be round the world travelers on ADVs, neither of which are going to get the tracky bottoms of a 16 year old twitching.
Getting older @ 73, upgraded from a Road King to a 883.
The wait times for cbt and tests would suggest otherwise however it seems most can buy a Chinese conversion kit, stick on a balaclava and they have a 40+mph pushbike, my dream at 16 was a moped but that was the preferred option then
The scare stories of cotton wool selfie generation.
Everyone has a story of someone who had an accident, TH-cam has endless onboard footage of what happened when it went wrong.
Who in their right mind would want that.
I'm older, own my third Harley since 1988.
Really notice at 55 I'm one of the youngest that turn up on 2 wheels.
There will be a glut of pre owned, older people can afford new, younger people aren't taking it up.
Back in the 90's we lost a shed load of small capacity 4 strokes that went back to Asia where they were in demand.
They were the affordable entry Honda cub to 125 single frugal easy to fix and maintain on a shoestring budget type that would now be 20-25 years old projects to learn on.
Tax, insurance, petrol.
The number of on-road motorcycles registered in the U.S. has more than doubled from 4.3 million in 2002 to 8.8 million in 2023.😂😂
All young kids talk about cars and fast cars. You sit in a car and stay out of the rain. Also, I would be worried about security as well and thieves nicking your expensive motorcycle.
Pricing of new bikes is a turn off for sure. But there are tons of affordable used bikes out there. I think it might have more to do with the old heads continously telling them that they're not doing it right. You can only ride certain bikes to be cool. You have to look a certain way to be respected. You have to ride with a certain crowd or someone might try you. Who needs all of that stuff in their life?
Motorcycle culture has become old biker dude culture over the years & young people don't want to look & act like their Harley riding grandparents.
I think the current Licence rules are too restricting for younger people. CBT just to get on a 125cc, maybe upping it to 300cc would be more appealing for younger riders, whilst still being fairly weak/safe, power wise.
Go to a college town in the U.S. like Ann Arbor and the scooters and mopeds are everywhere. I assume all ninja riders are young people. There are more 5000$ and new motorcycles now then ever before.
I’m wanting to get into motorcycles, probably gonna start on a Honda rebel 500. Then after some experience I want to get a Harley Heritage and travel across the U.S
(I currently have serious health issues as of now though, and don’t know if I’ll pull through.). But if I do, that’s the plan ^^^
Maybe I want to do this only because of my current health problems, over the years and throughout my childhood anything I’ve ever expressed interest in was never taken seriously by my parents. So I missed out on a lot of stuff.
I was always interested in martial arts as a kid, had dreams of being a fighter lol. but my parents put a game system in front of me or UFC dvds and said “Here play this game/or watch this fight “ instead of actually putting a little time or money into taking me to get lessons at a gym. I know such things can be expensive (but cmon dad, you couldn’t even put some gloves on and mess around with me a little bit???)
(This isn’t me saying that I was going to be a pro fighter or superstar) but I use this as an example to show what kind of mentality they kind of built up in me as the norm. I also feel like this was the same mentality many of my friends have .
My norm was watching people do the stuff I want to do, not actually ME, doing what I want to do. Everything I’ve ever expressed interest in (no matter how easily achievable) was disregarded and said to be by my parents “not worth it, impossible, dangerous “ etc etc . Once I had freedom to actually go to the gym (before I got sick) the passion I
had already died. I still enjoy martial arts but that drive to be really good just isn’t there anymore.
I’m pretty tired of living like that, and I’m frustrated that most of my childhood was that. Feels like my entire life I’ve lived in a birdcage.
Hopefully my issues get fixed then I’m traveling, and if I die on the journey so be it. It would be Way better than what I’ve experienced so far. Screw possibly being near death and not having done anything that you were interested in.
You can buy a second hand car for same money, if you have parking space it’s obvious which way 90% are going to go.
The problem is anyone can get a driver's license for a car and they kill motorcycle riders and they don't get a decent prison sentence.
Why do middlle-aged men still ride motorcycles and care so much that others don't.
I started riding in the sixties and think the kids are alright.
We are riding motorcycles. Probably more of us ride now than when you were young. There is just more people, stricter laws, cities have become bigger. I can guarantee you there is a bike scene in every city in this country. We just devote our entire identities around riding a crappy old harley. Also, we're dealing with massive inflation and wage that have fallen far behind. So most of us are working 60 hours a week.
One word, "scary". They're simply not mentally capable of overcoming that obstacle. Many things in life have become "too scary" for these folks.
The endless list of specs they believe any good bike simply must have, to even consider riding. Takes all the fun out of the motorcycling experience. I'm mean, if it doesn't have heated grips, cruise control, a quick shifter, and an LCD screen navigation system. How could someone be expected to ride under those conditions? Simply unacceptable.
That's the reality of modern motorcycles nowadays. Everything's a gimmick. Gone are the days of bare bones machines with bulletproof everything. They keep getting more and more delicate. 9 out of 10 new bikes can't stand a single drop, and will be unrideable after getting dumped at any speed. It hasn't always been that way. Consumers don't seem to be concerned with durability. Only image. They believe a bike can make them the person they've always wanted to be? It doesn't work that way, fortunately.
Having the warewithall to stay alive on the machine, should be intact before considering any motorcycle. It's not a learn as you go experience. Getting seat time on bikes you can handle first, is the only way I've ever known to accomplish this. That's why there's a 250cc class in motocross. A modern 450cc all out race bike is no place for a novice.
its all about the money. Insurance costs are killing a lot of rider fun.
gazing at your phone is more fun.
Okay. If I was a young man and wanted to take my young lady out for a ride late at night, on a school night without waking her family up. I think I would wire up a sleek, and quiet E-Bike instead of a loud a$$ blasting touring bike, a rich kid's tacky sports bike, or look like a ponce in spandex on a ten speed. There is an aspect of Human Nature that is neglected. Put a small amount of romance in the design, and young people will be wanting to ride again.
I'm moving back to the UK next year,.. I'm 72 .. I drive and Audi TTS it's my second TT I absolutely love the bullet proof reliability, ..now bikes I love em ..biking is everything to me. And my beautiful wife ❤️
I have a Ducati 848 Evo it's my retirement bike ... and,..
.... my wife rides her Ducati 848 what can I say !!!
She looks absolutely gorgeous riding this beautiful machine ..heads turn constantly when we ride out it's just bloody awesome. 👍😄👍🏍️🏍️
There is no way in hell my kid will be riding a motorcycle as long as I am still alive. He knows this and accepted it as of now. I do not want to bury my kid.
I hear you. I bought a used 250 ninja (engine parts in a box) for my daughter years ago. Decided I couldn't live with myself if she got hurt. It's still in the shed!
If you want to have a real thrill, ride a motorcycle with a little too much horsepower.
It’s possible that younger people don’t like thrill.
I think kids see motorcycles as dangerous as well. Riding a bike on a bike path or foot path is a lot safer than on the road. The other thing is bikes are free and maintenance free, I think its just easier for them
THEY CAN'T AFFORD THEM
My 14y.o.son has a great little Honda dirtbike and he shows absolutely no interest. Kinda disappointing for a Dad with 6 bikes but can't force it down their throats. Electronics and watching super hero movies are their only passion.
Is he still under warranty? Maybe you can get a refund if you send him back
The Cell Phone killed motorcycles and soon enough the interest in cars
Because it to expensive to get your license plus you need to jump through hoops, don’t under stand why you have to take Highway Code if you already have a full car license plus if you just want CBT you have to take a test every two years why wasted money.
Plus it’s not cheap to kit your self out
Excellent and important subject matter. First to blame is the Motorcycle industry who’s done nothing to aggressively use social media influencers and clever advertising in general to attract the younger generation. They’ve completely ignored them! It’s never been easier and cost-effective using these influencers and social media outlets to really pull in the young people. Secondly, as some other people have said this younger generation did not grow up on dirt bikes , mopeds , minibikes or Evel Knievel ! Thirdly and I hate to say this, but a lot of the young men today were part of the wimp generation. The “everybody gets a trophy” don’t get hurt. Don’t try to get the second base on a date with a girl, etc., etc. put them all together It spells disaster for the Motorcycle industry. But all is not lost. They’re starting to get older. Maybe they’ll reach out and get a small inexpensive royal Enfield or a used bike. All this said , big league Madison Avenue Advertising works !! advertise like crazy, hire social media influencers ASAP. The Motorcycle industry can grow. In the meantime, those between ages 50 and 79 go out and buy a new bike ! We need to save the motorcycle industry again ! 👍
Same reason they don’t hitchhike, they grew up in a nerf world and were told everything was dangerous. Plus they live in the internet and don’t seen at all interested in the physical world.
And who do you think raised them that way?
@@HeldIntegral Not me, I’m a Boomer. My son went to Costa Rica as an exchange student when he was 15 and when he came home, told me he was going to see the world. He saved his money until he was 19 then took off for parts unknown. He was gone for 10 years and went to 70 different countries. Now he lives off of the grid on an island in northwestern Washington.
The insurance prices for younger riders are a bit steep😂 around 3000grand for a 17-18 year olds on a 125, it's crazy alas alot of younger riders have the balls of rossi but not the skill