Beginning of the End?
#1
12-15-2017, 08:03 AM
Beginning of the End?
Interesting article. Especially the comments about autonomous vehicles.
http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...214-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...214-story.html
#2
12-15-2017, 08:36 AM
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#3
12-15-2017, 08:58 AM
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My .02 is this... Motorcycles used to be cheap transportation. Theyre not any more. Cost of ownership could be more than a car. The metric offerings are either sport bikes or oregami bikes which have limited draw. Harleys, well theyre a luxury item, they aint cheap. Couple that with the jungle we ride in.... Add in dealer attitudes.. well...
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#4
12-15-2017, 09:10 AM
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#5
12-15-2017, 09:11 AM
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I think this is the most telling part:
"The industry has failed to increase sales by making new riders out of women, minorities and millennials."
The percentage of the female population has remained pretty much constant. The same with minorities. Hmm.... what could possibly be the answer here?
It's probably a safe bet that motorcycles have always been primarily the domain of males. No offense whatsoever meant to the lady riders here, but this is true. That leaves (gulp).....
The millennial male. He doesn't like motorcycles because he might break a nail or get a hair out of place. A motorcycle requires skill to ride, more so than a car. Or more accurately, it requires more skill to ride well than to drive a car well. Millennials don't like things that require effort, or things that aren't handed to them on a silver platter. Not only that, but motorcycles are "scary" when compared to a car or SUV. The very thought of a motorcycle probably sends the modern "male" retreating to his safe space with a therapy dog.
"The industry has failed to increase sales by making new riders out of women, minorities and millennials."
The percentage of the female population has remained pretty much constant. The same with minorities. Hmm.... what could possibly be the answer here?
It's probably a safe bet that motorcycles have always been primarily the domain of males. No offense whatsoever meant to the lady riders here, but this is true. That leaves (gulp).....
The millennial male. He doesn't like motorcycles because he might break a nail or get a hair out of place. A motorcycle requires skill to ride, more so than a car. Or more accurately, it requires more skill to ride well than to drive a car well. Millennials don't like things that require effort, or things that aren't handed to them on a silver platter. Not only that, but motorcycles are "scary" when compared to a car or SUV. The very thought of a motorcycle probably sends the modern "male" retreating to his safe space with a therapy dog.
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#6
12-15-2017, 09:13 AM
Intermediate
Something else that needs to be considered is how society has become so much more protective of children. There are risks in riding and we as a society have been doing all we can to minimize those risks for our kids. I know this is the case with my son. I offered to buy him a bike and teach him to ride. At first he showed some interest but after giving it some thought he told me he wasn't interested because he thought the risk was to high.
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#7
12-15-2017, 09:26 AM
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I think this is the most telling part:
"The industry has failed to increase sales by making new riders out of women, minorities and millennials."
The percentage of the female population has remained pretty much constant. The same with minorities. Hmm.... what could possibly be the answer here?
It's probably a safe bet that motorcycles have always been primarily the domain of males. No offense whatsoever meant to the lady riders here, but this is true. That leaves (gulp).....
The millennial male. He doesn't like motorcycles because he might break a nail or get a hair out of place. A motorcycle requires skill to ride, more so than a car. Or more accurately, it requires more skill to ride well than to drive a car well. Millennials don't like things that require effort, or things that aren't handed to them on a silver platter. Not only that, but motorcycles are "scary" when compared to a car or SUV. The very thought of a motorcycle probably sends the modern "male" retreating to his safe space with a therapy dog.
"The industry has failed to increase sales by making new riders out of women, minorities and millennials."
The percentage of the female population has remained pretty much constant. The same with minorities. Hmm.... what could possibly be the answer here?
It's probably a safe bet that motorcycles have always been primarily the domain of males. No offense whatsoever meant to the lady riders here, but this is true. That leaves (gulp).....
The millennial male. He doesn't like motorcycles because he might break a nail or get a hair out of place. A motorcycle requires skill to ride, more so than a car. Or more accurately, it requires more skill to ride well than to drive a car well. Millennials don't like things that require effort, or things that aren't handed to them on a silver platter. Not only that, but motorcycles are "scary" when compared to a car or SUV. The very thought of a motorcycle probably sends the modern "male" retreating to his safe space with a therapy dog.
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#8
12-15-2017, 09:28 AM
Banned
Exactly, we've had one our best years in 10 years. If the industry is dying I am not seeing it on our end. Every year somebody reports how bad it it is. Everything changes so you just change with it. Media can try to kill the industry if they want we'll be right here proving them wrong.
#9
12-15-2017, 09:41 AM
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#10
12-15-2017, 09:41 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
My dealership has been around since the 60’s. They sell six times as many bikes now than back in the 60’s. If that is typical of other dealerships I would say things are not that dark. I will agree that baby boomers are the large majority of owners. The next generation was an over protected group but I think as they age the Harley mystic will grab them as it did us.