Where have all the bikers gone?

Anything you like about motorbikes
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13794
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15814 times
Been thanked: 10170 times

Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Taipan »

Summer-ish is here and normally my commute is cluttered up with FWBs, but for the last couple of years the number have decreased dramatically. I hardly see any other bikes on my commute now and having just been out for a walk, I noticed many bike bays are empty now where you'd normally struggle to get parked? Weather, or just fallen out of fashion?
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12119
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9774 times
Been thanked: 10078 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Skub »

Maybe just got old and the young aren't interested?
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
User avatar
Yorick
Posts: 16663
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
Location: Paradise
Has thanked: 10206 times
Been thanked: 6859 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Yorick »

It's too hot to ride here. I'm more of a winter rider :D
User avatar
weeksy
Site Admin
Posts: 23293
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:08 pm
Has thanked: 5433 times
Been thanked: 13018 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by weeksy »

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 1:58 pm Maybe just got old and the young aren't interested?
Is i think the gist of it mate. Biking was a 'freedom' thing for many when younger, now they don't seem to care about the freedom side of things nearly as much. I think they've had their time and are a dying breed.
Ian
Posts: 358
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2023 9:25 am
Has thanked: 579 times
Been thanked: 306 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Ian »

I'm seeing a lot more younger riders around here. Plenty of noisy 125s, some dirt bikes, even a few 2 strokes.
A lot less sports bikes and power rangers though
User avatar
Count Steer
Posts: 11743
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 6345 times
Been thanked: 4729 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Count Steer »

Calls for some theory creation.

1. Bikers are more likely to be in 'can work from home' jobs.
2. It's 'that London', they've all been stolen.
3. (Unlikely) It's no longer advantageous cf car/public transport.
4. The weather's crap.
5. Being bikers they're all obvs brilliant, have got minted, retired at 36.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one
.
Voltaire
User avatar
Horse
Posts: 11469
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:30 am
Location: Always sunny southern England
Has thanked: 6121 times
Been thanked: 5032 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Horse »

I never ever was a 'biker', always a motorcyclist.
Even bland can be a type of character :wave:
Buckaroo
Posts: 914
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:00 pm
Location: East of West
Has thanked: 721 times
Been thanked: 694 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Buckaroo »

Insurance for new riders, even TP only, is beyond extortion.

My daughter and SIL were paying huge amounts for the pleasure of being on two wheels and living in London.

It's an expensive mode of transport under the circumstances.
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12119
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9774 times
Been thanked: 10078 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Skub »

Horse wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:16 pm I never ever was a 'biker', always a motorcyclist.
Meh,semantics. :P
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
User avatar
KungFooBob
Posts: 14081
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:04 pm
Location: The content of this post is not AI generated.
Has thanked: 537 times
Been thanked: 7473 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by KungFooBob »

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:41 pm
Horse wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:16 pm I never ever was a 'biker', always a motorcyclist.
Meh,semantics. :P
Don't they fix broken motorcycles?
User avatar
Horse
Posts: 11469
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:30 am
Location: Always sunny southern England
Has thanked: 6121 times
Been thanked: 5032 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Horse »

KungFooBob wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:44 pm
Skub wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:41 pm
Horse wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:16 pm I never ever was a 'biker', always a motorcyclist.
Meh,semantics. :P
Don't they fix broken motorcycles?
Going by the dealer scams, thems some antics
Even bland can be a type of character :wave:
User avatar
ChrisW
Posts: 2687
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:46 pm
Has thanked: 2873 times
Been thanked: 2030 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by ChrisW »

Count Steer wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:06 pm 4. The weather's crap.
...and it's the last week of school term-time holiday prices.

Also - I was out today & saw plenty, albeit not during rush hour either side.
jcr
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon May 06, 2024 8:22 pm
Location: Southampton
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by jcr »

fair weather rider here.
the weathers so lousy down south, ive hardly been out on my bike this year.
just use the car.
r1flyguy
Posts: 166
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:54 am
Location: Worcestershire
Has thanked: 70 times
Been thanked: 79 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by r1flyguy »

Had major abdominal surgery earlier this year and can’t put my leathers on for next few months so this years out for me 😔
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12119
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9774 times
Been thanked: 10078 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Skub »

r1flyguy wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 7:16 pm Had major abdominal surgery earlier this year and can’t put my leathers on for next few months so this years out for me 😔
GWS man,maybe it'll be a mild Winter
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
Scootabout
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2020 10:41 pm
Has thanked: 475 times
Been thanked: 308 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Scootabout »

If you're talking specifically London commuting, I'd guess:
- user-unfriendly environment: parking charges, thefts, 20 limits, wide cycle lanes
- WFH
- cycling & e-cycles better provided for (see above).

If motorcycling generally, all the points already made, plus cost of getting a licence (if that hasn't been said).
Supermofo
Posts: 4966
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:39 pm
Has thanked: 4320 times
Been thanked: 2825 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Supermofo »

I'm only in the office once a week now and when I do go in I do 7-3. At those times, especially the morning I drive straight in with no traffic (Hertford to Harrow). I still used to take the bike occasionally, but especially recently I just don't enjoy the ride now. The back roads are typically poorly surfaced and the main roads a bit dull. Then on the way home whilst not a lot of traffic, enough for me to get frustrated doing 40 in a 60 in most places due to the 40 whether it's a national or a village brigade.

I decided to stop being a whinge bore and ride in the other week. And got a puncture.

So yeah, typically I keep my bike for weekend fun now.
Wscad
Posts: 269
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:13 pm
Location: Bronteland
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 167 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Wscad »

Numbers at the mag gigs are well down these last few years
The Spin Doctor
Posts: 4093
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:17 pm
Has thanked: 2632 times
Been thanked: 1523 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by The Spin Doctor »

Buckaroo wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:57 pm Insurance for new riders, even TP only, is beyond extortion.

My daughter and SIL were paying huge amounts for the pleasure of being on two wheels and living in London.

It's an expensive mode of transport under the circumstances.
Not just new riders. You don't want to know how much I'm paying now, because I don't have a brick garage (a Sold Secure bike shed doesn't count as 'secure' for the purposes of locking a motorcycle away at night.
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer." Henry David Thoreau
www.ko-fi.com/survivalskills www.survivalskillsridertraining.co.uk www.facebook.com/survivalskills
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12119
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9774 times
Been thanked: 10078 times

Re: Where have all the bikers gone?

Post by Skub »

The Spin Doctor wrote: Mon Jul 29, 2024 9:19 pm You don't want to know how much I'm paying now, because I don't have a brick garage (a Sold Secure bike shed doesn't count as 'secure' for the purposes of locking a motorcycle away at night.
Yeahbutt,don't forget after age 80 insurance costs rise. :P
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955