Is motorcycling dying?

[Mr Moofo]

I have had man flu for 3.5 weeks so not feeling positive !

With KTM going into administration (even if it is only for a few weeks) , dealers closing left right and centre, yoof now just buying motorided scooters / e bikes as "local" transport, 25K bikes, and the fact that you can probably now pick up a car and insure it for cheaper than a bike, is it the death knell for the motorbike industry - or what does it have to do to offer a step change for the future?

[weeksy]

It doesn't have a future. It's a culture thing as much as anything. Kids don't care, it's not a rebellious thing it used to be which attracted many. It's not needed as kids don't go out in the same way they used to.

It'll still be here but as mode of transport for convenience rather than a lifestyle

[KungFooBob]

I just bought a new bike, it was £5k.

I've just had my insurance renewal through... for three bikes it's half the price of my car insurance.

No doubt things are changing, Japanese sports bikes are dead, long live Indian shopping bikes!

[Taff]

Nah, I see plenty of people commuting on bikes every day, from youth on L plates to cruisers and tracers.

There's enough benefit of skipping through the traffic to make it worth while.
We also went to a couple of local bike nights this year and again the range of riders was from kids fucking around on their 125s to noisy HDs.

[Dickyboy]

Maybe it's just motorcyclists that are dying/getting too old to ride.

[mangocrazy]

I think you should have re-phrased it as 'Is motorcycling dying in the UK?'. Go to southern Europe or Asia and motorcycling is alive and well; in the UK, not so much. This is partly due to climate and partly due to successive governments putting more and more obstructions in the way of young motorcyclists-to-be.

It's far easier (and warmer and drier) to buy a cheap 4 wheel shitter to get youthful mobility.

[Bustaspoke]

I think you should have re-phrased it as 'Is motorcycling dying in the UK?'. Go to southern Europe or Asia and motorcycling is alive and well; in the UK, not so much. This is partly due to climate and partly due to successive governments putting more and more obstructions in the way of young motorcyclists-to-be.

It's far easier (and warmer and drier) to buy a cheap 4 wheel shitter to get youthful mobility.

^^^ THIS ^^^

[Skub]

Peaks and troughs. Probably.

Most times when I'm around other motorcyclists,the 'young' ones are 40+ That's just my narrow perspective,I daresay folk like Yin see more proper youth jumping the required hoops.

Speaking personally,I'll be dead or done with biking before biking itself shuffles off. Sufferers of the deadly strain of 3.5 week manflu need not concern themselves with any future at all.

[mangocrazy]

I remember reading that new motorcycle registrations peaked in 1976, the year of the heatwave that lasted from early May until late August. Back then you could pass your test riding round the block followed on foot by a bloke with a clipboard. Things have changed immeasurably since then, and climate change doesn't seem to be bringing its expected benefits...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I think dying is a bit optimistic if referring to motorcycling in the UK

[KungFooBob]

https://mcia.co.uk/press-statistics

The latest Oct file includes YTD figures and same period last year.

'Modern Classics' were up 20% on 2023 in October.

[Skub]

Maybe it's like Jazz music. It's not dead,it just smells a bit funny.

[Cousin Jack]

Yes. It's death was planned by the Govt/EU rules on licences.

[Taipan]

Don’t see half as many bikers on my commute anymore. I don’t hear them racing down the A13 on summers evenings and Sunday mornings anymore either. So, yeah. Dead as a dodo…

[DefTrap]

My kids aren't remotely interested.
Too many sad old duffers doesn't make it very cool I suppose. It'll come back I reckon.

[Dodgy69]

There's a chap at work who's mid 50s and just failed his mod 1. His cbt has just ran out aswel, so it's pay for that again, then retake mod 1, I think he said. Followed by mod 2 at some point, hoping he passes first time.

I knew one lad who gave up because he failed mod 1 and couldn't be arsed to continue. So, moral of the story is, older chaps are interested in biking but the test process is not helping.

In a country that suffers with congestion, you'd think it would be sensible to encourage 2 wheel transport. Hoping our leaders get something right one day.

[Rockburner]

In a country that suffers with congestion, you'd think it would be sensible to encourage 2 wheel transport.

Thinking about this: it's actually an oddity that in the UK a lot of legislation is focused around the city-dwelling population (and ignoring/passing-over the concerns of the country-side dwellers, who are fewer in number), and yet this is one area that seems to be the opposite, and most motorcycle legislation seems to be concerned with speed prevention or reduction of accidents at speed: when, as you say, PTWs can be beneficial in city travel planning.

It has to be said though that most motorcycle legislation is definitely of the "knee-jerk" type response to the "something-must-be-done" baying mobs and/or pot-stirring press, and not well-thought out ideas with an eye to the long-term*.




* Well - that applies to nigh-on every piece of legislation these days.

[weeksy]

There's a chap at work who's mid 50s and just failed his mod 1. His cbt has just ran out aswel, so it's pay for that again, then retake mod 1, I think he said. Followed by mod 2 at some point, hoping he passes first time.

I knew one lad who gave up because he failed mod 1 and couldn't be arsed to continue. So, moral of the story is, older chaps are interested in biking but the test process is not helping.

In a country that suffers with congestion, you'd think it would be sensible to encourage 2 wheel transport. Hoping our leaders get something right one day.

Would you rather have the roads full of people who clearly can't ride properly ?

[KungFooBob]

We adopted the current style of test because the EU made us, iirc.

Surely we can now simplify it to a single road test (and a theory)?

[Bustaspoke]

In a country that suffers with congestion, you'd think it would be sensible to encourage 2 wheel transport. Hoping our leaders get something right one day.

If motorcycles were invented today I doubt they'd be allowed on the public highway,those in power would rather we used public transport.
Ideally we should get political & engage with the politicians but we won't until they take the piss & do something really anti-motorcycling.
I think the system's set up to discourage motorcycling & can't see them making it more accesible,I wonder how many,if any MP's or bureaucrats ride a motorcycle?