New bike sales not looking very good.
Discussion
Biker's Nemesis said:
Loyly said:
The increasing age of bikers, offset with the prices of new bikes, is what's doing the damage.
The blokes I know the cash to spend (ie my dad and his mates) like to tour. They like fast bikes but they're no longer really interested in sports bikes for the road so they ride things like K1300S's, S1000XR's and Multistradas. Bike manufacturers know their target market is ageing, and have adjusted their products to suit. In turn, this has only led to sports bikes getting more and more focused and fast.
Oi, I'm still flying the flag.The blokes I know the cash to spend (ie my dad and his mates) like to tour. They like fast bikes but they're no longer really interested in sports bikes for the road so they ride things like K1300S's, S1000XR's and Multistradas. Bike manufacturers know their target market is ageing, and have adjusted their products to suit. In turn, this has only led to sports bikes getting more and more focused and fast.
The thing us westerners forget is how tiny the market is for sports bikes and most of things we drool over or actually ride. Honda sells around 11000 motorbikes in the UK each year. Globally they sell around 17 million. Even adding in the North American market of around 450,000 per year, the fact is that the bikes we are interested in are a blip on their balance sheet. Honda in India sell 400,000 units per month. So if 500 less fireblades sell in ol blighty this year, how concerned do you think they will be?
308mate said:
The thing us westerners forget is how tiny the market is for sports bikes and most of things we drool over or actually ride. Honda sells around 11000 motorbikes in the UK each year. Globally they sell around 17 million. Even adding in the North American market of around 450,000 per year, the fact is that the bikes we are interested in are a blip on their balance sheet. Honda in India sell 400,000 units per month. So if 500 less fireblades sell in ol blighty this year, how concerned do you think they will be?
Now you've put it like that, well, I'm stuck for words.Biker's Nemesis said:
308mate said:
The thing us westerners forget is how tiny the market is for sports bikes and most of things we drool over or actually ride. Honda sells around 11000 motorbikes in the UK each year. Globally they sell around 17 million. Even adding in the North American market of around 450,000 per year, the fact is that the bikes we are interested in are a blip on their balance sheet. Honda in India sell 400,000 units per month. So if 500 less fireblades sell in ol blighty this year, how concerned do you think they will be?
Now you've put it like that, well, I'm stuck for words.cmaguire said:
I've always found most people that worry about mpg to be incredibly boring. They often drive people carriers (no), and probably the husband carries his kids in some weird kind of forward facing rucksack (no) and claims to like changing nappies becauses it allows him to bond with his child (no).
Or it could be because my wife and I have to do 150+ miles a day commuting to our (quite specialist) jobs. Sadly we're not all high-flying execs who have an expenses account and a platinum card to wave about down the local golf club.
The threads about why people aren't buying new bikes and I suspect that if you could get a bike that would do 150mpg then they'd be flying out of the showrooms.
srob said:
cmaguire said:
I've always found most people that worry about mpg to be incredibly boring. They often drive people carriers (no), and probably the husband carries his kids in some weird kind of forward facing rucksack (no) and claims to like changing nappies becauses it allows him to bond with his child (no).
Or it could be because my wife and I have to do 150+ miles a day commuting to our (quite specialist) jobs. Sadly we're not all high-flying execs who have an expenses account and a platinum card to wave about down the local golf club.
The threads about why people aren't buying new bikes and I suspect that if you could get a bike that would do 150mpg then they'd be flying out of the showrooms.
This has got me doubting my excitingness
Fleegle said:
I drive a people carrier. My only child was 'carried' in a pram, pushchair or on my shoulders. I have changed one nappy in my whole life.
This has got me doubting my excitingness
Yep. A bloke on the internet will brand you boring now for sure. This has got me doubting my excitingness
Probably while he sits at his desk looking at spreadsheets...
srob said:
Fleegle said:
I drive a people carrier. My only child was 'carried' in a pram, pushchair or on my shoulders. I have changed one nappy in my whole life.
This has got me doubting my excitingness
Yep. A bloke on the internet will brand you boring now for sure. This has got me doubting my excitingness
Probably while he sits at his desk looking at spreadsheets...
Seriously though, going back to the MPG thing. Im lucky if im Getting 26MPG out of the V4. Yes it sounds and goes great, but as a comparison Im getting just under this out of a 1600KG 326BHP car. When I used to have my R1 / GSXR whatever, I would think "Ill take the bike to work as its actually cheaper and more fun". Doesnt happen these days.
I would happily lose 30-40 BHP if I could get 35-40 MPG. That said, I hardly ride the f
ker much these days anyway so Im saving a fortune srob said:
Fleegle said:
I drive a people carrier. My only child was 'carried' in a pram, pushchair or on my shoulders. I have changed one nappy in my whole life.
This has got me doubting my excitingness
Yep. A bloke on the internet will brand you boring now for sure. This has got me doubting my excitingness
Probably while he sits at his desk looking at spreadsheets...
I'm more exciting than this at weekends
Although the low mpg of some bikes is disappointing you do have to look at comparable cars not some anaemic Kia that can hit 60mpg.
My Street Triple ridden hard through town would consistently get 30mpg. My 400hp Mustang is similar in performance but in town gets 12mpg just sitting in traffic.
On a run the Triumph would get 50mpg and the Ford 26mpg.
My Street Triple ridden hard through town would consistently get 30mpg. My 400hp Mustang is similar in performance but in town gets 12mpg just sitting in traffic.
On a run the Triumph would get 50mpg and the Ford 26mpg.
STe_rsv4 said:
Seriously though, going back to the MPG thing. Im lucky if im Getting 26MPG out of the V4. Yes it sounds and goes great, but as a comparison Im getting just under this out of a 1600KG 326BHP car. When I used to have my R1 / GSXR whatever, I would think "Ill take the bike to work as its actually cheaper and more fun". Doesnt happen these days.
I would happily lose 30-40 BHP if I could get 35-40 MPG. That said, I hardly ride the f
ker much these days anyway so Im saving a fortune 
I went through it all a couple of years ago.
the 4 tests cost just over £800 once bike hire, test fees etc had been applied. There was then another £1000 or so on kit (boots, helmet, gloves, jacket, trousers), which I could have spent less on, but still wasn't exactly splashing out on.
Once done, I got a second hand bike for £7500 and insurance was (and still is) around £700.
So total cost to get on the road (granted it could be done for slightly cheaper) was £2500 for tests, equipment and insurance, and another £7500 for a bike. That's a lot of money for what is a hobby.
Which leads me to the second point made, the weather is crap a lot, so I don't feel like riding. Roads are busy and people drive badly, leading to me not wanting to ride to work very often, and even when I do get out at the weekend, there's still a good deal of traffic, the roads are crap, and you always thing about getting caught.
If it weren't for the odd summer ride back out of Lambourn, with the lovely surroundings I'd have jacked it in by now.
I still see a few hardened commuter riders, and I have every pitty for them, the weather is usually grim, and the threat from other motorists high. I just wouldn't do it a a way of getting too and from work.
the 4 tests cost just over £800 once bike hire, test fees etc had been applied. There was then another £1000 or so on kit (boots, helmet, gloves, jacket, trousers), which I could have spent less on, but still wasn't exactly splashing out on.
Once done, I got a second hand bike for £7500 and insurance was (and still is) around £700.
So total cost to get on the road (granted it could be done for slightly cheaper) was £2500 for tests, equipment and insurance, and another £7500 for a bike. That's a lot of money for what is a hobby.
Which leads me to the second point made, the weather is crap a lot, so I don't feel like riding. Roads are busy and people drive badly, leading to me not wanting to ride to work very often, and even when I do get out at the weekend, there's still a good deal of traffic, the roads are crap, and you always thing about getting caught.
If it weren't for the odd summer ride back out of Lambourn, with the lovely surroundings I'd have jacked it in by now.
I still see a few hardened commuter riders, and I have every pitty for them, the weather is usually grim, and the threat from other motorists high. I just wouldn't do it a a way of getting too and from work.
coljoh148 said:
Find this slightly strange as a good friend is doing his bike licence just now and struggles to get the bookings for lessons, tests he requires due to the volume of learners. You would think new bike sales would mirror this or perhaps it's limited to my area?
Actually that's a good point, when I booked all my stuff in Feb/March, the riding stuff was fully booked til the end of summer when I started my lessons in April.phil4 said:
I still see a few hardened commuter riders, and I have every pitty for them, the weather is usually grim, and the threat from other motorists high. I just wouldn't do it a a way of getting too and from work.
Why feel pity for them? It's a choice they make and usually for varying reasons.My decision on whether to commute on the bike or not depends on my location, not the weather. I live on the edge of London. If I am working outside I will use the car, if I'm working centrally then I will use the bike irrespective of the weather. That decision will save me approx. 20-30 mins in the morning and up to an hour in the evening
I think the MPG of my bikes is fine, even in 'road-race' mode, I get well over 30mpg on the worst offending bike and nearer 50 on the best.
Certainly a lot better than my car achieves, even on a steady run, that said I don't use a bike for commuting or transport and haven't done for 30+ years -
why ride a bike in the cold, wet or snow when I have a car to keep me warm, dry and comfortable.
If I wasn't already a 'biker' I probably wouldn't start, given the combination of crap weather and cost of learning/owning/maintaining bikes, but then I'm a miserable old git...
Certainly a lot better than my car achieves, even on a steady run, that said I don't use a bike for commuting or transport and haven't done for 30+ years -
why ride a bike in the cold, wet or snow when I have a car to keep me warm, dry and comfortable.
If I wasn't already a 'biker' I probably wouldn't start, given the combination of crap weather and cost of learning/owning/maintaining bikes, but then I'm a miserable old git...
BuzzBravado said:
Second to that is the fact that your bike WILL be stolen at somepoint and people just don't want that hassle.
You only hear about the ones that are, not the thousands that aren't.
I agree though, leaving one in London, or any big city is risky.
Fleegle said:
Why feel pity for them? It's a choice they make and usually for varying reasons.
Because it -really- doesn't look in any fun at all (based on my own experience of similar circumstances), and yes, a choice they've made, but most likely heavily influenced by a number of factors out of their control (remote working? live closer to work? afford a car?).Sure, you make a choice not based on weather. But these are people riding ratty 125cc bikes on cold wet days, commuting in Oxfordshire. I'm pretty sure they're not doing it because they like it, and I'd put money on it that most would swap for some other option if they reasonably could.
phil4 said:
Fleegle said:
Why feel pity for them? It's a choice they make and usually for varying reasons.
Because it -really- doesn't look in any fun at all (based on my own experience of similar circumstances), and yes, a choice they've made, but most likely heavily influenced by a number of factors out of their control (remote working? live closer to work? afford a car?).Sure, you make a choice not based on weather. But these are people riding ratty 125cc bikes on cold wet days, commuting in Oxfordshire. I'm pretty sure they're not doing it because they like it, and I'd put money on it that most would swap for some other option if they reasonably could.
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