Will we see a rise in biking due to CV19?
Discussion
Morning all, apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but what are fellow PHers thoughts on biking post CV19? Initially talk was the sector would be badly hit, whereas now some manufacturers are saying they're expecting a renaissance as commuters look for alternatives to public transport. I've been called from work where I'm the only employee out of 1500 that rides and I'm likely to be one of the first to be 'un-furloughed' as I can get in without public transport. Any thoughts in general?
The successive governments haven't helped by forcing these rediculous licencing categories discouraging new riders. If they got rid of them, then possibly, but until then, I can't see it.
Was a huge PITA for me doing CBT, theory, A2 MOD 1/ MOD 2, A MOD 1/ MOD 2.
Couple that with bike theft and British winters and it's easier to just drive (London being an exeption - but almost guaranteed to get a bike nicked there).
Was a huge PITA for me doing CBT, theory, A2 MOD 1/ MOD 2, A MOD 1/ MOD 2.
Couple that with bike theft and British winters and it's easier to just drive (London being an exeption - but almost guaranteed to get a bike nicked there).
Potentially - yes.
The financial crisis keeps on rolling forward, FI rates going towards zero or negative, pension funds are massively affected by this as the regulations, the long-term view and continued and growing realized liabilities require steady inflow from stable fixed income securities with positive rate, which all but disappeared, pensions will decrease or will be cut.
The economic crisis is just starting. There will be a lot of wealth lost, long-term unemployment will increase as well. Health costs will increase.
Car ownership will become more expensive for various reasons, the economic and politic.
Public transport will be shunned and/or restructured to take fewer passengers at higher cost.
Potentially small (cheap) motorbikes and scooters will become more popular. Will we see vietnamization of private transport in Europe/UK?
The financial crisis keeps on rolling forward, FI rates going towards zero or negative, pension funds are massively affected by this as the regulations, the long-term view and continued and growing realized liabilities require steady inflow from stable fixed income securities with positive rate, which all but disappeared, pensions will decrease or will be cut.
The economic crisis is just starting. There will be a lot of wealth lost, long-term unemployment will increase as well. Health costs will increase.
Car ownership will become more expensive for various reasons, the economic and politic.
Public transport will be shunned and/or restructured to take fewer passengers at higher cost.
Potentially small (cheap) motorbikes and scooters will become more popular. Will we see vietnamization of private transport in Europe/UK?
Things like electric scooters should be made legal for use
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-a...
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-a...
Absolutly motorcycling should be encoraged, how much space could be freed up on the road if most single occupied cars were swapped for a scooter or R1M? I would like to see a big push for electric bikes or Euro 5 bikes given free roam and encoraged in citys with financial help towards purchases and free rider training offered.
Not really.
For example, I know my best mate wants to ride. He's your typical 'petrol head', loves working on cars and really enjoyed helping me strip down my fireblade engine.
He is even single now after getting divorced and works from home with plenty of free time, but...
Biking is expensive. He can't afford the £6-700 to pass his test alongside £500ish on gear and then at least £2000 on a bike as we all know that you don't get much bike wise for less than that.
We then have stuff that if you have a car license you will be paying already like insurance, tax and maintenance. That will now be doubled with the bike.
So for a typical car license holder to switch to biking for his/her commute they would be looking at around £3500 at a minimum and a few months to get your license assuming you pass 1st time.
Not that many people will want it enough to fund a bike let alone have the time.
And there for me is the problem with getting into biking. But it's not the biggest problem. That is the fact that people think they will die on the bloody things. ..
For example, I know my best mate wants to ride. He's your typical 'petrol head', loves working on cars and really enjoyed helping me strip down my fireblade engine.
He is even single now after getting divorced and works from home with plenty of free time, but...
Biking is expensive. He can't afford the £6-700 to pass his test alongside £500ish on gear and then at least £2000 on a bike as we all know that you don't get much bike wise for less than that.
We then have stuff that if you have a car license you will be paying already like insurance, tax and maintenance. That will now be doubled with the bike.
So for a typical car license holder to switch to biking for his/her commute they would be looking at around £3500 at a minimum and a few months to get your license assuming you pass 1st time.
Not that many people will want it enough to fund a bike let alone have the time.
And there for me is the problem with getting into biking. But it's not the biggest problem. That is the fact that people think they will die on the bloody things. ..
WarnieV6GT said:
Not really.
For example, I know my best mate wants to ride. He's your typical 'petrol head', loves working on cars and really enjoyed helping me strip down my fireblade engine.
He is even single now after getting divorced and works from home with plenty of free time, but...
Biking is expensive. He can't afford the £6-700 to pass his test alongside £500ish on gear and then at least £2000 on a bike as we all know that you don't get much bike wise for less than that.
We then have stuff that if you have a car license you will be paying already like insurance, tax and maintenance. That will now be doubled with the bike.
So for a typical car license holder to switch to biking for his/her commute they would be looking at around £3500 at a minimum and a few months to get your license assuming you pass 1st time.
Not that many people will want it enough to fund a bike let alone have the time.
And there for me is the problem with getting into biking. But it's not the biggest problem. That is the fact that people think they will die on the bloody things. ..
This. For example, I know my best mate wants to ride. He's your typical 'petrol head', loves working on cars and really enjoyed helping me strip down my fireblade engine.
He is even single now after getting divorced and works from home with plenty of free time, but...
Biking is expensive. He can't afford the £6-700 to pass his test alongside £500ish on gear and then at least £2000 on a bike as we all know that you don't get much bike wise for less than that.
We then have stuff that if you have a car license you will be paying already like insurance, tax and maintenance. That will now be doubled with the bike.
So for a typical car license holder to switch to biking for his/her commute they would be looking at around £3500 at a minimum and a few months to get your license assuming you pass 1st time.
Not that many people will want it enough to fund a bike let alone have the time.
And there for me is the problem with getting into biking. But it's not the biggest problem. That is the fact that people think they will die on the bloody things. ..
I grew up with bikes and always wanted one but the cost of driving at 17 was enough and I always prioritised having a nice car so no spare money for bikes.
Finally at the age of 31 after having a few cars and buying property I got my licence in Nov 19.
The costs were substantial. I had spent nearly £2000 just on the tests / equipment and I passed everything first time.
Insurance is expensive and then biking isn’t that cheap if you actually use it! I’ve spent £700 on the bike for maintenance (plus shiny Akrapovic goodness) as well as upgrading equipment already.
So it’s definitely something you invest in if you really want to do it. Not something I’d imagine many car drivers would choose to do to avoid traffic.
I do think <125cc scooter sales could increase for London commuters. If public transport can only run at 10% capacity they’ll be forced to do something different. The cost of getting on to a scooter is far less and also a lot easier.
The initial cost for a licence is holding me back, and particularly the time it will take.
The system is silly. A 17yr old can do a 1 day course and be out on the roads on a bike capable of the national speed limit.
But if i want to ride a bigger bike I have to do a theory test, cbt and das, despite me having held a car licence for 20 years.
The system is silly. A 17yr old can do a 1 day course and be out on the roads on a bike capable of the national speed limit.
But if i want to ride a bigger bike I have to do a theory test, cbt and das, despite me having held a car licence for 20 years.
covmutley said:
The initial cost for a licence is holding me back, and particularly the time it will take.
The system is silly. A 17yr old can do a 1 day course and be out on the roads on a bike capable of the national speed limit.
But if i want to ride a bigger bike I have to do a theory test, cbt and das, despite me having held a car licence for 20 years.
The scary part was the CBT. To think a 16 year old can be out on the road following the training I received on the CBT was worrying. The system is silly. A 17yr old can do a 1 day course and be out on the roads on a bike capable of the national speed limit.
But if i want to ride a bigger bike I have to do a theory test, cbt and das, despite me having held a car licence for 20 years.
In my opinion they should need to do a theory test prior to the CBT.
SteveS Cup said:
The scary part was the CBT. To think a 16 year old can be out on the road following the training I received on the CBT was worrying.
In my opinion they should need to do a theory test prior to the CBT.
God yes. The CBT is fine for people who already drive a car and have experience of the roads, but for someone coming from the position of no experience at all it’s terrifyingly basic.In my opinion they should need to do a theory test prior to the CBT.
In terms of an increase in biking? I think possibly an increase in small bikes/ scooters, probably ridden on L plates in larger towns and cities. As others have said, the financial & training barrier to ‘big bikes’ is probably too high unless you have an active interest in them.
London is an interesting question. Realistically an increase in small bikes and scooters could be hugely beneficial. Were it not for Mr Khan who’s on record as not being a fan of them...
I think we will certainly see an increase from 2022 if new cars are to be fitted with speed limiters and motorcycles (as currently rumoured) are not! A lot of car petrol heads will come over to bikes for their speed"fix" I think.
I guess people will hold onto their used performance cars for longer too and their values will climb?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/man...
I guess people will hold onto their used performance cars for longer too and their values will climb?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/man...
I have the money, desire and necessity in order to get myself a bigger bike than my 125, but the financial barriers to actually getting on the bike are huge. Insurance is ridiculous being young and in London, as well as £700 just to get a restricted license to have to do the same tests again in 2 years time! If I could hire a bike to do the tests on and practice in my own time it would be much easier, but unlike cars there is no provision for private practice as you can't ride anything bigger than a 125 without an instructor present.
I don't think we will see a noticeable rise in motorcycling because most people are just too lazy to do anything about it/making excuses not do anything. A 125cc is absolutely fine unless you're frequently on motorways. It's easy to qualify to ride it and it's cheap to run.
Even in London where I am, it's amazing how many people are in our office yet so few people even cycle, let alone take a motorbike.
Even in London where I am, it's amazing how many people are in our office yet so few people even cycle, let alone take a motorbike.
Although I've got a full license, I am referring to all bikes within the potential increased uptake of riding. Given the reasons mentioned I'm not expecting people to jump to litre bikes, but will be interesting to see if more people take up the CBT and ride a scooter.
Chicken_Satay said:
Even in London where I am, it's amazing how many people are in our office yet so few people even cycle, let alone take a motorbike.
Although that was the case pre CV19, will be interesting to see what will happen now the gov are indicating capacity on public transport is likely to reduce to 10%. Not everyone can work from home so the options will be either don't work, or find another means of getting to work. On a side note will be interesting to see how it's decided who can travel on public transport. 
Safe(ish) biking requires a mix of good judgement, balance, skill, coordination and (some) sense.
That's why so few of us ride them. Mass biking would not be a good thing in my view.
I'm reasonably confident when on bike or in car, that the biker nearby is sound and with good judgement.
I (selfishly) don't want that to change.
That's why so few of us ride them. Mass biking would not be a good thing in my view.
I'm reasonably confident when on bike or in car, that the biker nearby is sound and with good judgement.
I (selfishly) don't want that to change.
Not until they reopen the bloody test centres, absolutely crackers that they have shut them all down YET you can go to tesco/asda/morrisons etc and have people reaching over your head for a tin of beans - everybody queues outside 2m apart as soon as you are in the shop its a free-for-all!
Theres no reason at all to stop the testing, it can be done safely.
Theres no reason at all to stop the testing, it can be done safely.
Many companies in London can apply for a season ticket loan for the tube - Since those are are a bad idea currently and many thousands of quids perhaps employers should be encouraging people to get on a bike rather than the tube and could adjust loan policies to cover the cost?
Or maybe it would be seen as less responsible since everyone knows that bike are more deadly than Covid, smoking and tigers combined.
Or maybe it would be seen as less responsible since everyone knows that bike are more deadly than Covid, smoking and tigers combined.
Initially a reduction would be my guess.
Most estimates of job losses I've heard from CEOs have been from 10-30%, if you work in oil and gas, or associated industries, you may want to double those figures. So a significant net loss in people able to go to work and pay for a motorcycle and associated training.
Whilst there may be some long term cost saving to be had if some commuters switched to scooters/electric bikes etc., it's going to be hugely offset by (1) the significant outlay (with no guarantee of a return due to insecure job market), and (2) in the UK a one vehicle household should logically have a car.
So I think the only way is down. I'm just curious what motorcycle prices will do. Initially they'll be largely unchanged would be my guess, then reality will set in and the prices will drop, but so will production. Used market could then stabilise a bit in some models, but it's hard to see it going anywhere but down as people have to make the choice between mortgage payments, family holidays, and a motorcycle which is, for most, just a toy for grown ups.
I don't think anything positive notably "rises" in a depression. It's the miracle of capitalism.
Most estimates of job losses I've heard from CEOs have been from 10-30%, if you work in oil and gas, or associated industries, you may want to double those figures. So a significant net loss in people able to go to work and pay for a motorcycle and associated training.
Whilst there may be some long term cost saving to be had if some commuters switched to scooters/electric bikes etc., it's going to be hugely offset by (1) the significant outlay (with no guarantee of a return due to insecure job market), and (2) in the UK a one vehicle household should logically have a car.
So I think the only way is down. I'm just curious what motorcycle prices will do. Initially they'll be largely unchanged would be my guess, then reality will set in and the prices will drop, but so will production. Used market could then stabilise a bit in some models, but it's hard to see it going anywhere but down as people have to make the choice between mortgage payments, family holidays, and a motorcycle which is, for most, just a toy for grown ups.
I don't think anything positive notably "rises" in a depression. It's the miracle of capitalism.
I looked at doing my test a while ago. The cost is pretty stupid in some ways and also not in others. I’m hoping with these multiple tests that your ability to ride is checked much more than it is with cars, where it seems to be a case of learning to pass the test. Too many younger drivers seem to be focussed on speed limit compliance and ignoring any degree of ability to drive. I’d hope that people are taught how to actually handle a bike and come out the other side with some useable skills.
I can’t see that this will prompt a rise in riding, as it’s quite an investment though.
Having said that there is a lot of talk of an upturn in cycling, as that’s just a case of buying a bike and off you go. Have you seen the price of pushbikes though? It’s easy to spend as much as you would on a decent quality barely used commuter motorbike.
I can’t see that this will prompt a rise in riding, as it’s quite an investment though.
Having said that there is a lot of talk of an upturn in cycling, as that’s just a case of buying a bike and off you go. Have you seen the price of pushbikes though? It’s easy to spend as much as you would on a decent quality barely used commuter motorbike.
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