Finally, the Harley Davidson death rattle.....

[Kev m]

They have some smaller lighter less expensive motorcycles, a bad carpenter can count on one hand the number of "young" riders I have actually seen on one.

Maybe you gotta get out more... 

[Lannis]

Maybe you gotta get out more... 

Between the two of us, we probably get out enough for one, and I have to agree with "doesn't appeal".

I've been thinking of all the small-blocks I know about, and the youngest guy on one is 50 or so.   Most of them look more like me, and have bought the smaller bike for the same reason I will, NOT because they're young and new to the game and a 750 seems like the right speed.

Perhaps it would help if any 20 - 30-somethings here with V7s could tell us why the bike appealed to them ... ?

Lannis

[kirby1923]

The old saying "follow the money" is probably a good strategy.

Who has the money and time?(boomers,old guys) I've got at least 15 more years of riding left.

[Kev m]

Between the two of us, we probably get out enough for one, and I have to agree with "doesn't appeal".

I've been thinking of all the small-blocks I know about, and the youngest guy on one is 50 or so.   Most of them look more like me, and have bought the smaller bike for the same reason I will, NOT because they're young and new to the game and a 750 seems like the right speed.

Perhaps it would help if any 20 - 30-somethings here with V7s could tell us why the bike appealed to them ... ?

Lannis

I don't think many/any of us around here tend to "hang out" with 20-30 somethings anymore.

Why should we assume they would go the places we go and do the things we do enough for us to notice.

Hell that includes this board. I still feel too young for it half the time and I've been here a long time now.

But we have seen some younger/newer Guzzi owners do some drive-bys even on this board looking for info, and our local group has seen a couple too IRL.

Reports are the smallblocks are selling like hotcakes, they must be selling to someone, and it seems that only a part of that is the WG curmudgeon crowd.

[Sheepdog]

All the young enthusiasts that I know gravitate to older bikes. One example is Brian, the parts guy at The Bonneville Shop. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of British bikes; especially Triumphs. He also  possesses an enthusiasm for riding that is tough to maintain as an older guy. He would never dream of buying new...

[siabeid]

I have seen quite a few young people riding small blocks. People probably in their 30's. I try to talk to them whenever I can. Most don't really know much about Guzzi history. They just like their bikes. I was riding my t3 with a Lemans tank one day when I met a young guy on a v7 Classic at a gas station. He was quite surprised to find that my bike that his closely resembled (if you don't look too hard) was built before he was born!

[JJ]

Between the two of us, we probably get out enough for one, and I have to agree with "doesn't appeal".

I've been thinking of all the small-blocks I know about, and the youngest guy on one is 50 or so.   Most of them look more like me, and have bought the smaller bike for the same reason I will, NOT because they're young and new to the game and a 750 seems like the right speed.

Perhaps it would help if any 20 - 30-somethings here with V7s could tell us why the bike appealed to them ... ?

Lannis

QUOTE:  Perhaps it would help if any 20-30-somethings here with V7s could tell us why the bike appealed to them?

That would be a good "new" thread... :1:

[rocker59]

There are some 20-30-somethings riding V7s in my city.  College town, so that could have some bearing.

Large 25,000+ Student population.

One 30-ish guy with a V7 Racer up the street from me.  He also has a vintage BMW R-bike, and some 1970s Honda thing.   He's into the V7 because of the vintage looks with modern reliability. 

[oldbike54]

There are some 20-30-somethings riding V7s in my city.  College town, so that could have some bearing.

Large 25,000+ Student population.

One 30-ish guy with a V7 Racer up the street from me.  He also has a vintage BMW R-bike, and some 1970s Honda thing.   He's into the V7 because of the vintage looks with modern reliability.

 Was in Tahlequah last Spring , same there , a couple of V7's parked on campus and along the main drag .

 Dusty

[kirby1923]

Things have changed and the young people now days don't even like driving other than for transportation. I grew up lusting over motorcycles and cars and the largest market is in the 55 y/o up by far. They will be continuing riding for quite some time, but trying to interest todays youngsters in a recreation vehicle like a motor bike seems to me to be futile.

The huge majority of riders I meet in the states are 55 and up. Many are looking for lighter machines and have the resources to buy them.

Maybe I'm just out of touch but its what I'm seeing.

[j.r.r.]

Things have changed and the young people now days don't even like driving other than for transportation. I grew up lusting over motorcycles and cars and the largest market is in the 55 y/o up by far. They will be continuing riding for quite some time, but trying to interest todays youngsters in a recreation vehicle like a motor bike seems to me to be futile.

The huge majority of riders I meet in the states are 55 and up. Many are looking for lighter machines and have the resources to buy them.

Maybe I'm just out of touch but its what I'm seeing.

I have to disagree. In Toronto during riding season we have weekly and monthly 'social' events were all kind of bikes are welcome. On any of those events there are over 50% of sport bikes owned by people 30 years old or younger. This lines up with my observation when visiting Piaggio local dealer, if you see young person walking in he/she already rides Aprilia or is looking at one. Very rarely I see rider under 40 years old on Moto Guzzi.

[rocker59]

Things have changed and the young people now days don't even like driving other than for transportation. I grew up lusting over motorcycles and cars and the largest market is in the 55 y/o up by far. They will be continuing riding for quite some time, but trying to interest todays youngsters in a recreation vehicle like a motor bike seems to me to be futile.

The huge majority of riders I meet in the states are 55 and up. Many are looking for lighter machines and have the resources to buy them.

Maybe I'm just out of touch but its what I'm seeing.

You're not out of touch.  I also believe that Baby Boomers are driving the current "mid-size" motorcycle sales, despite what the makers' advertising would have you believe.

Most younger people are either just not interested in power sports, or can't afford it due to college debt and the choice to spend their time and money on media and phones.

I see some younger riders on "mid-size" motorcycles, but they're outnumbered. 

From what I've seen, Harley's "Street" line is mainly sold to girlfriends and wives of HD riders.  I don't see many young men on them.  I'm sure there are some, but the younger guys are always on Sportsters.

[rocker59]

On any of those events there are over 50% of sport bikes owned by people 30 years old or younger. 

True.  600-750cc sportsbikes are the reserve of young men.  Easy to see they are the major demographic on the Japanese Supersports.  However, overall sales numbers of those mid-size Supersports has been trending downward for a long time. 

[kirby1923]

I have to disagree. In Toronto during riding season we have weekly and monthly 'social' events were all kind of bikes are welcome. On any of those events there are over 50% of sport bikes owned by people 30 years old or younger. This lines up with my observation when visiting Piaggio local dealer, if you see young person walking in he/she already rides Aprilia or is looking at one. Very rarely I see rider under 40 years old on Moto Guzzi.

To be clear I'm not talking about rallys and social events, I'm talking about out on the road where you meet people that consider their moto a large part of their every day life.
I believe there is a big difference between the two.

[aschem]

I sure like some of the Storz HD Sportster Street Trackers http://www.storzperf.com/

[Kev m]

Most younger people are either just not interested in power sports, or can't afford it due to college debt and the choice to spend their time and money on media and phones.

That's ALWAYS been true, the motor heads were always a subset of the Gen Pop, the motorcyclists an even smaller sub-set...

To be clear I'm not talking about rallys and social events, I'm talking about out on the road where you meet people that consider their moto a large part of their every day life.
I believe there is a big difference between the two.

The vast majority of the motorcycle popularity bubble we saw in the last few decades were owners that DIDN'T make it a large part of their everyday life. Those who DID were always a subset, of a subset, of a subset - see above.

[Lannis]

QUOTE:  Perhaps it would help if any 20-30-somethings here with V7s could tell us why the bike appealed to them?

That would be a good "new" thread... :1:

Probably not.   As you can see from my and everyone else's posts on the subject, the data is going to be all subjective, all qualitative, based on "it seems to me" and "from what I can tell" and "in my town" and "lately" and .... and ....

The fact that we don't HAVE any 20-somethings here with V7s is a data point, but it could mean several things, and we won't even know which is right ....

Lannis

[rocker59]

I sure like some of the Storz HD Sportster Street Trackers http://www.storzperf.com/

 

[Lannis]

I sure like some of the Storz HD Sportster Street Trackers http://www.storzperf.com/

The original customized Sporty is still the style champ in my book -

[twowheeladdict]

A lot of young guys over on the FZ-07 forum and the Ninja 650 forum that i still visit.

One of those bikes brand new cost 2/3rds of what a V7 costs and offers more performance for the money.  They don't care that the bikes are clad in plastics and are full of budget parts.  Most that buy new do so because they don't know enough about bikes to buy a used one and take the chance on getting an abused one.  Most that buy new are not tool savvy at all, or still live the apartment life that doesn't mix well with wrenching.  Most that buy new do so because they need the finance guy to work them out a nice payment plan.

What I paid for my V7 I have spent on a vacation.  Most young people have to choose between that vacation, a motorcycle, putting money into a retirement plan, paying off student loans, etc. 

When I started riding motorcycles were cheap economical alternative modes of transportation.  Now they are a leisure activity for most.

[kirby1923]

Quote from Kev

"The vast majority of the motorcycle popularity bubble we saw in the last few decades were owners that DIDN'T make it a large part of their everyday life. Those who DID were always a subset, of a subset, of a subset - see above."

So I learned something today...I'm a subset! Damn!!!!!I like it!

:-)

[bad Chad]

In a country of aprox 325 million people, the motorcycle industry is selling aprox 5-600,000 units a year!!  That includes off road bikes.     It's a relatively small market, it's a wonder there are as many players as there are.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I *have* talked with several young people on new small blocks in the SoCal area..you see a lot of them.  But.. you have to be fairly wealthy to live there in the first place. It is an upscale bike for millennials. You can buy Japan inc. iron for much less.

[Murray]

I don't think many/any of us around here tend to "hang out" with 20-30 somethings anymore.

I work at extremely large university (50 000 students) motorcycle parking is free, I stand by my original statement.

[Kev m]

I work at extremely large university (50 000 students) motorcycle parking is free, I stand by my original statement.

Are motorcycles even a thing on that campus?!?

I don't recall ever seeing one on the campuses of Lehigh or Villanova when I went there, or hell even any of the college's we used to travel through for the East Coast Shotokan tournaments.

I got the impression most of my generation who rides didn't do so in college <shrugs>

But such are the dangers of perceptions.

[Lannis]

Are motorcycles even a thing on that campus?!?

I don't recall ever seeing one on the campuses of Lehigh or Villanova when I went there, or hell even any of the college's we used to travel through for the East Coast Shotokan tournaments.

I got the impression most of my generation who rides didn't do so in college <shrugs>

But such are the dangers of perceptions.

I used to ride my RD400C from out by Stone Mountain to Georgia Tech from '76 to '79.   

If I saw 10 other bikes among the thousands of cars, it was a banner day for bikes ....

Lannis

[rodekyll]

When I went to the UW in the 80s, scooters were the preferred mode of student mobility.  Seattle is a hilly town and pedal bikes are only fun one way.  Motorcycles paid some nominal access and parking fee -- like $10 a term -- to cover the sticker, I think.  They encouraged bikes because they took less space, and 90% of them were Vespas or less.  It was a wildly successful policy; there were thousands of scooters everywhere.  Helmets were required on campus. 

The relatively few street bikes on campus were never crowded.  Bikes could park anywhere we could fit the machine, as well as in designated bike corrals and the parking garages, where we could stuff as many into a car slot as we could fit.  I can't recall getting boxed in, although I'd park to the outer edge, making the mopeds have to fill in behind me.  My Windjammer stuck up among the clusters of step-throughs like a sail -- always easy to find. 

I could park handy enough to ride between classes (had to stay on car paths and designated alleys), which was easier than walking at the time.  That and being able to use the HOV lane on the commute made it worthwhile to rack up about 50k commuting on the Convert, sometimes in pretty nasty weather.

I was there in L&I and qualified for a handicapped sticker.  They fought like heck to keep from giving me both a m/c pass andthe blue placard.  I put up a good stink for disabled biker rights.    

[Turin]

In the early 90's I was riding my 850 T-3 to school. There were always other bikes, I remember seeing  Katanas, 250 ninjas, a-ZX-7 stands out ( because I thought it was the fastest looking thing ever in green white and blue) and some older Japanese 4 cyl bikes.

I've noticed a lot of smaller displacement sportbikes lately (250 cc?)

[Rough Edge racing]

 When the weather was nicer I rode a Triumph 650 to state college in western NY state during the 70's..A huge campus...Saw no other bikes...

[leafman60]

"Death rattle," good grief.  Harley haters are amusing.

.