Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: bobrebos1 on August 10, 2024, 04:28:28 PM
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We are all old! Any younger guzzi riders out there? Geeez!!! lol. This pic is of our lunch today. All old! Lol
(https://i.ibb.co/7YSHrV6/IMG-5502.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7YSHrV6)
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Does 38 count???? My wife is 34 and she rides a v7.
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I am only 60 :boozing:
On a serious note, the Guzzi brand has not appealed much to the young during my lifetime. Even the Sport, S3 and Le Mans seemed to attract grownups more than beginner riders. Cost may have had something to do with that as well. However, the introduction of the V7 Classic for 2008 seemed to also appeal to hipsters in their 30's, bringing in some younger blood.
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What pic Bob, did you FORGET!!! Sure sign---------------Ha Ha
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Does 38 count???? My wife is 34 and she rides a v7.
Cool! That’s young!
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I am only 60 :boozing:
On a serious note, the Guzzi brand has not appealed much to the young during my lifetime. Even the Sport, S3 and Le Mans seemed to attract grownups more than beginner riders. Cost may have had something to do with that as well. However, the introduction of the V7 Classic for 2008 seemed to also appeal to hipsters in their 30's, bringing in some younger blood.
Yeah I guess guzzi doesent appeal to younger people overall!
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Moto Guzzis are a "gentleman's motorcycle" It takes years for riders to mature enough to appreciate the marque. :wink: :grin:
Rick.
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My daughter (pictured) is 18. So- they are out there!
Even 20 years ago, when my wife and I were going to rallies on a regular basis, most of the riders seemed older than us. Wife won 'youngest rider' at the first Minnesota rally in Grand Marais (fun rally) and she was mid or late 30's then!
(https://i.ibb.co/yfMzjS5/IMG-7413.jpg)
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Saw several at the MO-Kan rally last year. They certainly out numbered the old timers in all the events. It takes great skill to position your rider directly under a mustard soaked hot dog.
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I don't remember where I read it but the average age of Harley riders is in the mid 40's. There has been concerns that Harley riders are aging out but the average age has remained the same but that is probably more due to the high cost of Harleys and older people are more likely to be able to buy one. It would be interesting to see similar figures for Guzzis.
kk
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That’s what all the brands are asking.Our sport is dangerous and takes skill,money,and motivation.My generation had cool movies and older riders and momm and pop dealers and folks who put on rallies.These are the last good old days of motorcycling.
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I talked to the Enfield folks when they were at TWOS. They indicated they had a fair amount of younger buyers.
With Guzzis you have both price and name recognition issues. They're not really that expensive but not cheap either. I'm not sure if even heard of Moto Guzzi when I was in my early to mid 20s.
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Both my sons ( 34 and 37) got the addiction and have V85TTs. I have no idea where they ever got the crazy notion.
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"Young Guzzi Riders...."
(Isn't that an oxymoron?!?) :laugh: :grin: :wink: :thumb: :boozing: :cool:
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They are perceived as a bike that you have to “know too much” to be able to operate properly…(I’m not sure they’re wrong..!).
There’s stuff that you have to “do” with them, jeeez heaven forbid…!
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i'm 78, but still young at heart :violent1:
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Two of my kids ride, my daughter rides a Vulcan and my son has K1600. I am 79 and can almost see a Vespa in my future. When the Mandello gets to be a bit much then the V7 will take over. Then if I am still kicking hopefully a Vespa might work. :grin:
kk
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Young riders I know are numbers driven. 0-60. HP. Torque. Guzzi numbers are the low end of that spectrum for the most part. Where are the young riders? When I see them they’re on Yamahas, Hondas and Suzukis with a smattering of Ducatis tossed in for good measure.
Locally I continue to see a growing contingent of late 20(?) to 30 something riders on Harley Dynas at local non MoCo sponsored bike nights. Bikes are converted to chains drive. Have some type of bullet fairing, mid controls and pseudo cafe seats. Seems to be a sub culture developing.
Next time I see a pack I’ll take some pics and post them up here for FYI.
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As soon as a young person shows an interest in a Guzzi, BMW or Triumph, they get labeled as a hipster.
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"Bikes are converted to chains drive."
Why, I converted my T120 to belt drive. The last chain drive bike I had before the Triumph was in 1968. I now know for sure there will never be another except for maybe one that is a collector bike that will only be ridden for a few minutes on a Sunday afternoon.
kk
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It actually hard to know. There are probably more young Guzzi ridders than many may realize. But they are not like most of us, they don't do M/C forums, they don't do rallies. But like TomK said, M/Cs have a lot more competition than in pervious decades. There are gobs of ways to spend money, that just didn't exist back when M/C were having heydays in the 70s/80s.
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"Bikes are converted to chains drive."
Why, I converted my T120 to belt drive. The last chain drive bike I had before the Triumph was in 1968. I now know for sure there will never be another except for maybe one that is a collector bike that will only be ridden for a few minutes on a Sunday afternoon.
kk
If I should hazard a guess, it is because it is considered more retro and hard-core. Despite belt being the first final drive on motorcycle AFAIK.
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I am 33 and bought my Moto Guzzi V7 850 two years ago at age 31. A friend who is the same age as me has had three different V7s over the past several years and will likely be hitting 100k miles on her latest one before the end of the year. That was a lot of the appeal to me, a well rounded bike that a friend the same size and age as me has ridden the same way I ride motorcycles, as a daily commuter and long distance touring bike. To me Guzzis have a reputation for actually being ridden rather than just parked outside a bar or at shows. Right now I have ten motorcycles that are tagged and get ridden, the V7 850 is one of two that are not antiques, the other modern bike is also a retro/classic styled bike. If I didn't buy clothes at Costco then maybe I could be a hipster 😂
Those Harleys you are describing sound like "club style" builds. Dynas are abundant in good condition because many people bought them and then just parked them in their garage... that lends to them being a relatively affordable Harley, but with outdated styling that can easily be refreshed with just a few parts. Fortnine even did a video on how to turn a Dyna into a club bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No8JZCdIF3I
The Dynas with the Evo motor are a popular stunt bike which has also added to the appeal. Buell (which Erik Buell is no longer associated with) are even coming out with a "Super Cruiser" in that style, designed by Rolland Sands around Buell's Rotax V-Twin.
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I only looked at bikes in the for sale section of the paper when I was young. Never walked into a motorcycle shop. Bought what I could pay for. It wasn’t until I was in my 50s did I look at anything other than Japanese bikes.
Since that time I have owned 3 Moto Guzzis, 1 Triumph, 1 Royal Enfield, and 3 Harleys.
The young riders I meet are on whatever used bike they found close by or at a dealer. Groms. Small Ninjas, Dual Sports are what I mostly see. Shorter riders are on cruisers.
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They are all on Instagram, TicToc, and hanging in places that serve latte's to people in skinny jeans, NOT at lunches and Wild Goose Chase.............. .....
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Great to hear about younger Guzzi riders! I’m 48, and assumed I was among the youngest. I started riding about 10 years ago, and a V7 was my first love (though not my first bike). Like so many of us, I’m a Guzzi rider for life… or at least until it’s time to upgrade to a Vespa. ;)
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I am 38 and I bought my Guzzi last year. During the Colorado/Utah NAR, I was the youngest rider last year. I have several co-workers who ride and none of them will leave the big brands.
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I rarely see another Guzzi on the road.
But when I stop at my Guzzi shop, I often see a 30ish bringing in a V7 variant for service while I'm there. The small block seem to be sleeper popular????
Then as mentioned, that age group is more likely to hang out at a big brand coffee shop with their Guzzi buds then an old Greaser get together at the local drive in burger joint.
Tom
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I knew a lot of younger Guzzi riders in NY when I lived there. They had no interest in "owners groups" or breakfast with the old guys. Busy doing their own thing.
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They are all on Instagram, TicToc, and hanging in places that serve latte's to people in skinny jeans, NOT at lunches and Wild Goose Chase.............. .....
Good point. I need to change the name Tn/Ga/Nc area guzzi meet n greet lunch group to “old farts getting fat Guzzi group”!
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Il change the name of the TN/GA/NC area Moto guzzi enthusiasts traveling meet n greet lunch group to…
Old/Fat Guzzi Lunch Riders!
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In three decades of living in New Haven the riders have changed completely..
It used to be clubs, with colors, hanging and riding together with weekend barbecues and bands, hosted by one club and attended by all the other clubs. Each club was 10-45 riders, each with identifying leathers and club script. Sometimes with a clubhouse. Women rider’s groups would parade together, ride together, park together, display together. Amazing display of community, society and pride.
Today it’s a guy on a grom with a hoodie, with 100 of his friends on 4 wheelers doing street takeovers for a Saturday evening. On the street there are one or two 300-400cc with loud exhausts…or a 50cc moped/scooter…or a huge monster Harley….
And that’s it..zero in the 600-1200cc range. Im guessing the number of on the street riders daily has dropped by 80% over 30yrs.
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When I was at Agostini in Mandello de Laurio last month, the sales person I rented the bike from told me that there was a young American Vlogger who reviews motorcycles there the day before, rented a bike for her review. He didn't know if it was Youtube or Instagram, but she was cute and blonde, and NOT itchy boots. I didn't catch the name, but they are out there.
When in DC, I regularly see people in their 30's on new Small blocks. Time was you would never see a Guzzi in the flesh, now it is far more common and is a small block, either a V7 or V85.
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I'm 35 and I'm on my 3rd new Guzzi ( V7, Griso, V7). I kinda fell into the brand like a lot people my age I grew up dreaming about Ducatis the only Guzzi I had seen was a Monza in my uncle's shed that hadn't run since the 80s. When I was finally able to buy a new Ducati Monster I was patiently waiting to speak to the salesman who was busy positioning a mirror for some guy sitting on Ducati when I noticed a neglected V7 Classic hidden in the corner and for some reason I fell in love and it's been an addiction ever since.
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Used to be one :angry: Now get off my lawn! :boozing:
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Couple of thoughts. At 42 years old, I figure I’m closer to the demographic in question than most of ya ;)
If a newer rider wants to…
- Go fast, they get a Japanese bike, Ducati, or Triumph;
- Look “American-made”, aka cruiser badass, they get a Harley or Honda Rebel (heh);
- Ride ‘Classic-styled’, they get a Bonnie, Street Twin, RE, or some used, old Sportster or Japanese naked standard;
- have community support, they go to anyone else with larger dealer networks and thus larger ownership*
Younger generations, as many of you probably were and are—are attracted to what’s thrown in front of their faces. Where’s the marketing / advertisement from Guzzi? How are they getting their brand engrained into first-time riders’ brains? They’re quirky, small production, and other brands seem to represent their particular attraction niches better. They’re not the cheapest, lightest, most powerful, most common, most ‘classic’…
Younger folks who buy Moto Guzzis today get them because they’re accessible (seat height, cheap, not too powerful) and like something that kinda stands out as different, but they’ve still got other more well-known brands to choose from. Heck, Royal Enfield is probably more well-known now because they’re so cheap out of the box and don’t suck.
*Community support—it’s my experience, having gone to a couple BMW and Guzzi rallies, that the old guard tends to be quite curmudgeonly and protective when it comes to newer riders.
Ahem—*most older farts are not bitter curmudgeons*…
BUT, there are enough to leave an impact—especially those who own bikes with such niched and special histories.
I was casually reminded by a few guys at a Guzzi national rally a couple years ago that my politics were the clear minority amongst the rest of the crowd…folks— I’m left of center. C’mon.
As a person raised solely by my grandparents and around a lot of older folks, I feel pretty comfortable saying that younger folks are often turned off by the stereotypical ‘old white guy who’s not afraid to scoff atcha.’
Older men are just as guilty of creating cliques as anyone else. Therefore, when you have this existing old guard protecting a brand—a brand that’s smaller in representation than so many other brands out there—it can be hard to feel welcome. This is why I really advocate for and heavily support women and younger riders when it comes to choosing bikes and being part of healthy cultures that make them feel included. Make ‘em feel welcome, and they’ll stick around…and invite their friends…and draw others whose demographics are more aligned with theirs. I hang around older riders because I know there are often many lessons to learn from stories and anecdotes. I seek that knowledge in hopes to turn it one day into wisdom. Many other ‘younger’ riders don’t necessarily have the connection that I do with older people, and so they focus on seeking out their own kin for comfort and fun.
And if the older dudes are the ones at the rallies, those who don’t want to be surrounded by that maybe just hang out with the couple friends they have or lurk on Facebook.
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Couple of thoughts. At 42 years old, I figure I’m closer to the demographic in question than most of ya ;)
If a newer rider wants to…
- Go fast, they get a Japanese bike, Ducati, or Triumph;
- Look “American-made”, aka cruiser badass, they get a Harley or Honda Rebel (heh);
- Ride ‘Classic-styled’, they get a Bonnie, Street Twin, RE, or some used, old Sportster or Japanese naked standard;
- have community support, they go to anyone else with larger dealer networks and thus larger ownership*
Younger generations, as many of you probably were and are—are attracted to what’s thrown in front of their faces. Where’s the marketing / advertisement from Guzzi? How are they getting their brand engrained into first-time riders’ brains? They’re quirky, small production, and other brands seem to represent their particular attraction niches better. They’re not the cheapest, lightest, most powerful, most common, most ‘classic’…
Younger folks who buy Moto Guzzis today get them because they’re accessible (seat height, cheap, not too powerful) and like something that kinda stands out as different, but they’ve still got other more well-known brands to choose from. Heck, Royal Enfield is probably more well-known now because they’re so cheap out of the box and don’t suck.
*Community support—it’s my experience, having gone to a couple BMW and Guzzi rallies, that the old guard tends to be quite curmudgeonly and protective when it comes to newer riders.
Ahem—*most older farts are not bitter curmudgeons*…
BUT, there are enough to leave an impact—especially those who own bikes with such niched and special histories.
I was casually reminded by a few guys at a Guzzi national rally a couple years ago that my politics were the clear minority amongst the rest of the crowd…folks— I’m left of center. C’mon.
As a person raised solely by my grandparents and around a lot of older folks, I feel pretty comfortable saying that younger folks are often turned off by the stereotypical ‘old white guy who’s not afraid to scoff atcha.’
Older men are just as guilty of creating cliques as anyone else. Therefore, when you have this existing old guard protecting a brand—a brand that’s smaller in representation than so many other brands out there—it can be hard to feel welcome. This is why I really advocate for and heavily support women and younger riders when it comes to choosing bikes and being part of healthy cultures that make them feel included. Make ‘em feel welcome, and they’ll stick around…and invite their friends…and draw others whose demographics are more aligned with theirs. I hang around older riders because I know there are often many lessons to learn from stories and anecdotes. I seek that knowledge in hopes to turn it one day into wisdom. Many other ‘younger’ riders don’t necessarily have the connection that I do with older people, and so they focus on seeking out their own kin for comfort and fun.
And if the older dudes are the ones at the rallies, those who don’t want to be surrounded by that maybe just hang out with the couple friends they have or lurk on Facebook.
^This.
-AJ
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44 now, but I've been riding Guzzi's since 18...
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I just "liked" a 35 YO who's "left of center" Maybe I'm not the curmudgeon I'm supposed to be :cool: :boozing:
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For me, a community, like Harley owner, have is keeping me from buying one. I judge a bike solely on what I expect/know it to be for me, not the brand name or how they are perceived or "respected". Unless it is a Harley :rolleyes:
I have never bought a bike because it had a specific name on the tank. I have owned Hondas, Kawasakis, Suzukis, Yamahas, Triumphs, Guzzis and a BMW. None were perfect, but only the Virago I built and the Roamer have continued to grow on me, despite their flaws. Or because of them :huh:
The Guzzi, while not the most common brand, is not THAT unusual. Out of 103 different brands for sale at the moment in Norway, Guzzi sit in 13th spot with 45 listed, behind the 10 brands below plus Indian and Vespa.
(https://i.ibb.co/H74NJ5G/Sykler-til-salgs.jpg) (https://ibb.co/H74NJ5G)
EDIT: Click on image to get the full list. The numbers in () are the number of bikes listed for sale per brand.
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When I was at Agostini in Mandello de Laurio last month, the sales person I rented the bike from told me that there was a young American Vlogger who reviews motorcycles there the day before, rented a bike for her review. He didn't know if it was Youtube or Instagram, but she was cute and blonde, and NOT itchy boots. I didn't catch the name, but they are out there.
If some of those details (blogger vs vlogger, and not blonde) were different then I'd say it could be my friend who got me into Guzzis. She just rented a V7 from Agostini after touring the Moto Guzzi factory. She's written for Revzilla and Motorcycle.com. Might be more than a few young ladies from America out there renting motorcycles who also do some journalism, blogging, vlogging, "influencing", etc. though.
Here's an older piece she has on her experiences touring solo, which have mostly been on V7s
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/setting-out-solo
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I have never met a more welcoming group than Guzzi people.That has been one big reason I keep buying them,talking politics with folks you don’t know is sure to make someone feel unwelcome.Im not sure you are in the minority anyway.Most of the Guzzi folks I have known for years have never asked about my politics and I have never asked them and we get along great.
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There are a few of us! At the NH rally a few weeks ago I think there were maybe 2 people in our 20s and probably another handful between 30-45.
I think marketing is part of it, cost is a part of it, and performance figures are another. For example, I have a V85TT. On paper the V-Strom 650 is pretty similar in power, weight, also a V-Twin, and it's well known to be reliable. Younger people are not going to be familiar with Guzzis and assume Italian = unreliable and expensive to maintain, like a Ducati or Aprilia.
IMO, Guzzi would need to make a Halo bike that can compete with the V4S, Superduke, S1000RR, etc to gain sport credentials, a naked variant that people would actually buy, a more aggressive Adv bike to compete with the DesertX, F900GS, etc. and then trickle those down to bike that are more accessible. A V100 Naked bike would be pretty cool, or a V100 Stelvio with a 21" front, 18" rear, and an extra inch or two of suspension travel, or a V85 with another 20hp and 21/18 wheels plus 2" of travel.
Even if the V85/V100s are enough for 99% of riders, people will look at online reviews and spec sheets and get in their head that they need more power, more suspension travel, etc. so offering those options to keep people happy is worth it IMO.
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If some of those details (blogger vs vlogger, and not blonde) were different then I'd say it could be my friend who got me into Guzzis. She just rented a V7 from Agostini after touring the Moto Guzzi factory. She's written for Revzilla and Motorcycle.com. Might be more than a few young ladies from America out there renting motorcycles who also do some journalism, blogging, vlogging, "influencing", etc. though.
Here's an older piece she has on her experiences touring solo, which have mostly been on V7s
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/setting-out-solo
This sounds like it was the person.
I didn't see any pictures or anything Luca at Agostini just told me about it, that there was just a young American female there to do a review.
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Personal experience here. I bought the T-3 in 1989 when I was 35. A couple of years earlier I was exposed to an Ambo. My thoughts at the time were what an old fashion styled bike. Looks like an old person's ride, not impressed. Was only impressed with the sound. Saw the T-3 and thought now that is a motorcycle! The only reason I got into Motoguzzi was due to a friend that hired on as a tech at a dealership and was praising the bikes. Glad I jumped.
GliderJohn
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I hopped on at 25 and haven't hopped off yet, purest though, that's all I ride.
I'm not a fat American though, 155# and the bikes fly like the wind.
All them kids are fat old guys now.
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I got my V7 Sport in pieces with a stuck engine for $200 in 92 when I was 25, had it on the road when I was 26. I was lucky to get it then and to still have it now. I have and ride other bikes but nothing is better imho than my hammered old V7 Sport. It is the end of my ruler, not because it is a Guzzi but because it is my favorite & point of reference for all things motorcycle.
My btdt two cents about being a younger Guzzi rider over the years? Far too many older Guzzi riders are hung up on how nice your bike is or isn’t instead of simply being supportive that you are actually riding one. This isn’t a fashion or status play for me like it seems to be for them. If I actually cared what people like them think, I would have moved on to something else long ago.
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My btdt two cents about being a younger Guzzi rider over the years? Far too many older Guzzi riders are hung up on how nice your bike is or isn’t instead of simply being supportive that you are actually riding one. This isn’t a fashion or status play for me like it seems to be for them. If I actually cared what people like them think, I would have moved on to something else long ago.
You are describing BMW riders, NO Guzzi rider or group I have ever met with cared about how 'nice' your ride was. But what do I know? I didn't get into Guzzi till 9 years ago when I was 51.
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You are describing BMW riders, NO Guzzi rider or group I have ever met with cared about how 'nice' your ride was. But what do I know? I didn't get into Guzzi till 9 years ago when I was 51.
Maybe that’s not been your experience, but it’s been mine. No reason to make it up.
Being a relatively broke young guy riding an unpretty but special bike apparently makes people think they that I need or want their advice. Ever since I started riding my cosmetically imperfect V7 Sport, I have consistently had and heard people say “when are you going to fix it?” and “that would be a nice bike if you…”. It’s happened in multiple states and even at the IMOC. It gets old, just like the endless Big Twin vs Sportster bias. My bike is 100% mechanically spot-on and that’s what it’s all about to me.
So, I get lucky again a couple of years ago and end up with a much nicer but still not perfect CX100 to park next to my old V7 Sport. At one of the first events I take it to, an older rider parks his blinged-out Loop next to me. Then he says - not kidding- “that would be a nice bike if you fixed…”. I walked away. Later, when he was leaving, he shifted his bike into neutral to start it before spending 15+ min trying to get it back into gear so he could actually ride home. I thought about saying to him “that would be a nice bike if you..” but I didn’t.
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Maybe that’s not been your experience, but it’s been mine. No reason to make it up.
Being a relatively broke young guy riding an unpretty but special bike apparently makes people think they that I need or want their advice. Ever since I started riding my cosmetically imperfect V7 Sport, I have consistently had and heard people say “when are you going to fix it?” and “that would be a nice bike if you…”. It’s happened in multiple states and even at the IMOC. It gets old, just like the endless Big Twin vs Sportster bias. My bike is 100% mechanically spot-on and that’s what it’s all about to me.
So, I get lucky again a couple of years ago and end up with a much nicer but still not perfect CX100 to park next to my old V7 Sport. At one of the first events I take it to, an older rider parks his blinged-out Loop next to me. Then he says - not kidding- “that would be a nice bike if you fixed…”. I walked away. Later, when he was leaving, he shifted his bike into neutral to start it before spending 15+ min trying to get it back into gear so he could actually ride home. I thought about saying to him “that would be a nice bike if you..” but I didn’t.
I think we need picture of your V7
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I think we need picture of your V7
Except for me painting the frame argent in 1999-2000 because the red on the frame didn’t match the bodywork, this is how the bike was customized (intentionally and unintentionally) in 1978-79 when it was part of the Clemson Cafe Racers scene- Busted gauges & fins, scratched valve covers, nicked Borranis and all. Here’s a couple of pics and a link to video
(https://i.ibb.co/j5WydcW/IMG-1354.jpg) (https://ibb.co/j5WydcW)
(https://i.ibb.co/pLmh6q9/IMG-1356.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pLmh6q9)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExX3YmQel_Q
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Maybe that’s not been your experience, but it’s been mine. No reason to make it up.
Being a relatively broke young guy riding an unpretty but special bike apparently makes people think they that I need or want their advice. Ever since I started riding my cosmetically imperfect V7 Sport, I have consistently had and heard people say “when are you going to fix it?” and “that would be a nice bike if you…”. It’s happened in multiple states and even at the IMOC. It gets old, just like the endless Big Twin vs Sportster bias. My bike is 100% mechanically spot-on and that’s what it’s all about to me.
So, I get lucky again a couple of years ago and end up with a much nicer but still not perfect CX100 to park next to my old V7 Sport. At one of the first events I take it to, an older rider parks his blinged-out Loop next to me. Then he says - not kidding- “that would be a nice bike if you fixed…”. I walked away. Later, when he was leaving, he shifted his bike into neutral to start it before spending 15+ min trying to get it back into gear so he could actually ride home. I thought about saying to him “that would be a nice bike if you..” but I didn’t.
Not diminishing your experiences.
I've only been in the Guzzi community since 2015, and being in the Army have been in Washington, Virginia, New York, Carolinas, and Kentucky, and pull in riders from all the surrounding states, and found the Guzzi community very cool, diverse, and 'MY" kind of people who love to ride, respect all. No snobbery at all.
But to be fair, my bikes are newer, and generally pristine, though NOT a classic like a V7 sport. I can imagine having a very desirable bike in ratty condition and seeing enthusiasts wanting to see it cared for and in best condition. My oldest is a 76 Convert, and would love an original V7 Sport, Ambo or Eldo. All my other bikes are CARC or modern small block (V7ii).
My only point is that the Guzzi community is the best I have been in, and are largely helpful and encouraging and willing to help. Perhaps you are being a bit sensitive. Then again, the red suspender snapping codgers can be pretty snotty............. . They sure are sensitive, at least on this board. In fact I am sure these comments will cause the moderators a ton of headache. :cool: :cool: :cool:
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Well...When I get to a Guzzi get together and see a nice bike and the owner next to it. I do say nice bike! If I see a ratty old Guzzi, old and worn but not molested, I say nice old bike, glad it's on the road! I don't care about faded paint and chips, I'm just glad it's out there.
Back in '80 I got my Eldo. Very ratty, basically a sorta together bike that need LOTTS of love, not literally a basket case but close. Cost me alot back then. 2 Miller Lite beers and some leg work for the paperwork and it was mine. I had been hanging out with a small group of mainly HD riders that most were at the age they could have been my dad. Not a single one ever said anything like what a crappy bike. All were supportive, even when I couldn't figure out an issue. Heck they were even able to help since if you know a bit about VW bug, you can likely fix a Guzzi.
Tom
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Not diminishing your experiences.
I've only been in the Guzzi community since 2015, and being in the Army have been in Washington, Virginia, New York, Carolinas, and Kentucky, and pull in riders from all the surrounding states, and found the Guzzi community very cool, diverse, and 'MY" kind of people who love to ride, respect all. No snobbery at all.
But to be fair, my bikes are newer, and generally pristine, though NOT a classic like a V7 sport. I can imagine having a very desirable bike in ratty condition and seeing enthusiasts wanting to see it cared for and in best condition. My oldest is a 76 Convert, and would love an original V7 Sport, Ambo or Eldo. All my other bikes are CARC or modern small block (V7ii).
My only point is that the Guzzi community is the best I have been in, and are largely helpful and encouraging and willing to help. Perhaps you are being a bit sensitive. Then again, the red suspender snapping codgers can be pretty snotty............. . They sure are sensitive, at least on this board. In fact I am sure these comments will cause the moderators a ton of headache. :cool: :cool: :cool:
Dont get me wrong. I’ve met some great guys who have been my friends, whether contemporary or over long gaps in time. But I’ve also met a lot of people I’m glad to not cross paths with again. I’ve never had a new bike. That’s a world I don’t know.
Given the scarcity of Guzzis in general, I’ve spent much more time around the HD crowd at my best friends shop and the events & rallies we produced over 20+ yrs. The big twin crowd is typically more about the lifestyle and being seen on a Harley. The mechanics and more serious gear heads (or at least the ones I know) are more into Sportster/XR platform and actual organized racing. I have both. Neither one is the other. If I had to choose between big twin or sportster, I would dump both without hesitation to have my V7 Sport- No contest, no regrets.
It just bums me out to experience the consistent similar elitist “sportsters suck” type of bias among the significantly smaller numbers of Guzzi people I have encountered. And just when I think I’ve become old enough and established enough to have moved beyond such trivial crap with an even nicer bike, it happens again.
This all goes to the original query of “where are all the young riders?” My Guzzi was consistently at the top of my budget when I was young, broke going through divorces and still keeping my bike. If their opinion really mattered, my bike would be long gone. It makes me wonder if others were discouraged by similar treatment. Even now, I post the truth and then have to reiterate what I have experienced.
But if doing so keeps one person here from being negative to the next person they meet on two wheels, regardless of what marque or how big of a turd that machine is, it will be worth it because maybe they’ll come away with a better perspective of what a Guzzi rider might be. Lots of people out there can’t afford what they wish they could have or ride or simply weren’t lucky & fortunate enough to have their stars align like some of us have been. My hope is that me being supportive of what they’re riding at all will keep them on two wheels. That’s really what matters to me.
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I do not think Guzzi owners and riders are much different to those of other brands. There are people you like, dislike and feel indifferent towards regardless of brand. Same with non-riders, for that matter. Also, each of us differ, meaning one person's friend will be the other person's enemy. Personally, I find most people to be OK for a passing chat, regardless of the situation, although there is the odd person that is impossible to gel with in any way. That person will most likely think the same thing about me.
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I think that most of us here have an interest in any kind of motorcycle. It doesn't take much looking to find some interesting aspect of literally any bike and ask the other rider about it. For me, Sportsters don't suck, my first Harley was a sportster and at the time, there was no way for me to afford a big twin anyway at that time. Now, that bike had character.
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"....the 21-to-24 set, the top reason (to own a motorcycle) was “ease of transportation.”
These younger consumers are much more likely to be attracted to “a lower-priced, lighter weight and lower margin bike”
Most of the people (male) who I'd regularly see riding small blocks in NYC were in the above group. Talked to a couple of guys who were also selling their SB's because they couldn't keep up with their friends with equal cc bikes and lots more HP.
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They are working,going to school, getting married, raising families, and taking care of cranky old Guzzi rider relatives :grin:
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I think lack of dealership/service is a HUGE factor. You can't expect young riders, especially new riders, to buy a bike that they have to do all of the maintenance on themselves.
-AJ
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I live in a pretty prospers area, with plenty of good paying jobs for those with a high School diploma. It gets cold here in the mid west, so ridding season is limited. I don't see a lot of younger riders, but I suspect I may see more than in many other communities, it's also a college town. It appears to me that most of the younger riders are riding late model "standards" from the Asian big four. Most of them look like insects, but they are still what I would call "standards". Mostly 300 to 800cc from what I can tell. There is a good scattering of Triumph Bonnie's and Indians for the guys that want to spend a little more, although most of the time the guys have their helmets on so I can't tell the age group for sure, but the way they dress says 20 something. I have lately also seen a few CF Moto bikes around town. As for the Guzzi riders in my metro area of 170,000, I know of less than 10, and I'm the second youngest at 57. There are undoubtedly more that I don't know of, but I bet it's less than 20.
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After paying for their cell phone with 57 apps and internet, they are BROKE!
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Couple of thoughts. At 42 years old, I figure I’m closer to the demographic in question than most of ya ;)
If a newer rider wants to…
- Go fast, they get a Japanese bike, Ducati, or Triumph;
- Look “American-made”, aka cruiser badass, they get a Harley or Honda Rebel (heh);
- Ride ‘Classic-styled’, they get a Bonnie, Street Twin, RE, or some used, old Sportster or Japanese naked standard;
- have community support, they go to anyone else with larger dealer networks and thus larger ownership*
Younger generations, as many of you probably were and are—are attracted to what’s thrown in front of their faces. Where’s the marketing / advertisement from Guzzi? How are they getting their brand engrained into first-time riders’ brains? They’re quirky, small production, and other brands seem to represent their particular attraction niches better. They’re not the cheapest, lightest, most powerful, most common, most ‘classic’…
Younger folks who buy Moto Guzzis today get them because they’re accessible (seat height, cheap, not too powerful) and like something that kinda stands out as different, but they’ve still got other more well-known brands to choose from. Heck, Royal Enfield is probably more well-known now because they’re so cheap out of the box and don’t suck.
*Community support—it’s my experience, having gone to a couple BMW and Guzzi rallies, that the old guard tends to be quite curmudgeonly and protective when it comes to newer riders.
Ahem—*most older farts are not bitter curmudgeons*…
BUT, there are enough to leave an impact—especially those who own bikes with such niched and special histories.
I was casually reminded by a few guys at a Guzzi national rally a couple years ago that my politics were the clear minority amongst the rest of the crowd…folks— I’m left of center. C’mon.
As a person raised solely by my grandparents and around a lot of older folks, I feel pretty comfortable saying that younger folks are often turned off by the stereotypical ‘old white guy who’s not afraid to scoff atcha.’
Older men are just as guilty of creating cliques as anyone else. Therefore, when you have this existing old guard protecting a brand—a brand that’s smaller in representation than so many other brands out there—it can be hard to feel welcome. This is why I really advocate for and heavily support women and younger riders when it comes to choosing bikes and being part of healthy cultures that make them feel included. Make ‘em feel welcome, and they’ll stick around…and invite their friends…and draw others whose demographics are more aligned with theirs. I hang around older riders because I know there are often many lessons to learn from stories and anecdotes. I seek that knowledge in hopes to turn it one day into wisdom. Many other ‘younger’ riders don’t necessarily have the connection that I do with older people, and so they focus on seeking out their own kin for comfort and fun.
And if the older dudes are the ones at the rallies, those who don’t want to be surrounded by that maybe just hang out with the couple friends they have or lurk on Facebook.
I that’s as insightful as anything I’ve ever read here….. :thumb: :bow:
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Considering how few Guzzi dealerships there are in the US, it surprises me that they have as much market penetration as they do. The most common response I get when someone asks about my modern Guzzi is something along the lines of "they still make those?"
It is going to be pretty hard to get first time buyers of any age to step up to the plate when people don't realize that new Guzzis are a thing and if they do know about them they likely have to drive hundreds of miles to see and test ride a motorcycle. In my small, rural city of 65,000 I can whet my appetite for a brand new Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Harley Davidson, or CFMoto any day of the week without ever leaving town and my buying options are even greater if I open myself up to an hour drive. It takes a dedicated buyer to be willing to travel large distances for a purchase and commit to buying a machine that likely underperforms compared to its contemporaries which can generally be bought much more conveniently, both new and used.
Of course, I took the hard route and enjoy it. And I'm not too old either.
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Att'd is a pic of my youngest daughter from about 20 years ago, on the back of a V11 I had at the time. The other pic was taken a year or two ago, she's on the Triumph Street Twin. All three of the bikes in the pics are gone, and my daughter was bummed when I sold the Triumph. I told her she should get her own bike, maybe a Royal Enfield 650 or another Triumph Street Twin, since she's very familiar with that bike. She said if she's going to get a bike, it's going to be a Guzzi! That one didn't fall from the tree, that's for sure! I'll probably end up giving her my '23 V7 Special Edition, and I'll hang on to the '24 V100 Aviazione Navale as long as I can...
(https://i.ibb.co/7kTs0J6/Abbey-on-Guzzi.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7kTs0J6)
(https://i.ibb.co/D7DgmLt/Abbey-and-me1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/D7DgmLt)
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Besides the V7, also a Royal Enfield owner and at 56 (as of today, HBD to me, etc), I’m one of the wee kids over at the RE forum. Most of those folk are 70ish. I’m still too new into the Guzzis to have a sense of “the MG demographic” (in the states), if there is such a thing.
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Enjoy your burf'day :boozing:
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Whichever poster was talking about the importance of dealers was spot on. Here in Cincinnati, I can ride within about a 100 mile radius of the dealer and see at least one other Guzzi on most of my rides. I don't know many of these Guzzi riders that I see randomly, but I have a few riding friends that have them too. I am pretty sure if the dealer were to pack up, I would stop seeing Guzzis on a regular basis. It's a shame, such good machines with so little exposure.
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Besides the V7, also a Royal Enfield owner and at 56 (as of today, HBD to me, etc), I’m one of the wee kids over at the RE forum. Most of those folk are 70ish. I’m still too new into the Guzzis to have a sense of “the MG demographic” (in the states), if there is such a thing.
There is a demographic. Unscientifically 75% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 55. 30% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 65.
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270)
-AJ
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There is a demographic. Unscientifically 75% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 55. 30% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 65.
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270)
Eh, I think expecting online forum representation to reflect real world ownership demographics is a bit brave. That’d be kinda like asking for newspaper readers to send in survey answers, and expecting those results to reflect the whole population (who reads newspapers these days?).
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My introduction to Guzzi was purely happenstance. Even in Houston, where we have MPH, I had never heard of Guzzi or seen any advertising around the brand until I met a guy at a Cars & Coffee event in 2009 riding a Red Norge. It was so unique and something I had never seen before that we had to talk and he gave me a few pointers. I was ecstatic to know that he had bought it here in Houston. I went the next day and bought a new 2008 Silver Norge from Mike at MPH...and the addiction has grown since then. I was riding BMW and Yamaha before that, and occasionally borrowed a Honda from time to time from a friend many years earlier, but I swear I had never ever heard of Guzzi, and I had been to Italy many times before that...so it must have been destiny to finally one day cross paths. Rallies, small and large have been entertaining and a nice aspect of the brand, but I suspect that's the same of any brand. I was a young 44 at the time...and I kick myself for not having known about Guzzi before then...but the timing was great. My only wish was I had known about the Scura back in 2002 because it took me until 2016 to finally find one I wanted and it's been in the stable since then.
Guzzi's are one important ingredient of staying young mentally and physically even if the chronological age is advancing steadily year after year!
I also remember Mike's words to me when he sold me the bike. He said, you may hate this bike for the first 1500 miles, but it will grow on you and get smoother over time...just stick with it and you will appreciate the bike over time. Very good advice!
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Yeah. Where the hell did those thirty years go?!? Oh, wait.. I didn't read the thread and misunderstood the topic.
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You got to let a kid (using the term loosely) a younger person....drive your bike. I know its hard! I rode a guys Guzzi to go to the hardware store for a bolt to fix my Norton sidestand. I really thought it was a tractor.... He was a great great guy and that experience didn't have anything to do with my later purchase of the former president of Michigan Guzzi Owners bike, but it could have!
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For a business to survive and thrive, they need to move products. So in that respect it is important for us that Guzzi do well. But apart from that, I will admit that I like to own something rare, and would dislike it if I began meeting Guzzis on every corner.
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Most of them were lost by the mid 80's.
Guzzi was under Tomasio's ownership and whilst he allowed lots of engine design work to be done hardly any of it became metal and even less into a marketed machine.The one that did was the daytona/centuro and that hit the market far too late and too expensively for everyone apart from relatively wealthy enthusiasts.
When Piaggio bought the brand they had over twenty years of missed opportunities to draw conclusions from.
Spending money on good marketing and adverts but still mainly offering only slightly updated small blocs kept the brand alive and sold to a few younger people who understood the Guzzi thing.The newer big blocs did ok too .
Remember that when Piaggio did the buy out there was a lot of speculation that they would close down Mandello and badge Aprillias as Guzzi's.
That's still not happened.
Guzzi (and Aprillia ) will always been niche which makes them comparativly expensive
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Most of them were lost by the mid 80's.
Guzzi was under Tomasio's ownership and whilst he allowed lots of engine design work to be done hardly any of it became metal and even less into a marketed machine.The one that did was the daytona/centuro and that hit the market far too late and too expensively for everyone apart from relatively wealthy enthusiasts.
When Piaggio bought the brand they had over twenty years of missed opportunities to draw conclusions from.
Spending money on good marketing and adverts but still mainly offering only slightly updated small blocs kept the brand alive and sold to a few younger people who understood the Guzzi thing.The newer big blocs did ok too .
Remember that when Piaggio did the buy out there was a lot of speculation that they would close down Mandello and badge Aprillias as Guzzi's.
That's still not happened.
Guzzi (and Aprillia ) will always been niche which makes them comparativly expensive
I believe that the CARC bikes were the first out of the box for Piaggio (or was that Aprilia ownership)
I love my non CARC guzzi's (Convert Breva750, V7ii) but the CARC bikes are what got me into and keep me. Norge, Griso, 1200 Sport - I think these were brilliantly executed, and when well sorted are among the best bikes I've ever ridden or owned.
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The Carc concept was on the cards from Aprillia but Piaggio marketed it...and rightly so as they were a big step forward.
The trouble with all of those is that they were still too heavy for the performance offered .But Guzzi is now irredeemably associated with the V twin even though historically they had produced just about every engine architecture possible ! To break with that concept now would probably cause so much gnashing of corncob pipes and snapping of suspenders that the globe would tilt on it's axis .
I'd love them to bring out this styled on the Galetto which was a huge commercial sucess in the 50's (http://<br />[url=https://ibb.co/KjjxK0r][img]https://i.ibb.co/KjjxK0r/moto-guzzi-galletto-hybrid-concept.webp)[/url]
[/img]
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Have they made anything other than singles, twins and triples, plus the V8? I know Benelli inline twins and fours where badged Guzzis, but they were Guzzi only by name.
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Two strokes,scooters, utilitarian three wheelers...Guzzi was far from a one trick pony.
The concepts and protoptypes that never made it were quite astounding too...most not without issues but nevertheless shows they had real brains in their design team.
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Have they made anything other than singles, twins and triples, plus the V8? I know Benelli inline twins and fours where badged Guzzis, but they were Guzzi only by name.
The engines and a lot of the rest (e.g. forks and wheels) for the Benelli/Guzzi multis were manufactured by Guzzi at Mandello, so one could argue they are more Guzzi (and Honda) than they are Benelli.
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There is a demographic. Unscientifically 75% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 55. 30% of Guzzi riders are over the age of 65.
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99590.270)
-AJ
...and thus the classic term............... ...."GUZZI GEEZERS!!!"
:laugh: :grin: :wink: :thumb: :bow: :evil: :cool: :boozing:
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The Carc concept was on the cards from Aprillia but Piaggio marketed it
Everything new at Guzzi since Aprilia took over has been designed with Aprilia as lead, with Piaggio in Pontedera doing powertrain development. That’s why the first year of the Griso had a 2V/cylinder engine - Aprilia designed the bike to use the Centauro engine, and was ready to introduce it but when Piaggio bought both they decided the engine could be improved and redesigned it. The stop gap measure was to introduce the bike with the existing 1100 Sport derived engine.
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I’m not sure you want them until they reach age 40 or so…
The charm and wisdom of older folk is a nice fit for these types of bikes, if you drag the children in then you’ll need blue tooth connectivity, Siri compatibility for Spotify, real time Tik Tok transmission, and mobile ‘phone placement where the clocks are.
The Guzzi will lose its significance and relevance.
Kids want everything “easy” and their modern sense of entitlement will demand a sanitised Honda esque type product with all the charm of a wooden spoon.
You won’t want a bike with character until you’ve developed character yourself.
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A lot of truth in that too Huzo.
The Japanese were already doing that in the seventies in relative terms and it's taken a long time for most European manufacturers in just about any market to meet their standards of exactitude and quality control in mass production.They were the most demanding by far of any customers when I was working in marketing decades ago. Most consumers have bought into that too which is logical .
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Moto Guzzi already have bluetooth capability for some models, the MIA device. I see the appeal for trip recording. It is an OEM solution that functions as a data logger, useful for track days or reviewing more technical rides.
It does get tiring to read misinformed generalizations about what other generations want. "Easy" tends to be a common desire of progress for all of motorcycling, you can take note of that anytime you hop on a newfangled post-war bike with all their comforts and reliability.
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I'm doing my part: my son, 28, rides an 1100 Breva. Son-in-law, 35, rides a V7 Classic. Both introduced to the marque by me (and my friends). Son has been riding since he was 16. His most recent bike before the Breva was an Aprilia Falco. SIL has only been riding for about a year.
I know some of the snarky comments on here about cell phones and electronics are intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but a person who is new to Guzzi who encounters that attitude is not likely to come away with a positive impression of the brand nor the people associated with it. This forum is easy to find, for anybody who is looking for Guzzi information. That definitely includes younger riders.
Another factor that I haven't seen mentioned is the lack of disposable income for young people. Everything is more expensive now, for 20-somethings, than it was in 1970. Average in-state public university tuition in 1970 was $394/year. At the $1.60 minimum wage in place at the time, a student could pay for that by working 5 hours per week. In 2020, that tuition figure had climbed to $10,563 per year. Even though the federal minimum wage had risen to $7.25, our hypothetical student would need to work 28 hours per week to pay for it. So they get loans instead, and end up carrying crippling levels of debt for years. Rents, food, fuel etc. all follow this same pattern.
This cuts into a young person's ability to buy fun toys like motorcycles.
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This is not exclusively a Guzzi thing. Across the board, motorcyclists as a whole are disappearing with age. Even at our local "Big" brand dealership where a buddy of mine works, he said seeing someone in there under the age of 40 is becoming a rare sight.
That said, my 14 year old grandson is chomping at the bit to learn to ride the bike we're building for him.
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I don't remember where I read it but the average age of Harley riders is in the mid 40's. There has been concerns that Harley riders are aging out but the average age has remained the same but that is probably more due to the high cost of Harleys and older people are more likely to be able to buy one. It would be interesting to see similar figures for Guzzis.
kk
I find it very hard to believe HD average age is mid 40’s . Sounds like sales propaganda to me. I live in Harley near York, PA. and so many riders I see are 50, 60, 70. So they’re telling me that an equal amount of riders are their teens, 20’s and 30’s? I don’t believe that for one bit!
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I find it very hard to believe HD average age is mid 40’s . Sounds like sales propaganda to me. I live in Harley near York, PA. and so many riders I see are 50, 60, 70. So they’re telling me that an equal amount of riders are their teens, 20’s and 30’s? I don’t believe that for one bit!
But you also live in a pretty conservative area (I’m from York). Conservative/traditional often means older. I (think I) believe the mid-40s claim. Up here in NH and Maine, I see a fair amount of younger privileged ($$) white dudes in their 20s rolling around on Harleys, so there’s your offset, ha. Heck, thinking back, I feel part of the reason I waited so long in getting into motorcycling at 29 years old was because all I saw in that area was Harleys and Japanese sport bikes, and I had no interest in either. I just didn't think about the naked standards and Euro machines because they weren’t around me (cough—dealership location matters)
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information from the American Motorcyclist Association: The average age of the American motorcyclist is 48. The average amount of riding experience is 26 years. 95 percent of its members are men
It's on the Internet, so it must be true :laugh:
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The crowds don't always mix which may be why you don't see the younger riders. Go to nearly any custom build bike show and you'll find plenty of young HD owners. Or if you go to Sturgis you'll find a lot of the older crowd downtown, while a lot of the younger crowd are at Buffalo Chip.
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German situation in 2020 (Source: PS 1000) :
The average motorcyclist is a... ahem... experienced
The first two facts will hardly surprise anyone: Motorcyclists are on average of advanced age and male. There is an upward trend among female riders, but they still only make up 13.6%. The average age is noticeable at biker meetings, but is also confirmed by the statistics. In fact, more than half of motorcyclists have gray heads in their helmets. 36.5% belong to the largest age group of 50-59 years. Those over 60 make up another 14.7%. That is more than the 30-39 year olds, who only make up 13.4%.
Young people need action, adrenaline and speed, or at least that is what the statistics suggest.
Although those aged 29 and under only make up 16.6% of all motorcyclists, more than a third of the sports and super sports bikes sold are in this age group. However, this conclusion is not entirely correct, as a second look reveals. The share of young bikers in the super sports bike market is very large, but this market itself is not very large. For example, the 6,184 sports and super sports bikes sold are compared to 48,374 naked bikes. In 2020, young people bought more than a third of the super sports bikes (2,123 units), but at the same time they bought significantly more naked bikes (10,177 units).
The 30-39 age group: rare and balanced
If you are in this age group and ride a motorcycle, then you really have nothing to do with the average. Only 13.4% of bikers fall into this smallest group. This is probably because people get married, start families and build houses during this time. There is often no time or money left for hobbies such as motorcycles. But if these bikers do not let their two-wheeled passion be taken away from them, then they have a more balanced approach. Tourers and supersports bikes are a marginal phenomenon, but naked bikes, enduro/supermotos and even cruisers/choppers are options for 30-39 year-olds. Here too, naked bikes are in first place with 7,460 units. This segment is led by three Japanese models (Kawasaki Z900, Yamaha MT-07 & Kawasaki Z 650), followed by the 790 Duke and the 390 Duke from KTM. Enduros/supermotos were bought by 30-39 year-olds, at 3,829 units, just over half as often as naked bikes. There will still be a few supermoto riders here, but most will probably go for the adventure bestsellers BMW R 1250 GS, Yamaha Tenere 700 & Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin.
40-49: The border between old and young
At 18.8%, this is the second largest age group after the 50-59 year olds. They don't want to be pushed in one direction, but want to participate in all parts of the motorcycle market. The shares in the segments range from 16.8% (sports/super sports) to 20.2% (choppers/cruisers) and are thus the most balanced between all age groups. This stage of life also seems to mark the border between the trends of the younger and the older generations. Enduros are getting closer to naked bikes, choppers/cruisers are gaining ground and super sports are also a little more popular. In fact, it is the hardest to find a stereotype for this group. Sure, naked bikes are still ahead, but it is no longer so clear. Even with enduros and cruisers you are still in the middle. Here we are again approaching the average biker across all ages. No wonder, after all, more than a third of all motorcyclists fall into this category. Naked bikes (15,478 units) and enduros (15,141 units) are evenly balanced, while choppers and tourers have finally left sports/supersports behind. Although the really sporty motorcycle categories are no longer so popular with the older groups, men still don't want to do without power. In all motorcycle segments, around half of the registered bikes have 99 hp or more. Only chopper/cruiser riders take it a little more leisurely. Here, 48.4% of motorcycles are between 78 and 99 hp.
14.7% of all motorcyclists in Germany are over 60.
Uncomfortable supersports are mostly out of fashion at that age (but not always, as some 80-year-old on their supersports bikes impressively proves). People prefer to ride naked bikes, enduros and cruisers. Tourers are still a little more popular than with 50-59 year olds, but there are significantly fewer in absolute numbers due to the smaller number of people over 60. The typical motorcyclist over 60 is therefore very similar to his 50-year-old colleague, except that he cruises around on a Harley Street Glide a little more often.
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While I was at Sturgis this year, could not help but notice all the "older" gentlemen in the parking lot with their heavy Harley Davidsons. Older than me anyway. Since I am in the same aging demographic, as part of any parking lot conversation, I would ask how old the person is (in a hopeful effort to find them much older than me, giving me a psychological boost that I have a few more years left!) One rider I spoke with was 72, another was 79! Mind you these fellows were all riding 850+ lb touring Harleys. The 79-year-old was planning to ride to the West Coast and was asking me about the best Serria Nevada Passes (Ebbetts, Hwy 4). Still, they were not immune to the ravages of father time, as the 72-year-old dropped his bike in the parking lot a few days later, requiring several of us to help right the leviathan. And on my last day at the hotel, I bumped into the 79-year-old, who had abandoned his ambitious plans to ride out west. While the California wildfires had a lot to do with his decision, he admitted he wasn't sure he was up to it. Time waits for no man.
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I joined an offroad/dirtroad event in Sweden back in 2017. With my at the time 53 years, the majority of the 300+ participants was definitely older.
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I tried to find the article I mentioned but was unable to find it. However there is an article on Common Tread discussing this very subject I was referencing. It is concerning Harley and the info comes from Harley's quarterly report. There are definitely flaws in the method the info was obtained but I don't think it is too far out of line.
kk
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I’m 33 and on my third Guzzi since I was 24! First was a Griso, which got traded in for a Cali14. Had to sell that For a cross-country move and was without a bike for a few years (a mistake). Now I’ve had my ‘14 Stelvio since last April and love it. I’ve wrenched a ton on it to rescue it from the previous owners neglect, haha.
Next bike will definitely be a Guzzi also. :smiley:
It would be nice to see more younger people into Guzzis (and motorcycles in general) even if just for the sake of industry/hobby longevity. That said, I really value and appreciate the friends I’ve made in Guzzi community as it is!
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From what I see being out and about, an average of 50 seems about spot on for my area. Harleys and all bikes.
-AJ
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57 yr old here.
I was gonna pop in to say that who you see on Guzzi's may say more about where you roam than the existance of younger riders. Seems many of my Guzzi mates are in the 30 - 45 range locally.
I'm in Indiana. In what we call the tri-state area, Kentucky Indiana and Ohio, our MGNOC reps are in their early 30's (2 - each exactly 33 actually) and mid 40's (1). These are riders and ambassadors of the brand. several more locally around 40, and one of the dudes I fraternize most with, great freind and budding CARC expert is ZGuzzi (33), who I was surprised to find had just chimed in above.
GenX seems to the be the youngest generation to fully embrace the Forum ethos. Millenials and Z don't hang around here as much. Lunches on a weekend hold less appeal after a 50-60 hour work week when you've got kids and a yard to reconnect with. Bike time on the weekend needs to involve TURNING wheels, not parked wheels. My point is not seeing them doesn't mean they're not there.
Maybe we who value community should consider promoting weekend rides rather than weekend meals, and see what happens to attendance. Just an idea.
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40 here. I don't know if I speak for all young(ish) riders, but I prefer solo riding to group rides, and meals or rider meetups can be a real challenge with a full work and family schedule.
A particular type of person is drawn to Guzzis, I don't think it has anything to do with age.
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My son just took his MSF. Starting him out right on a V7 III.
(https://i.ibb.co/F7LjJdP/Ty-Guzzi-first-ride.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F7LjJdP)
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I think the demise of the moto magazines has had an effect too. When I read my first article about a Guzzi (a lemans) in the late 70s or early 80s, I really wanted one, but the price was far above my pay grade then. This magazine article accomplished 2 purposes. First, it introduced me to the brand which at the time was so different from the big 4 bikes and Harley, so red and sexy. Big glossy pictures in cool locations. Second, it set the hook. Sadly, it took about 30 more years for the stars to align. Now, instead of well tested and thought out articles by professionals, all young people seem to have is some kind of "influencer" or other self-proclaimed expert blathering on You Tube. Not surpirsed.
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The attention span of people today is very short. If you find a print magazine, there are lots of pictures and very little text. It used to be the other way around. Ever so often, I pull out one on my old Cycle or Cycle World magazines and revel in all the information they provide, particularly Cycle magazine. Cycle World has a podcast also shown on Youtube with the editor and Cameron that also provide in depth information. Not quite to the level of the written magazine, but much better than most youtube content.
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But with a magazine, you could post the pictures on your bedroom wall.
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But with a magazine, you could post the pictures on your bedroom wall.
I have never taken a picture out of a magazine. They were my Encyclopedia that were referenced & studied so much that even the ads between the articles were typically memorized..
Now, when I look at one of those old pics, I want to spread it with two fingers to enlarge it so I can see the little details better….
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Now, when I look at one of those old pics, I want to spread it with two fingers to enlarge it so I can see the little details better….
So many lines and I can’t use one of them…
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Cycle was my favorite of the two. It was probably through Cycle that I learned of MG. In 1970 I was in the market for a new bike. Between the Army pay and a second job working 7 days a week averaging 14 hours a day I had saved up quite a bit of money and could get just about any available bike. I test rode an Ambassador and liked it but the new R75/5 was more sporting which is what I decided on. That MG stuck in my mind all these years. I 2014, I think, I went to a bike store shopping for a tank bag. There was V7 Racer in the parking lot. I waited by the bike for the owner to come out. When he did I asked him where he got the bike. Turns out there was a dealer in town way off the beaten path. It wasn't too much longer before I got my first MG and now I am on my third but I still also have my second. I will have them until I have to downsize to a Vespa.
kk
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I started riding at 10. Some Rupp Trail bike, then a Yamaha 125 dirt bike. My first Street was a CB 350, then an LTD 454. From there, upon graduating college I bought my before mentioned XS1100. So basically all 'Standards' or UJM. That's what I still like for the most part.
PLENTY of crotch rockets back then, but none interested me. Closest I got was my ZG1000 (Concours) and FJR 1300.
But truth be told, other than a few bikes here or there, I had to have max performance, and most of my bikes were Liter Plus. I was addicted to the IL4 power. I have often wondered how I would have reacted to my first ride on the Griso if it happened in my 30's. I DO remember seeing the 1200 Sport in a Moto Rag, and it was instant lust. Can't believe I have one now.
In the end, it is all too often about the spec sheet, and AVAILABILITY. Like many of you, I am a total fanatic and borderline obsessed with all things motorized. I LONG knew about Guzzi, long admired, but other than maybe 1-2 times over the years never saw a Guzzi Dealer, or saw one in the wild, and the ones I saw were ratted out old Ambo/Eldos.
The skinny jean/latte sippers (aka hipsters) seem to be drawn to the V7's, and the V85 has drawn in many from the ADV crowd. Both are brilliant bikes and have made an impact. It will be interesting to see how the new V100 architecture shapes the future and draws in new riders.
It's too bad Guzzi couldnt/wouldnt continue to develop the 1400's. They were just starting to make an impact on the large cruiser crowd.
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"Plucking the Stradivarius String" by Cook Nielson in Cycle, back in the day, his report on riding the Suzuki 500 twin crank bike.
One of the best of the best ever, along with his articles on the life of his Ducati 750.
There's nothing like those articles written anymore.
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Most articles now are on the internet and are short and don't carry much useful content. Full of cliches and fancy words thrown in to show how smart the author is. The brevity is probably to keep the attention of the modern reader whose attention span is nil.
kk
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As a SAHD who just sent their only daughter off to college, families and a kids are a major time suck. Really no time for motorcycles. Very few miles. Time is spent chauffeuring, school events, sports. The very limited riding I do is weekdays. Weekends are family time. I suspect that's also true for young people out there too. And we only have one kid. I'd imagine lack of time is proportional to the number of kids one has.
-AJ
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My daughter, now 34, never was interested in motorcycles. Still isn't. However, my five year old grandson is hell on wheels with his Razor electric motorcycle that lives at my house. Looking now for a 50cc kids dirt bike. He's ready...
Larry
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"I started riding at 10. Some Rupp Trail bike, then a Yamaha 125 dirt bike."
My first bike at age 11 was a 3-1/2 powered Rupp then I moved up to a 5hp Rupp and then my brother's unused Honda 350 Scrambler at the age of 16.