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Why Millennials dont ride motorcycles


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"And they're too noisy.", he said in a whiney voice.

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I'll bet that very few of those Boomers owned a Harley when they were in their 20s, either.  When they hit middle age, it suddenly became important to display their virility, and their disposable income allowed them to buy Harleys and Corvettes.

 

When the Millenials hit 40, they will chase their own symbols.

 

LL

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You don't really need a job when you live in your parent's basement until you're 40.

 

Or maybe, living in their parents basement IS their status symbol?

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I've never seen them put their phone to their ear though.

That would mean they're talking to someoe instead of texting.

EEEwwww!

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The first moment I started to feel old was when as a 32 year-old manager of a computer store one of our 20yo employees asked me how to change the oil in his car. There was a time when you were docked some serious man points if you didn't know how to do something like that, but instead his knowledge of how to use a socket wrench was supplanted by knowing how to build a gaming PC.

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32 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

The first moment I started to feel old was when as a 32 year-old manager of a computer store one of our 20yo employees asked me how to change the oil in his car. There was a time when you were docked some serious man points if you didn't know how to do something like that, but instead his knowledge of how to use a socket wrench was supplanted by knowing how to build a gaming PC.

 

At least he knew the car had oil. At least somewhere in it.

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M’s have different priorities. The ones that I know that have motorcycles have Japanese bikes. When I was in my 20’s I rode Japanese bikes. I did buy a Harley 883 Sportster in ‘86 when they introduced them. I was 25. I had it for 6 months. I lived in the Harley theft capital of the world. My insurance payments were higher than my financing monthly payments so I sold it and kept right on riding my Yamaha.

 

Harley has had their heads up their butts for decades regarding attracting younger riders.

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A recent episode of Chasing Classic Cars featured the auction sale of Steve Jobs' BMW.  The auction agent noted, when the car failed to bring the predicted windfall, that perhaps it was time to consider that younger folks may not be as interested in cars as we were (are).  Changing demographics.

 

Boomers are chasing the muscle cars and exotics that were out of reach when they were young, but now might be attainable.  What did your Millennial lust after when they were 12 or 14?  The latest IPhone or IPod?  Will they be chasing high-end electronics (or restored tube amplifiers) when they are 40?  

 

Somehow, I don't see them chasing muscle cars; my 27 y.o. could care less about cars; he grew up being driven everywhere by Mom, or using Uber.

 

I'm hoping that this means that the price of a restored '69 Chevelle may be falling to my level soon......

 

LL

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3 minutes ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

I'm hoping that this means that the price of a restored '69 Chevelle may be falling to my level soon......

 

I fear that by the time nice 60's muscle cars finally drop back down to where you or I can afford one they'll be illegal to drive on the road. We'll all be letting Mr. Roboto drive us around in an electric egg-shaped pod by then.

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I've ridden a couple crotch rockets. They haul ass and I liked the speed too much. Gave the keys back and told my friend to never let me ride that thing again.

Millenial females are driven to succeed, I work with them every day. The males have never been taught how to be men and have few skills in anything except electronic stuff. 

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10 minutes ago, Assassin said:

I've ridden a couple crotch rockets. They haul ass and I liked the speed too much. Gave the keys back and told my friend to never let me ride that thing again...

Yup. Same here. A neighbor had a Kawasaki ZZR1200. Big sport bike, Sport Touring bike sort of. I took it out one day and let it rip. I was switching into second gear at 80 miles per hour. Insane fast and butter smooth. I rode it for about 20 minutes and thought better of another 20 and took it back to his house. That's the last time I rode for speed. Too addicting.

 

:o

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Yeah, a 1100 cc red Kawasaki, 130 in 3rd gear and it was a 6 speed. I rode the old Z-1  KZ900's in the 70's and early 80's, they were wicked fast and I had little fear.

I've turned into a sissy. I'm content to putt around on my Kawasaki Mule with the wind in my hair and a bed full of targets or a dead elk.

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Dantakerous and Assassin,

one of the reasons I picked the Kawasaki Versys 650 over the Versys 1000 was I know me. The 650 is fast but not crazy fast. I like crazy fast, but I don’t bounce or heal as well as I used to. ;)

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I had my first Harley at age 20.  They were NOT popular in the late '60s and early '70s. As a matter of fact, most people figured you were some kind of thug if you rode a Harley Davidson, an Ariel Square, a Vincent, or an Indian.  It helped me to be left alone most of the time and I didn't have to growl or threaten anyone to get and keep my space  (I wasn't very social back then).  After a few years of having quit riding, (I buried three close friends in a six month period.  The last one, I watched get run down intentionally!!) I bought my current ride, a '79 Low Rider that has lived and morphed into my current iteration. A custom with, now, over 330,000 miles.  It hasn't leaked ANYTHING in nearly 20 years. As of last Sunday, I've owned and ridden it for THIRTY YEARS!!!

 

The biggest problem with sales today for HD is that they have built the new bikes, for many years, to be far more durable than the competition and so repeat customers are fewer and thus fewer used bikes make it to the resale market.  They became so popular that dealers were selling them for up to 30% above MSRP and couldn't keep big biles on the showroom floor!!  They were selling all they could build, so they saw little need to build smaller, less expensive versions. STILL!!  All those other motorcycle makers wish they could replicate the last thirty years of Harley Davidson for themselves!!

 

I know MANY Harley owners who no longer ride, but won't sell their scooter!!  Also, after the more than twenty year "gotta' own a Harley" craze finally subsided, the real Harley people are STILL riding ol' #1 and enjoying the "little less popular" reduction in cost of owning one!!   

 

I figure my grandson will be riding the old Harley, another thirty years from now,  UNLESS I'M STILL RIDING IT MYSELF!!!

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Took my boys Honda CR600 out one night. I let off the gas at 130 and still had a gear to go. I saw a helmet vid of him letting off the gas at 162. Told him if he ever showed that to his mom I'd kick his a$$.

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26 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said:

Took my boys Honda CR600 out one night. I let off the gas at 130 and still had a gear to go. I saw a helmet vid of him letting off the gas at 162. Told him if he ever showed that to his mom I'd kick his a$$.

 

I had one of the original 1998 Buell White Lightnings.  I bought it in 2000 and kept it for a dozen or so years.  It would wheel stand at 90mph in fourth gear and it would effortlessly lift the rear wheel on a stop.  It would easily push 160mph, even with my big a$$ on it!! Schoolmarm would refuse to ride with me when I rode it.  Her 1200cc Sportster will wheel stand in third gear and runs an easy 125mph, but that little Buell was rowdy and I rode it hard.  She says I was too crazy when I got going on that thing and she felt like the cops were always looking at us when I rode it.  I never did get a ticket on it, but I got stopped often and they would always ask "What the hell IS that thing?"

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Just in time for Halloween, this will definitely put a scare in you. :o

 

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The silent generation was my grandparent's generation. The one before the baby boomers.

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I have never even ridden a H-D. I bought my first bike early 20's. A used 1980 Honda cm400e. Then bought a used Suzuki gs1100. Next I went to a used 2003 Yamaha FJR1300. Liked it so much that I bought my first new bike ever. A 2014 FJR.  The Internet claims it will run a 10 sec 1/4 and top out way over 160.  Not with me on it.

Yes it is quick and fast, but I am not required to twist the throttle that far. 

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On 10/18/2018 at 1:26 PM, Assassin said:

I've ridden a couple crotch rockets. They haul ass and I liked the speed too much. Gave the keys back and told my friend to never let me ride that thing again.

Millenial females are driven to succeed, I work with them every day. The males have never been taught how to be men and have few skills in anything except electronic stuff. 

they smiled and closed the door...

 

Name Withheld for Safety...

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12 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

Based on where it is in that chart, I assume it's the greatest generation. 

 

 

Actually, the group just after the Greatest.  Think Korean War era young adults.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Generation

 

LL

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