
FastDates.comUltimate MotorCycling Editor’s Reply:Lots of things to think about. Thanks, Jim, for spurring a conversation.Jim took the collective motorcycle media to task for not putting 125cc street bikes on the covers of our magazines. Ultimate MotorCycling doesn’t cater to that demographic, but I have to come to the defense of those who do. Even the rider who might be persuaded to buy a 125cc street bike won’t be inspired to buy a magazine with that sort of cover material. He’ll be interested in a Kawasaki ZX-14, and buy a magazine to read about it, even as he settles for a more-practical Ninja 250R. Sales figures are already tough for the print media, and putting out low-selling covers is not a viable solution for saving the industry. Certainly, advertising campaigns like the one suggested by JimIn fact, fast sexy bikes and blinged out chrome machines are what get non-riders interested in the sport–Jim, I don’t see to many 125cc street bikes in your calendars. Very few people buy motorcycles in America because then need one–they buy one because they want one. It is a discretionary purchase in the vast majority of cases. Our challenge is to get younger riders into the saddle. Right now, economic times make that difficult. The days of easy loans are gone for the time being for those 20-somethings Jim mentioned. Not too many young riders have the loose cash floating around to buy a motorcycle outright. If he doesn’t have new-bike cash available, he’s not likely going to be buying a new bike. Instead, he is likely to go to the well-stocked used market–as I did when buying my first street bike, a Honda CB360–and the older guy selling it to him will show up at the dealer with the proceeds of the sale, along with the ability to secure credit.In fact, based on my own non-scientific personal observations around Los Angeles, the number of younger street bike riders has skyrocketed in the last year, and they aren’t riding new bikes. The hipsters seem to have latched on early 1970s Japanese street bike and turned them into café racers. Cruise around downtown LA well after sunset and you’ll see them. Just the other night, I saw a group of four girls(!) in leather jackets, shorts, wild stripped leggings, boots and pudding basin helmets on ’70s café racers roaring around between Union Station and Chinatown. It was very cool (as long as they don’t crash in those leggings).So, the interest in motorcycles may be increasing in the young. These girls, and guys I’ve seen doing the same thing, are likely to tell their friends. As they get tired of working on old bikes (or paying to have them serviced), they may start thinking about new bikes and the process of renewal will be in full swing.One thing we do need to watch out for is the loss of kids riding dirt bikes. Many current-day street riders started out as kids riding around in the woods or desert. With the Federal Government making insane rulings about the "safety" of youth off-road machines, we’re going to see fewer dirt riders migrate to the street as they age. There’s also the growing fear in parents regarding any sort of activity that may result in so much as a bruise for their precious offspring. Add to this the reduction of riding areas anywhere near urban areas, and we do have a problem with feeding new riders to the streets.There’s not much we can do about the economy on our own. It will work itself out–it always has–but in the meantime we won’t see lots of sales of bikes to new, young riders. The aging of the motorcycling population is another issue. But, remember, today’s young non-riders are tomorrow’s older new riders when the potent mixture of free time and abundant cash becomes available.In the meantime, there will always be the hippest of the young who will understand and gravitate to motorcycles. Certainly, motorcycles being perceived as cool on a more mainstream level is a great thing. Gangs of girls on café racers are a great way to make that happen!Let’s ride or feel free comment below!Don Williams, Editor
Ultimate MotorCycling magazine