True. First time and reentering riders are forced onto learner approved motorcycles by licensing restrictions in many (sane) countries. But the question is, why are so many more people the world over recently taking up riding? High fuel prices? Reducing their countries dependance on imported oil? Desire to reduce their carbon footprint? For the fun of it? Want a big bike but can't afford it right now?
True. First time and reentering riders are forced onto learner approved motorcycles by licensing restrictions in many (sane) countries. But the question is, why are so many more people the world over recently taking up riding? High fuel prices? Reducing their countries dependance on imported oil? Desire to reduce their carbon footprint? For the fun of it? Want a big bike but can't afford it right now?
I think you've answered your own question.
More bikes because:
cheaper way to get around as fuel prices sky rocket
more small bikes because:
These normally get the best MPG
Most countries have a limit on the size of engine someone can start on
For me, the biggest draw was high mpg and the ability to lane split on a 70 mile round trip commute. I couldn't justify spending 2 hours of my life on the road crawling at 15-25 mph.
I think various aspects play a role. Small motorcycles always were popular outside Europe and North-America, but weren't updated for the tighter emission rules in 'ze West'.
At least in my own country it becomes painfully obvious that motorcycling is mostly a hobby for a group of people that are getting increasingly older. Young people hardly drive motorcycles anymore. Motorcycles are quite pricey as well, probably due to the stricter emission rules and so on. Why pay over 6000 euro's for a Honda CBF600 when you can have a Kia Picanto, Mazda 2 or Volkswagen Up! for around 8000 euro's? To give you an idea of the motorcycle market; in the Netherlands the BMW 1200 GS is one of the most sold motorcycles! Not typically your 'youngster's' ride (although I do like the Yamaha Tenere (660cc) thumper - but I have an odd taste).
Next to that, getting your motorcycle license these days will cost you at the very least over 1200 euro's (and no you can't skip that - has a theory exam, motorcycle handling exam and road behavior exam). If you're young (<21) you used (this will change to another system in January 2013) to get a 25kW license; that's around the same category as a Ninja 250R or a CBR250R, although usually people had an older bike that was restricted to 25kW.
So at least in the Dutch/European context, I can see the need for a bike that's reliable, cheap and smaller in displacement - first and foremost to appeal to the younger riders and to cater to the restrictive licensing. Because young people are increasingly ignoring motorcycles. I don't think it's that strange that Kawasaki's motto for the Ninja 300 is explicitly 'Youth Movement'. We're probably going to see some shifting in the line up here; 250cc's are probably going out, more 125cc's in the line up and 400/500cc's reintroduced. That's the only way I can make sense of it in the European context.
Last edited by Tyrian; 11-03-2012 at 09:31 AM.
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At least in my own country it becomes painfully obvious that motorcycling is mostly a hobby for a group of people that are getting increasingly older. Young people hardly drive motorcycles anymore.
Do you have any idea why this might be? Is bicycle commuting also declining? Your gas prices in Netherlands are among the highest in the world. Is it too expensive for most young people there to have a car and a motorcycle? What about scooters?
Do you have any idea why this might be? Is bicycle commuting also declining? Your gas prices in Netherlands are among the highest in the world. Is it too expensive for most young people there to have a car and a motorcycle? What about scooters?
The problem with motorcycles anywhere in Europe is that they are expensive. A CBR 250 costs the equivalent of around 6000 US dollars.
It is expensive to pass tests to ride motorcycles in Europe and come Jan 2013 we will have 3 of them.
I think the average person thinks it's too expensive to learn and pass the tests, then buy a bike.
Add on the dangers of riding and mummy and daddy telling their kids they don't want them to have a bike plus the crap weather which means most people would want a car and a bike and riding bikes doesn't appeal to most in Europe.
There is also no benefit in age, in the UK you can drive a car at 17 or you can ride a 125cc bike. It is actually possible for a 17yr old to drive a 911 at 17 in the UK but it is not possible to ride a bike with a bigger engine than 125cc at 17.
A lot of people want an end to motorcycles here, this is just an example of the laws put in place to bring that about.
Do you have any idea why this might be? Is bicycle commuting also declining? Your gas prices in Netherlands are among the highest in the world. Is it too expensive for most young people there to have a car and a motorcycle? What about scooters?
Bicycles are as popular as they always were. Perhaps even more popular, as the 50cc scooters nowadays require licensing (used to be without license and after the year 2000 with just a theory exam - now with a practical exam) as well. Cars and motorcycles aren't really necessary; you have them around for the occasional trip to your parents or something else to do in the weekends. Commuting distances are usually within bicycle range.
Like Iddo said; it's too expensive to own a car and getting a motorcycle license is becoming too expensive as well; no one wants to go through the whole process of it (since it 3-tiered now); even the exams have become split up; used to be just theory and practice and when I did my exams it was theory, special handling (doing figure 8's, emergency brake, brake-swerve exercise etc. etc.) and a road test (whether one functions safely within traffic - looking, place on the road, speed, cornering etc. etc.). These tests are usually quite difficult, as it only has a passing rate of around 55% (Thank God I passed all these exams the first time - practical examinations cost around 150 euro's per time and theory 45 euro's).
Since a similar, though without the performance restrictions, system is in place for cars which is even a little less difficult but still extremely demotivating, I know more than enough people who had such trouble getting their car license (B), that they gave up on getting a motorcycling license (A1/2/3).
More people riding motorcycles might be the case in some places, but I would say motorcycles are just a "hobby" here. There is no way you could possibly ride one year round. Since you need a car for winter then that is what everyone gets. I have never heard of anyone getting a motorcycle license before a car license. A motorcycle license is easily obtained in 30 days, and you can ride the biggest baddest bike you want. Most people go for the big ones, or start on a small bike and quickly move up.
I can only share my personal reasons for buying a small bike. I am in the "older" category of 50-up. I never rode a street motorcycle in the past, but always wanted to. I have a short inseam, so I also did not want a large/tall bike...but I don't identify with cruiser culture so the low seat height of a cruiser didn't attract me either. I like technology and modernity, so ABS and EFI are "musts". I also like to swim against the current, and a small-displacement single-cylinder bike fits that psychological need. Aesthetics are important to me in cars/trucks/boats/motorcycles...and the CBR looks dynamite. Lastly, the price of the bike brand new is absurdly low in the context of the US market. To be honest, fuel economy was never a consideration at all for me.
Last edited by HMenke; 11-03-2012 at 01:12 PM.
Reason: typo
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Why the resurgence of small motorcycles?
