My teenage kids are into fads. They all have to have the same look and same gear. But I guess the same could be said for old timer riders and the way we dress. Fads aren't bad as long as they don't hurt or affect anyone. Out here in SoCal it's all about dogs. Everyone has a dog. There is nothing wrong with it except for when the dog becomes a fashion accessory to augment how a person looks. Wanting to own a certain kind of dog because _____ ______ is seen around town with their puppy. Same with having kids.

 

Anything over 50 yrs old is not a FAD....

all other info is not processed..

 

The party was over two years ago and its getting worse prepare now.

 

Well, I think in a round-about way, my enjoyment and love affair with my Deuce is a result of the mainstream fad of cruiser bikes that is now dying out.

That is, the guys where I work started getting them. Some of them started riding their scoots to work. (Which gave me a chance to look them over up close and personal.) Some of them were talking about road trips and such. It sounded like fun. Enjoy dirt biking as I do, there are simply some things you can't do in a practical sense with them. This sounded like an entirely new aspect about biking to enjoy. So... took the plunge... love it... and here I am.

I'm convinced I will enjoy road riding along with my dirt bikes from here on out. Again, though, I know me... riding bikes is a fact of life for me. Has been for 41 years now. So, trying a cruiser bike was pretty much a sure thing that I'd enjoy it.

I'll bet MANY of us here (the vast majority?) are a result of the cruiser bike fad that swept the nation. IMHO, the only HD riders that truly AREN'T a result are the ones that rode HD's and such BEFORE they ever became the mainsteam fad. That was quite some time ago, by the way.

I guess however we got here (HD enthusiasts) doesn't really matter. Perhaps what matters is if we continue to puruse and indulge in our HD passion regardless of what the "mainstream" does.

It's all good.

 

Like you, I started riding in the late 60's (when I returned from VN); had a bunch of dirt bikes to start. It was a time of much evolution of the motorcycle, and there were many very excellent and affordable imports suddenly available. Some might call that a fad, but perhaps it should be viewed simply as what it really was...a tremendous upsurge in the motorcycle's popularity, helped along by economic expansion, massive PR aimed at changing the motorcyclists' image (You meet the nicest people on a Honda), and huge racing and advertising budgets to build the market.

It wasn't until the late 80's that I finally got my first (new) Harley. It wasn't a fad, then, just a fun thing to do, and a nice upgrade from my previous (new) BMW K75.

The relatively recent upsurge in the popularity of cruiser-bikes has also been accompanied by solid EVOlutionary improvements and vast choices, as well as huge advertising budgets and economic expansion. Unfortunately more recent economic recession has resulted in a collapse in the motorcycle market, whose recovery must be tied to the next expansion.

At 66 I am not much affected by fads; I want to ride while I still can! The market collapse allowed me to find an affordable replacement for my last Harley. And as my friend Bernie would say: "Everyone should live within his means, even if he has to borrow to do it."

 

Got my 1st Harley in 1972 and am still riding Harleys. My "cruiser" is 10 years old, owned by me, and ridden daily. I also work on my own bike. I didn't get a Harley because of a "fad".........I just enjoy riding and wrenching. Now, I agree with you that many people got their Harley because it was a "fad" and the economy was booming and many used home equity to buy a new one every couple of years. Those days are long gone and only people that are really into motorcycles will continue own and buy them in the future.

 

This thread is about 2 years behind the times.
The entire point of the thread has been more than obvious, not to mention the highlight of the finacial news nearly every day. Actually even the finacial news doesn't talk about it that much anymore.
Dealerships with weak financials and giant gaudy, expensive buildings mortgaged up to their eyeballs are failing? When did that start happening?
This entire thread looks like job for... CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!

 

Motorcycles are a want they are not a need. When money is tight and the needs are just being met the wants just have to be put on the back burner.

Nothing to do with fads.

Many dealers where forced into building palaces to keep their franchise. Forced by a company that lived throught out it's history as being financially conservative. Bragging how this philosophy has saved them countless times. Why HD is still here and Indian went down the drain.

But when it comes to dealing with other peoples money the MOCO has no problems forcing dealerships into weak financial footing by having the build huge buildings to sell bikes with huge overhead costs.

The building does not impress me when I want to buy something.

It's what is inside the building that brings me there.

And, if there is more then one place to go to buy something it's the price and the people there that effect my decision where to buy.

 

I'll bet MANY of us here (the vast majority?) are a result of the cruiser bike fad that swept the nation. IMHO, the only HD riders that truly AREN'T a result are the ones that rode HD's and such BEFORE they ever became the mainsteam fad. I would not use such a wide brush. I doubt its that big a number. There are far to many on here that started elsewhere with a bike and then moved up over time to bigger bikes and an HD. (like us) To many others talk about "discovering" motorcycleing. In many ways ours is what a boat or a camper or snowmobile is to someone else. I think that is true of many. And then there is the money - some buy what they can afford. Others reach to far. Harley might have achieved some "status symbol" aura but not sure the "Fad" label applies to so many. We moved to a big touring bike because we USE it. We moved to a Harley because it met the most criteria in our decision making. I think its "discretionary income" that is the issue. The days of using home equity as an ATM and EZ credit came to a rather sudden stop. Forcing most to re-evaluate. It would be interesting to see snowmobile sales this Fall.

 

The market you mentioned is strong due to govt overexpansion. 11% increase in govt jobs while the private sector is shrinking and undergoing pay cuts as well.

As margeret Thatcher once said...."the problem with socialism is that you ultimately run out of other peoples money."

Govt is expanding on the backs of business, tax paying people and massive amounts of non sustainable debt.

But to each his own.

R. Todd