UK Biking is dying out.

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TomBoyNI
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by TomBoyNI »

It is dying out.

But that’s not really surprising given the price of machinery.

If you consider younger chaps and girls if given the option of one vehicle how many are going to choose a bike. Because for most one is probably what is affordable - taking into account insurance, tax and maintainance. Then consider the crap weather and the idea of only ever sitting on a bike I can understand why the car is the more attractive option especially if you consider the really cold and icy part of the year.

It’s not until people get their finances under a bit of control that the bike becomes a viable option.

I not sure much can be done to change that.
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diggermanbob
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by diggermanbob »

PHILinFRANCE wrote: Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:44 am But it is a nice bike
Are you back from your travels Phil ?
DavidS
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by DavidS »

Plenty of riders of all ages out today and on all sorts of bikes.

Part of the attraction of retro bikes is that they look like bikes, not a plumbers bad dream.
Most modern bikes look absolutely awful....where did simplicity and purity of line go?
My wife likes bikes you can see daylight through and she makes a good point.

The Kawa is a superb modern take of one of the best looking bikes ever.
Don’t know what it rides like though.
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PHILinFRANCE
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by PHILinFRANCE »

(P.S. Are you back in La Belle France, Phil?)

YES 8-)
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chunky butt
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by chunky butt »

PHILinFRANCE wrote: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:58 pm (P.S. Are you back in La Belle France, Phil?)

YES 8-)
Nice one son... :D
prg4967
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by prg4967 »

Didn’t Saga buy out Bennett’s a few years ago ? They knew where the market was heading age wise...


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catcitrus
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by catcitrus »

I think the primary reasons are the cost of a full licence now--say 600 quid minimum?--and the cost of insurance. Decent bikes can be had for less than a grand--fine for us that have been riding for years and use a winter hack etc--but for a 20 somethings its only about 1/4 of the required spend. After whizzing about on a ped then the route seems to be a very decent tin box for 600 quid or less --with a much cheaper test route--and the "parents" adding the youf to their policy. Just been to the "clocks Forward" Guzzi rally near Tewksbury---as has been said-- gentlemen -and ladies--all in the 50+ bracket-- with just a smattering of youngsters----and we camped etc--and had a great time at the Drum and Monkey---I also think that the X box age are not into any kind of "hardship" and most have no "adventurous spirit" in this politically correct and health and safety conscious burdened society (UK) . In my father's time the motorcycle was the working man's transport--cars were rare--how times have changed--but for the better?
Richard Simpson Mark II
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

I think most of us are representatives of the era when bikes were cool for young people. Kicks off in about 1974 with the unrestricted sports mopeds, it given a bit of a kicking when they get restricted to 35 mph, and grinds to a halt when L riders are restricted to 125s.

Cars also got hugely better in that time: rise of the hot hatch, Vauxhall Cavalier with a 5-speed box made cruising at 80 mph a breeze compared to the previous rep can Cortina 1.6L, cars get stereo sound systems, etc etc.
Uncle Denz
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by Uncle Denz »

I'm 33 and passed my test in 2016 - had wanted to do it for a while and finally pulled the trigger. It wasn't cheap! Probably north of £600 off the top of my head. Then there's the kit and finally, the bike. Obviously, there's a wide range of prices but frankly, motorcycling is not cheap transport anymore and with my generation struggling to put a deposit down on a house, is it any wonder that what was once an affordable pastime or mode of transport is dying out? I'm lucky and probably an exception to the rule that I was able to do it at this stage in life.

I like the idea that we are heading into post consumerism - the constant advertising and drive to get me to buy "stuff" is doing my head in!
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Re: UK Biking is dying out.

Post by EVskij »

minkyhead wrote:thres less for sure ...pre 2009 there were over 60.000 new test passes ....it collapsed after the new stricter test to near 30.000 its slowly recovered and stands araound 40.000 now ....so it would be fair to surmise that ..around 180.000 less riders that could have been ?over the last 9 years
The cost of learning and passing a test is extortionate. Cost of insurance to own a bike is extortionate too. Young people who work at Tesco simply can not afford descent bike they would love to ride on the income they earn.

I am 35, currently ride a 2017 GSA that I got on PCP because I couldn’t buy it outright. My insurance with 11 years NCB is over £700 a year. Reason why is because of my postcode which lies inside M25 and all the bike related crime that does happen in London.

So here you are, this is the reason why we see fewer and fewer young people out and about on the roads.


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