#1 seller of bikes over 650cc to the 18-34 crowd?

[Espada]

When I wuz in college in SoCal/LA, I remember some sorority girls squealing when they found out I rode a motorbike.
They asked what was the colour of my Harley.

They seemed to be less than enthusiastic when I told them my ride was a Kawi...

(1984 Gpz550 in 1988)

Clearly those are the girls you sleep with because of their mental acutiy!  

[Blunder]

Everybody says that kids my age are retarded...

You're 26. I've got teenagers.

Prove that thought wrong.  

[Tpoppa]

So, who is the #1 manufacturer of motorcycles over 70 hp?

[atadaskew]

So, who is the #1 manufacturer of motorcycles over 70 hp?

So, who is the #1 manufacturer of motorcycles over 70 lbft?
Posted on: April 27, 2011, 04:28:40 PM

Clearly those are the girls you sleep with because of their mental acutiy!  

College

Hot 18-20 year old girls

I wish I had a Harley then....

[jhawk]

College

Hot 18-20 year old girls

I wish I had a Harley then....

Back in my college days, my Honda CB350 was the ticket to meet the nicest hot 18-20 year old girls  

[tvpierce]

If you are > 38-ish years old, you are on a sports bike

If you are < 38-ish years old, you are on a cruiser

I think you have that backwards.

If I'm reading that right, it says "if you're greater than 38 years old, you're on a sport bike... and if you're less than 38 years old you're on a cruiser."  

Just sayin'.

[919]

I think you have that backwards.

If I'm reading that right, it says "if you're greater than 38 years old, you're on a sport bike... and if you're less than 38 years old you're on a cruiser."  

Just sayin'.

Yeah I noticed that too, but we all know what was meant.

[atadaskew]

Yeah I noticed that too, but we all know what was meant.

I dunno.

Seems to me it was accurate.  Seeing the over 650cc 18-34 crowd are into Harleys...

Then you have old farts buying sport bikes to convince themselves they're still young....
Ya gotta see the sport bike crowd at the Rock Store on the weekends before 11 am.  Old doods disguised by full face helmets and one piece leathers stretched to the seams...

[Rogue]

When I wuz in college in SoCal/LA, I remember some sorority girls squealing when they found out I rode a motorbike.
They asked what was the colour of my Harley.

They seemed to be less than enthusiastic when I told them my ride was a Kawi...

(1984 Gpz550 in 1988)

What part of SoCal/LA did you grow up in?  

I started riding around the same time.  Everyone I knew had sportbikes.  GPz's, GS's, and of course the Ninja 600R, GSXR's, and VF500F.  I had the Honda.  We were all of the same age and would attack Mulholland Hwy and others on our "crotch rockets".  I think that was the era of the term "Crotch Rocket"!  Seemed like it anyway.  The only H-D riders were the biker gang lookalikes.  There were no RUB's back then.  H-D's were vibrating rough sleds and only the older guys rode them--usually Vietham War vets.  The girls (and skanks) that we knew all liked the crotch rockets.  Yeah, they squealed when you went WOT!    We were the new generation that made the Japanese sportbikes king.  That was also around the time when H-D was screaming bloody murder that Japanese motorcycles were "dumping" bikes on our shores and convinced the US Congress to pass a tariff on anything below 750cc.  That's why Honda had the VFR750 and the VFR700!  The 750cc was roughly $1500 more.  H-D needed congress to save them from the Japanese because they could not compete on performance AND reliability!  

Has anything changed today?  Nope!

Today, I have NEVER seen a H-D being ridden by anyone younger than 30.  Never!  Not in SoCal.  I'm sure that's not entirely accurate but just go to a H-D hang out and look for a young guy in his 20's.  Plenty of those types of hang outs around where I live and ride.  Better yet, go to a local bike night.

If H-D's marketing research indicates that most 18-34 buy their bikes, then okay.  But how come I don't see this in SoCal?  Without a doubt SoCal is a motorcycle trend setter and has more motorcycles than in any part of the USA.  Is it different in other areas?  

[atadaskew]

What part of SoCal/LA did you grow up in?  

I went to USC.  

The sorority girls there liked Harleys.

Los Angeles is different than the deep south OC burbs...
 

[Rogue]

I went to USC.  

The sorority girls there liked Harleys.

Los Angeles is different than the deep south OC burbs...
 

Haha!

I grew up in Downey, CA.  Deep in the heart of LA county.  That's where my sportbike pose used to be.  We cruised around UCLA's Westwood on occassion.  But not USC.  Must be different areas.  

[Espada]

I think you have that backwards.

If I'm reading that right, it says "if you're greater than 38 years old, you're on a sport bike... and if you're less than 38 years old you're on a cruiser."  

Just sayin'.

You are right: I   the greater than and less than signs

It should be:

If you are < 38, sport bike

If you are > 38, cruiser

To the > 38 crowd I would add STs and ADV bikes

I do not consider my MTS1200S an ADV, it's an XL supermoto    That's how I can be younger than 38 and get away with it.

[Prubert]

It's fine if you want to ride a Harley wearing a full face helmet and a 'stich. Just don't whine because of the pirate association 

Whaaa......

[atadaskew]

Whaaa......

I see you in a 'Stich, and raise you in a full Dainese leather suit:

[jfurf]

Being that I turned 30 this past November, I still think I can recall my 20s.

Since I rode/ride with fellas in there 20s I have to tell you, they are NOT on Harleys in the DC Metro region.  That said, I have been riding since 2005 and my riding experience is primarily in this area.  All I can report on is all I have seen.  The breakdown goes something like:

If you are > 38-ish years old, you are on a sports bike

If you are < 38-ish years old, you are on a cruiser

Of course that is NOT the case writ-large, but it is what I have been seeing.

Hell, when I go to the big, multi-brand dealer in my area (Coleman Powersports) I can tell you this: the dudes in their roughly mid-30s and on down are certainly not looking at the cruisers on the showroom floor.

It's the same here in Atlanta. I'm 32 and I don't think I've ever seen anyone close to my age riding a Harley. Harleys are bikes for old hicks with red necks and beer guts who hate technology and furriners. I think they should just embrace that and not pretend to be anything else.  

I will say, though, it's fairly rare to see young/youngish people riding any bike at all. My generations was severely fucked up by the ridiculously risk-averse overparenting and general mollycoddling of the baby boomers (and it's only gotten worse in more recent years). All I ever hear when I mention to people that they should get a bike is "Oh I'd kill myself on that. It's too dangerous. I'd be scared. Car drivers are terrible. Blah blah blah."

I'm the biggest left wing commie pinko ever and even I agree with our fascist right-wing friends that sheltering kids from every little thing in life has turned younger generations into neurotic wimps who are afraid to take any risks in life.

[Prubert]

I see you in a 'Stich, and raise you in a full Dainese leather suit:

What, no knee sliders?    

[jeepinbanditrider]

I want to ride one of those  

[Jet Jock]

So, who is the #1 manufacturer of motorcycles over 70 hp?

They make that much power? Are you sure?

Better would be: 120 (just picking a number) decibels?

[JonS]

You're apparently making assumptions about the youth market, and that mythical "I'm under 30 and MUST have a SUPERGSXRZZRRXX1500 sport bike" mentality is presumed to be hard-wired into every human brain at that age..? Mayhaps a discussion with some of the bike-buying youth in question would yield results of understanding.

I also question this finding too. It is very seldom I see any young guys or women riding HDs. There are a huge number of Harleys that travel through our area.

I agree that the engine size used as a criteria is skewed.

[Baz]

I also question this finding too. It is very seldom I see any young guys or women riding HDs. There are a huge number of Harleys that travel through our area.

I agree that the engine size used as a criteria is skewed.

I would agree with you here also.

I do get to the odd bike night and you will seldom see anyone under 50 even looking at a Harley.