Overall, the show was slightly better than expected. Kawi, H-D and BMW corporate displays were good. I like seeing what the non-current market is like. Some deals can be pretty tempting. The MX freestyle show was pretty impressive. They were getting huge amplitude, considering it was indoors. I heard nothing about it beforehand, so not sure it was effective to bring people in.

All trade shows are suffering in the interweb age, but I still value the opportunity to see and touch things in person. Twenty bucks is a lot, considering all the exhibitors are paying to be there too, but its a diversion on an otherwise bikeless weekend.

Dean, I share your concerns regarding motorcycling’s future. I was speaking to an employee at a Hamilton motorcycle dealer and he said 2019 was a poor year for them. The weather takes some of the blame…lousy Spring, etc., but since when do you make a purchase decision like this based on weather? I ride whenever I can but I ride for transportation, also, and not just fun. This makes it so much more worthwhile…to use the bike as a vehicle. Our future (if we have one) lies in people rediscovering and acknowledging these machines as legitimate and practical transportation. And I get that winter takes people off the roads. High insurance rates for beginners and veterans, high-priced new machines and a generally negative view of riding take the rest of the prospects off the road. My 20 year-old son was quoted nearly $5K/ yr for insurance….really? And, yes, people are correct in their fear of being on 2 wheels. Look around and see the poor driving habits of car drivers. I bet 40 to 50 per cent of people are on their phones at some point. It is an epidemic. Aggressive driving is out of control. Many have decided it’s just not worth the risk.
We need a European-style graduated licencing system, mandatory (I know people hate that word) safety training and an emphasis on less powerful, more street friendly bikes that allow people to safely and economically ride around, imho. A new rider should not be allowed to walk into a shop, plunk down his money and (try to) ride home on a 200+ HP motorcycle. Or an 800 pound bike. This is lunacy. Bad initial experiences or an accident take that person off bikes often for life. It’s a shame.
I believe women are still a fast-growing segment of the riding population. This is great news and provides some light in the tunnel. Now it’s up to us to encourage young people to at least consider motorcycles and then to equip them, and the rest of the motoring public, to safely grow into riding over the years.

Apex was at the show.

Don’t forget increasing numbers of vintage bike owners are getting out of keeping their bikes for reasons running from no room to store the bikes, poor health and permanent departures from this world.

Millennials are getting older and more mature, you might want to substitute them with Gen Z when taking cheap shots at the younger generations.

The chopper segment is dying. The cafe racer segment is taking over but it may not have the legs that the chopper offers. Do I like choppers – no, never have, I was a cafe racer guy in the 70s but I’m more interested in the survival of the industry more than anything. We have become a virtual world, I enjoy training on an exercise bike more than riding. Sad to say. Then let’s look at the electric bike world, i think they are/will be in more trouble than our gasoline powered brothers. Most electric manufacturers are thinking that the future is sportbike models which i don’t think the average millennial is keen on. Very sadly, millenials don’t care for speed. Getting to point a to b is all they care about and Uber gets them there in comfort while they can text and upload a selfie to Instagram. I’m sorry but I sense our two wheeled industry is doomed. I wish someone could come up with an idea to keep it alive.