UK attitude to motorcyle use

[StephenC]

I know I'm preaching to the converted to some extent here, but this really gets my goat.

An article has today appeared on Visordown showing how you can progress from a car licence to a bike one. Fair enough. Very good. http://www.visordown.com/learners/from- ... z2YjgmrBo9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But they include this little bit: So getting on two wheels now is a choice, a hobby, even if it’s one that takes over a large portion of your life. It’s not cheap or even terribly sensible, but neither is playing golf or having a model railway. And this just annoys me.

In Europe the "motorbike or scooter" (as Visordown like to describe motorbikes) is seen more as a form of transport than anything else. So people buy lots and they consequently get real choice in what they can buy, mostly due to the volumes, I guess.

But here in the UK this attitude of biking being just a hobby means dealers aren't interested in what we maxi riders want to buy - basically, practical transport. So we get crap treatment both in terms of being looked down upon by those in the trade as well as by people who want only the extra 05.hp that this year's crotch rocket gives them over last years. and of course we get just a fraction of what's on offer elsewhere (MyRoad, X10-500, even ABS on Vespas).

Aaaaaarggh!

Thank you for reading. I feel better now I've got this off my chest.

[Bluebottle]

Best have a lie down and a Gipsy Cream

It is ridiculous, not just the bikes themselves either.
"These gloves have ultra thin owl leather for maximum feel and sensitivity, top racers wear them"
Stuff racing. I want minimum feel and sensitivity in case I hit the tarmac. Show me some with inch thick leather with a Twaron lining please

[MrGrumpy]

Yes Stephen, you are quite right. UK motorcycling has been turning up a blind alley for years. The Sportsbike obsession has led to such specialised bikes - mostly designed to win in WSBK rather than be usable - that they have become utterly irrelevant. There again, we are following the USA where bikes became a leisure activity based around the dubious benefits of Harleys and other cruisers.

On the positive side, there are some hints of improvement. The UK Sportsbike obsession has died a death completely (probably more due to the UK bikers becoming increasing old), and whilst this has led in part to the almost equally ludicrous Adventure bike phenomenon (with monstrous bloated chelsea tractor equivalents), at least there is more of a interest in comfort, luggage and practicality. Also, there are increasing numbers of small bikes being marketed - still sportsy, but more sensible than 1000cc sportsbikes

There are also signs that Maxis are being taken more seriously by more bikers. I remember a short while back I was accosted by a Honda Varadero owner thinking of swapping it for a Tmax! And with increasing traffic congestion there could be more people desperate to avoid the jams. And sales of small scoots and bikes have remained high, even as sales of bigger bikes have fallen - so any dealer who wants to sell things ought to be rather more interested in looking for customers of scoots.

[smeghead]

Dear Bluebottle, I need a Gypsy cream now and I am already too fat!

[gn2]

I use my scooter predominantly for transport to work and I really don't give a stuff what the press have to say.
99% of what's in the motorcycle press is complete and utter bollocks and the bulk of the journalists are tossers.

[StephenC]

Well I take it back (a bit). See my other thread for Visordown as they have just posted two positive articles on scooters. One is even just about ABS

http://www.maxi-muppets.co.uk/forum/vie ... =5&t=13715" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MrGrumpy]

99% of what's in the motorcycle press is complete and utter bollocks and the bulk of the journalists are tossers.

Don't pussyfoot around...say what you really mean!
Yes, I do tend to agree - MCN has become especially poor. However, we ought to give an honourable mention to MCM who are often quite sensible and even take scooters seriously occasionally.

[monty9120]

dont forget most people on here already have a license. its a right pain to get a license now adays

gone are the days you can have a full license at 19 and ride an r6 (17 years old doing a2)

i use my bike when the weathers ok for work. i dont rely on it anymore though

[abitmad]

...There are also signs that Maxis are being taken more seriously by more bikers...

Perhaps, but professional reviewers often seem to consider them by bike journo standards by which I mean concentrating on performance and handling, claiming a bike is "better" just because it takes a fraction of a second less 0-60 and so on. I would have thought for most maxi owners though, those facts come second to features like comfort, wind & weather protection, storage space etc. For example someone elsewhere on here linked to a vid comparing three maxis:

http://www.maxi-muppets.co.uk/forum/vie ... on#p170940" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's interesting but all they seem to consider is acceleration, top speed, handling and braking, as if these were sport bikes. No consideration is given to comfort, storage and so on. I'm not saying that performance, handling and braking don't matter, they do, but they are probably not the leading features most of us seek. I guess that few maxi riders would sacrifice storage and comfort for fractions of a second better acceleration.

I would have thought that serious scooter journalism should prioritise comfort and storage etc. and not be obsessed with minor differences in performance.

[poldark]

Things are gradually changing, as the average biker age rises and practical considerations get a serious look-in.

It's now even harder to get a licence, this Country (Govt) has no desire to drive PTW use having no acceptance (unlike just about all other European countries) that they're a practical and cost-effective transport option, so less new (young) bikers are entering, so the market is gradually shifting.

I'd suggest that one driver for BMW expanding into scoots is that their vast number of loyal GS riders will pretty soon need something lighter and easier to handle as they age, so although volume of sales won't be huge at those prices because of badge snobbery it'll be a good new incremental market for them. Also Honda's big sales success with NC700 has proven that practicality rather than outright performance is now more a consideration than in the past, this will just grow.

It would be nice if the various publications would see this and provide a more balanced view on new bikes/scoots.