ninjette.org - View Single Post - Do you want to recruit new riders? Not me.

jkv45 · December 26th, 2017, 08:48 AM

One thing I've noticed is a quick turnover with a lot of new riders. You can see it in their Craigslist ads. They are selling a 2yr old cycle, 5 yr maintenance plan, and all their gear. It's like they tried it and decided it's not for them for whatever reason (minor crash, nobody to ride with, lost interest, whatever). We sold a cycle recently to a new female rider, and it showed up for sale on CL about 3 mo later with gear and about 50 more miles on it.

I've had people ask me about riding, and I'm cautious to get them too excited. Learning to ride a cycle on the street without any previous experience is too dangerous today. I always recommend at least a MSF course, and better yet some time on a dirt bike. Most non-riders my age (50+) think it's too dangerous.

I think a lot of us started back-in-the-day on a minibike or small dirt bike and just kept evolving. That doesn't happen as much these days.

I've got 2 boys that started riding dirt bikes as soon as they were proficient on a bicycle (age 3 for one and 4 for the other), and still have the interest to continue at ages 18 and 21.

That might be part of the solution - but they aren't shopping for new bikes. One has a '98 VFR and the other a '05 R6, and aren't planning to buy any new bikes in the near future - so it's not helping the industry. My last new bike purchase was in '06, so I haven't chipped-in lately either.

Can't say I know what the answer is.

December 26th, 2017, 08:48 AM	#16
jkv45 Rev Limiter Name: Jay Location: WI Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): '06 SV650n, '00 Derbi GPR, '64 CA77 Dream 305, '70 CL450 Scrambler, numerous dirt bikes Posts: A lot. MOTM - Jun '18, Oct '16	One thing I've noticed is a quick turnover with a lot of new riders. You can see it in their Craigslist ads. They are selling a 2yr old cycle, 5 yr maintenance plan, and all their gear. It's like they tried it and decided it's not for them for whatever reason (minor crash, nobody to ride with, lost interest, whatever). We sold a cycle recently to a new female rider, and it showed up for sale on CL about 3 mo later with gear and about 50 more miles on it. I've had people ask me about riding, and I'm cautious to get them too excited. Learning to ride a cycle on the street without any previous experience is too dangerous today. I always recommend at least a MSF course, and better yet some time on a dirt bike. Most non-riders my age (50+) think it's too dangerous. I think a lot of us started back-in-the-day on a minibike or small dirt bike and just kept evolving. That doesn't happen as much these days. I've got 2 boys that started riding dirt bikes as soon as they were proficient on a bicycle (age 3 for one and 4 for the other), and still have the interest to continue at ages 18 and 21. That might be part of the solution - but they aren't shopping for new bikes. One has a '98 VFR and the other a '05 R6, and aren't planning to buy any new bikes in the near future - so it's not helping the industry. My last new bike purchase was in '06, so I haven't chipped-in lately either. Can't say I know what the answer is.