Motorcycling - where are we going

I just realized there was no New York Bike show at the Javits Center this year.  They shut down because of COVID, but I understand that we have moved on from that crisis.  For years (decades) I made the trek up the GSP to Hoboken, ferry across the Hudson and walk up the side street to the Javits center.  Two or three hours checking out the latest and greatest in the motorcycle world, then back across the Hudson and on to Rutt's Hut for a few hot dogs and a beer.   Some years were better than others but the trend has been downward the last few years.    It was always a shot of motorcycle stuff in the middle of winter.
   This has led me to reflect on the motorcycle scene in general.  I know that the attendance at Laconia and Daytona is off the last few years, I don't follow Sturgis.  The people showing up at local rallies and events that require overnight attendance is also shrinking and many clubs are giving up on rallies that have been going on for decades.    My local lunch ride with the Harley guys has decreased from the twenty or more people of ten years ago to less than ten.  
    Somewhere in the 90s it seemed that everyone had to have a Harley, maybe mid-life crisis from the baby boomer crowd.  I always felt that if it wasn't for that surge in motorcycle ownership, motorcycles would have gone the way of muscle cars.   Now some of that group is aging out and others are dropping out because they found out that whatever they thought they were buying with the motorcycle, didn't happen.  The days of a couple of guys throwing camping equipment on their bikes and heading West (or North or South) seem to be coming to a close and the business that lays out a route and provides for meals and lodging (and bike repair) seems to be becoming more popular.   We now have events that say, up front, no camping.  Even the BMW national rally, that used to be all camping, is moving more toward a convention than a rally.
   I don't see motorcycling going back to the days before "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" when only the hard-core guys were on bikes, but it is changing.    By hard-core I'm referring to people that were into riding and maintenance, not what has come to be seen as the 'biker' stereotype, which is a whole different thing.   I think the greatest danger to motorcycling, in the future United States, is by a nanny government that tries to limit it by legislation or through insurance rates.   This is why I support organizations like the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) which, right now, is the only one speaking for motorcyclists on a national level.


Any thoughts;;;

This from the AMA February newsletter;
National and Regional News

Washington D.C. — Congress and state legislatures nationwide are increasingly concerned by efforts to limit the sale of gas-powered vehicles. In 2022, California adopted a measure to require zero tailpipe emissions on new cars by 2035. Following the California model, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington aim to prohibit the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the future.

In December, Representative Walberg (R-MI-05) and Representative Clyde (R-GA-09) led the House to pass the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023. This legislation would prohibit federal emission standards requiring two-thirds of new vehicles to be electric by 2032. At the state level, the Ohio State Legislature passed, and Governor DeWine signed legislation to protect consumer choice. House Bill 201, signed in December, allows Ohioans to choose the type of automobile and other motorized equipment that suits their needs and ensures a wide range of vehicle options.

Navigating the electric vehicle, hybrid, and the alternative fuel future continues to be an important issue for motorcyclists. The AMA believes riders deserve the freedom to ride a machine that best fits their needs. We support efforts in Washington, D.C., and at the state level to protect consumer vehicle choice.

Support the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023 and send a message to your United States Senators today!

Will need to look at new motorcycle sales to see how things are going. It seems that Gen Z and Millennials don't have as much interest in cars and motorcycles as prior generations. My early 30's nephew is looking forward to the day he can go to his phone and have a drone-mobile pick him up when he does have to work. The rest of the time he stays in his condo to work and typically has his food and other merchandise delivered. About the only time he goes out or exercises is when he pulls the garbage to the curb 2x a week. He TALKS about great adventures with his buds online but he remains a couch potato. As sad as that is what's really concerning is there are more people like him than not.