Since when does young = slow

[crescent1101]

I am not in that category. I will roll with my speed triple all day. I am not slow either.

[kaizen33]

I'm 32 and I love my warrior. I see nothing wrong with the young folk joining the cruiser crowd.


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[1256day]

I hear ya Terry, but the new sportbikes do not lend themselves to picking up young ladies or men (whatever your sexual preference is) and taking them for a Saturday Afternoon Summertime ride. I know you've seen them all hunched over.


If you think the kids nowdays are slow, go visit a local weekend MX track. They are crazy insane fast! Even the mini's are clearing the doubles and triples.

G

[capttwb]

I would guess it's a image thing, and these young guys are probably not aware of Harley Davidson's lack of technical sophistication. Although in their defense they have come a long way since their AMF days. Here on the east coast the majority of sport bike riders are the black guys. With more and more young guns buying Harley's. I think in young guys eyes Harleys are the cool bike, like Triumph, BSA, and Norton's were the cool bikes back in the 50's and sixties. Then Honda came out with the 750cc Four and that was the cool bike, until the Kawasaki Z-1 came along in 73' then it was the coolest. When your young, image matters a lot.

[Calgary Alberta Warrior]

I'm 28 and have never liked sport bikes i have always liked the look and sound of a v-twin I bought a Warrior a month ago because it was the best looking bike I've seen and the performance.

[LeaderDuece]

I mean it seems obvious, but not everybody who is young want to go fast. I work at a county school, and most kids ride to school in a jacked up 4 wheel drive pickup.

My first car was a '69 Ford Ranchero GT with a 351 Windsor and a 3 speed automatic. That thing would lift the front end off the ground, but after about 100 mph it was about done being a drag racer if you know what I mean. Much like the Warrior, I could smoke you off the line but not in the long haul. And it didn't handle very well either.

So I guess I'm back to where I started (BTW, I got a rotary engine RX-7 for my next car. That thing redlined at 10 grand and handled like it was on rails. Not a drag racer though...)

Anyway, not all kids want to go fast...

[ernie_h]

Most of the bikes parked at the University where I work are still sport bikes, less than 1 liter displacement. I'm usually the only or one of a only a few cruiser-looking bikes....the others seem to be owned by older (returning) students or staff, though not exclusively. But I'm not surprised that in some areas younger folks seem to gravitate toward cruiser type bikes, esp. when you can get a brand new 2012 Sportster.....at least some models.....in the low $8K range before taxes.

2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster Prices

[terryk]

OK, so the answers now include lower purchase price, insurance cost and retro styling/looks, comfort, cruisers can be fast (enough), the riders desired SOA image and picking up an attractive or at least willing piece of pillion candy for the ride.

I have chosen, it is a personal decision, to jettison the pod on a couple of suggested reasons...kids are getting smarter (Har Har and remember they invented Butt Chugging) and some kids like to go slower these days (can not believe that is a growing trend among kids).

So, I gotta believe it is also effective marketing of the reasons above with rider image and style leading the pack.

HD once again prove that they are marketing gods to get the youth market to buy into the HD image and crave the crusier style.

HD driving the SOA image, hollywood picking it up in media and kids buying technically inferior, slow and heavy bikes to tool arounfd on.

Pillion candy liking the SOA style and the comfort does not hurt.

No small wonder that HD owns 60% of the 1,000 CC and up market.

[Caledonian Warrior]

Originally Posted by terryk

So, I gotta believe it is also effective marketing of the reasons above with rider image and style leading the pack.
HD once again prove that they are marketing gods to get the youth market to buy into the HD image and crave the crusier style.
HD driving the SOA image, hollywood picking it up in media and kids buying technically inferior, slow and heavy bikes to tool arounfd on.
Pillion candy liking the SOA style and the comfort does not hurt.
No small wonder that HD owns 60% of the 1,000 CC and up market.

All good stuff Terry, nothing wrong with the cruisers, slow or not...Lol.

Harley-Davidson's Earnings Zooms Past Estimates - Forbes

Gav.

[parkinglot]

Socal isn't leading any trends where im from...cruisers always dominated the market, no reason for a sportbike, just the wrong terrain..also put into thought, most of us had jobs young, I had a thriving landscape business at 12. LOL, was driving paps 74 CJ5 to the store to buy my old man smokes at 13, and when I moved to myrtle beach, I wanted to go fast, so I bought a srad...kids nowadays, play playstation with a helmet on, don't want a job, nor get a job, can't drive, and are probably scared like little girls to ride something that will rocket them to 180mph in a jiffy..so, its easier to be cool, wear a doooooo rag, sleevelss shirt and buy a turd..thats my 2 cents