Motorcycle Trends

Around a dozen years ago when I purchase my first motorcycle, a 1999 Kawasaki ZR-7S, one of the main motivating factors leading me to buy the bike was this new, and very popular, "naked bike" class of motorcycle that had just been established in the industry.  My brother, fresh off of a Yamaha FZ-1 purchase, was a driving force pushing me toward the purchase of a naked bike.

In the early 2000's naked bikes were "it".  You got most of the performance of a superbike but less aggressive thus, more comfortable riding position and most importantly, insurance rates were affordable versus full-faringed motorcycles.  By 2003 virtually every manufacturer was on board and had their own rendition of a naked bike.

Circa 2005, all of that focused energy had been led astray by the Discovery Channel.  Enter The Chopper Craze.  The world erupted with custom motorcycles that served no practical purpose other than they were rolling works of art.  A sculpture of custom paint, hand fabricated parts, triple chromed pieces of what-not and fat rear tires.  I'm not hating, I was as wrapped up in it as much as John Q. Public.  I still have a deep appreciation for the designers and fabricators that created those extraordinary machines.  Unfortunately in most cases custom = money and when the fall out of the economy hit in 2008 so did the virtual death of the custom motorcycle.

What happens when fuel prices increase to record highs and the economy is in shambles?  Answer: people buy motorcycles.  Moreover, people buy cheap motorcycles.  Nobody wants to ride around on an unpolished turd so they decide to invest money into their cheap motorcycle in effort to make it cool.  The best way to accomplish this is to turn it into a cafe' racer.  Being ever so hip to motorcycle trends, here comes the Discovery Channel once again with a TV Series labeled what else but, "Cafe Racer".  Now all those cheap bikes that were purchased a few years ago are prized possessions and a must have to be labeled as an enthusiast amongst motorcyclists now.  Owning an old bike gives you instant street cred; turning an old bike into a cafe' racer makes you god amongst gods.  I love trends that result in preserving history by making something old, cool again.

The past couple of years a whole industry has been created around a Zombie Apocalypse.  Although few truly believe that a Zombie Apocalypse will happen it has fueled an increasing flame for many American's to be prepared for, "S**t to hit the fan" as they say.  A result other than record high sales in guns, ammunition, camping gear and pretty much any tool of survival one can think of has been an increasing interest in dual sport and adventure-tourer bikes.  Five years ago a person showing up at a bike night or most any other motorcycle gathering in a Suzuki VStrom or BMW GS would have been greeted with a bit of apprehension, not respect.  Fast-forward to now, there is a dual-sport and/or adventure-tourer offering by pretty much every large motorcycle manufacturer and sales are good.  When talking about versatility most of these bikes are the most versatile machines ever offered on two wheels.  I can't wait to pick one these up on the used market, post-apocalypse of course.