Future of motorcycling?

[gmanxiii]

You'll have to bear with me its a bit of a long one.... plus wasnt sure if this should go in here or the current affairs section.

With public transport being expensive and rubbish, congestion, congestion charging, cars generally becoming more and more expensive to run, ive noticed many people switching to 2 wheels to commute. A stroll round the city centre everyday just about confirms this as there seems to be an explosion of bikes and scooters about, many if not majority on L plates.

It can be predicted that more and more people will be switching to 2 wheels and the powers that be supposedly trying to promote the use of 2 wheels to beat congestion but also using this as one of the reasons that the motorcycle test needs to also get harder so there will be safer riders on the road.

Speaking to my old instructor, he reckons this will actually have a negative effect on people wanting to get a license as not only will it be harder to get your license but also more expensive. Reason being, training and testing will need to be done at special centres with facilities to accommodate the new offroad parts of the test.
Which in turn means more traveling to get to test centre too, so unless the school is based close to these 'super' centres they will need to charge more, which potentially means less business.

With these points in mind i see the current migration of commuters generally not bothering as it will be cheaper to just do your CBT every 2 years. The recent 'grrr' thread stirred stuff up abit regarding new riders but i am not having a dig about people on L's or commuters, just that past disussions on here regarding CBT, training, what good riding is and what appears to be a discriminatory attitude by a lot of road users to people on L's, it got me thinking and slightly concerned that there appears to be or might be an increase of road users who will ever only do their CBT and thats it.... perhaps the attitude is 'this is all i need'...

Everyday i see the same guy on a vespa, L plates, shirt and tie on, smart jacket, openface helmet riding home from work. Could be a clone of one of many commuters i see round town that dont really wear much protective kit, filtering crazily and looking a bit dangerous... (im not talking chavs here they are all shapes and sizes). It almost feels like they are trying to emulate that kind of 'european chic' of being on a scooter, except this is the sunny UK... people tend to be 'angry' or 'stupid' on the roads here... makes me wonder if there will be an increase in nasty accidents on the roads waiting to happen for these new riders from inadequate training (as much as i enjoyed my CBT when i did it a monkey could pass one) and general ignorance/attitude?

Just wondered what peoples thoughts on this was...
Are we going to end up going the way of some places in europe with the small bike/scooter culture? How would you feel about rubbing shoulders with a nation of scooter riders? Maybe the next change will be a harder CBT or a limit to how many times you can take it? Or is motorcycling next, if not already on the greedy governments hitlist? Will full license holders become an old dying breed? Basically what do you predict/hope for the state of motorcycling in the future.
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I kills hondas

VFR400NC30 > ZZR600 > CBR600FX > CBR1000rr

[McGee]

Biking is what you make it.


It's your choice to ride what you want and how you want.

If people want to ride peds so be it, I see nothing wrong with it.
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[Diggs]

I think the weather will play a part - people won't ride bikes or scooters in the pissing rain unless they absolutely have to, and our septic isle is becoming warmer and wetter... We may end up in a situation where bikes are for the very poor and the wealthy only, with bedraggled scooter riders the most common form of biker, followed by those with big bikes in the garage praying for a dry day...

Fuel will be a factor also. If somebody produces a viable oil-burner or a methane-powered bike then the future of motorcycling is assured. reliance on increacingly expensive petrol as a fuel will eventually place bikes in museums only...
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

What about synthetic bacteria that can produce fuel as a waste product!?
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My Flickr

[Diggs]

Indeed. Think of the fuel potential of a suitably connected butt-crack on the morning after 15 Singa beers and a Thai curry...
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[extreme3d]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[extreme3d]

[flimbar]

My instructor said he's had people come back every two years for their CBT for 10+ years.

He reckons the CBT should give you a full licence to ride anything up to 125 without pillion or motorway entitlement, cos for these people who keep coming back all they want is a small commuter and aren't interested in doing the test to get bigger bikes.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[Diggs]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's wrong with doing the full test?
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[tristan]

More and more bikers are starting to use the road more.