Times are a changing
Remember back in the olden days (pre mobile phones) when a ride or a rally was on it was very well attended and people weren’t politically correct “snowflakes” and they didn’t need a breakdown vehicle following their motorcycle that were usually old and held together with string and tie-wire and camping was de-rigour, haven’t times changed, possibly for the worse. The usually well attended famous Great Race Harley vs Indian is this year down on attendances some 18% I believe this is the first time in years, why a good question, with most clubs struggling to keep subscribtions up and usually poor attendances for aged members in events or even attendances to General Meetings potentially it starts a downhill spiral with less events and I believe uniting some groups ie: Vincent with Velocette, Triumph, Ariel, BSA combined, Ducati with Moto-Guzzi etc a bit like Christian churches did some years ago and some of those groups are now part of the Uniting Church. This will only stall the inevitability of going the way of the dinosaurs, because basically youths don’t get what it’s all about and if they are riding it’s scooters or a no particular brand as their motorcycle is a “tool” like a two wheeled car, a alternative to go to work sure there are some that are dead keen but they aren’t in the numbers from 30 to 40 years ago. Their other problem is good classic bikes are unaffordable and some manufactures are producing damn good retro bikes that have “gasp” electric start and reliability to boot look at Indian, Triumph, and the new 650 Royal Enfield for a start, a lot of older riders have embraced these retro”s as well. So where is this all leading you a plus 55-70 yo, eventually it’s going to make it harder to sell your old bike as in the next 10 years thousands will hit the market fully restored and the prices will inevitably fall, rallies and rides will get less as people have other commitments and have less time or aged, and that will be the future unless you do something to change it like committing to a couple a times a year by going for a ride with your mates, sure that event 3 hours away is a pain but you forget all that when your interacting with like minded people. Also I have a idea with a few other individuals for a “old fashioned” event in the future which is close to Melbourne and encourages all makes running or not and the owners old or new capable of riding or even incapable from 50cc up, this won’t stall the inevitable but will give some individuals a chance to participate in something that they thought was now gone, stay tuned. The picture above is a WW11 veteran at 97 on his Scout