Are We Missing Out?
It's too bad that North Americans are so preoccupied with size and the whole "bigger is better" mentality, because we're missing out on some really cool toys out there. Want to have some fun? Check out what most motorcycle manufacturers are offering on the other side of the pond. You'd be amazed what can be bought at Yamaha and Honda dealers in Europe when compared to the one down the street.
A friend of mine suggested that it was because Europeans ride motorcycles not only for pleasure, but also as a viable and economical means of transportation. They're not as caught up in the "bling factor" as we are here. How many beginner bikes are available around here for newbies who want to build up their skills before trying to harness the power of a +100hp machine? Not many... But in Europe there's a whole pack of 125cc bikes that are available cheap and everywhere.
Isn't it a bit odd that we can't get something like the Honda Cub in North America, when that same motorcycle is the all-time best seller worldwide? I'll admit that at times I would love to have a Cub, or a similar standard 125cc bike to ride around town. Nobody in their right mind would want to tour with one of these bikes, but for urban attacks - what more do you need?
Alas, we'd rather pay ridiculous amounts of money for an overweight and unpractical chrome beast that some celebrity chopper shop built out of mail-order parts... Truly sad!
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4 comments:
You read my mind Lucky. Last year my daughter who just turned 16 wanted a motorcycle. I've been riding for over 20 years, but even so I forced her to take the MSF course then we went shopping. My ground rules were simple, I pay for the bike, but I get to chose the model. In exchange, she gets to trade it in for something else in 2 years. We finally settled on a Ninja 250 simply because there wasn't much more available.
Anonymous - I can relate to your situation. My wife wants to learn to ride, but she's 5'4" and she doesn't want a cruiser, so many bikes don't "fit". We're finally considering either a Ninja 250, or maybe a BMW F650CS. In either case, we'd probably buy a used model as it will only be a learing tool. I just wish there was more to chose from out there...
i have not riden in 20 years but i want to start again. your right that there is not much here for people who want to relearn. i hope i can find a used nighthawk.
Anonymous - You should'nt have too many problems finding a used Nighthawk; those bikes have been around forever! Check out the CB750/Nighthawk resource page for some tips and info. Good luck!
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