2009 and beyond

Readers know I expect 2009 to bad, especially in the UK. So far, the bike market is slowing, but doesn’t seem to have collapsed like the car market. But that situation is perhaps 3-6 months away in my opinion.

Consider this; sterling has lost 45% of its value against the yen, some 33% against the euro. What will manufacturers – Triumph excepted – do to prices in 2009? If they don’t put them up in the UK, people from Ireland and Europe will start coming to UK dealers to buy new bikes. If they raise sterling prices, the UK market will collapse…but the wider eurozone may survive the worst of the downturn.

Moving on, despte a ridiculous article in MCN recently stating that the industry is almost recession-proof, dealerships are heading into, or filing for bankruptcy. Long established stores, finding  stock loans  impossibly expensive, overheads rising, sales slumping, will suddenly go pop in large numbers, as the sales dip really hits hard.

Importers and wholsesale distributors will also go down the tubes, how can you jack up prices by 30% and keep selling helmets, boots, gloves etc in the same volumes?

Fact; some half a million people, mainly in the private sector, are going to lose their jobs in the 8-12 weeks after Christmas, across the UK economy.

Many wage-earning men are motorcycle owners, they are going to have to sell their bikes, or at least mothball them and forget about buying anything new, or used, until they find regular paid work. It is going to get grim out there.

Why? Well you see, in the end, the government borrowing spree will have to stop. We are bankrupt, in the same way that Iceland, or Spain, or Italy is, only Labour doesn’t want to own up. The judgement day, when it comes, will prompt strikes, food riots, power cuts, looting and possibly armed force being used to clear some city streets after dark.

However, that day may come only AFTER the next election, which Labour intends to buy, simply by throwing taxpayers cash into keeping large scale employers, the State sector and the benefits culture, snug and well-funded. Stupid, but it will fool the morons who tick boxes for a living, blokes who make cars nobody buys, or Northern sluts with 6 kids, who scrounge benefits to stay afloat.

The message that you can’t be paid to do nothing, or work in some made-up non-job isn’t one that many Britons want to hear – we have become a nation of ignorant, idle, self-deluded fools.

What will happen after the next Alice in Wonderland UK election is that our currency will be declared virtually worthless, as the government prints more notes, to stave off the inevitable borrowing defaults, tax rises, and a run on banks, just like Weimar Germany once did in the 20s. It will fail of course, because money only exists, like love or religion, if enough people choose to believe in it – otherwise a tenner is just a fancy firelighter.

WE WILL BE SAVED, BUT BECOME BEGGARS

After some disorder, the UK will agree terms to join the euro in 2011/2012 and re-structure an essentially state-controlled, command economy for some years ahead, with the help of the IMF. Another bank crisis will see at least one High Street finance group collapse, as people withdraw what is left of their savings and spend it, or stash it under the mattress. The Olympics will be cancelled, as the facilities will not be ready on time. Crime will make London a non-starter for overseas visitors too…

Those who think it cannot get that bad are idiots. It can and will. The partial collapse of the motorcycle industry will one day seem a small footnote in the economic maelstrom that lies ahead.

The only upside is that demand for small, economical two-wheelers will rise, as many of us are forced, by law, to sell our cars and use rationed fuel, or travel passes, to go about our everyday business. I predict that by 2015 a driving licence will be more of an ID card, than a right to roam the road network at will. The Chinese will make most small bikes and end up running the world’s car and bike industry as well – hell, they make 80% of the bits on a BMW now…

The world has fundamentally changed in 2008, but the shift in power from those with hedge funds, stocks, pension schemes, companies and houses, all built on fraud and lies, to those with a steady food, water, cheap labour force and a secure energy supply, has yet to be appreciated.

I can see the return of bartering, between people and nations – oil for food, water for cotton…and so on. It happened in the 70s when Abba took oil from Russia for their records – strange yet true.

There will always be an economy, since people have needs like food, shelter and transport, plus the desire to improve their lot in life – what is uncertain is how those desires, those impulse purchases, can be paid for when Britain’s credit card has essentially been cut up by the IMF and international banking system, and chucked in the dustbin of history.

Me? I’m buying a cafe racer, stocking up on tinned food, batteries, thermal clothing, plus jerry cans. I’m looking for defensible premises in a rural location. Don’t recycle your Xmas packaging – it will go in a woodburner one day…

be lucky

insider

Dirt Bike Show 2008

The Dirt Bike Show is always interesting, mainly because it attracts a genuinely young audience, instead of the usual motley collection of overweight, middle-aged blokes, who make up 80% of the road bike market these days.

Really young customers were out in force at Stoneleigh 2008. In fact if the council truant officers were to visit the DBS, then they would find about 150 absent pupils on Thursday and Fiday…with all the young hoodlums busy trying to nick stuff and damage new bikes and quads by clambering all over them.

New bikes were thin on the ground however, as the industry seems determined to ride out the recession by painting last year’s models in new colours, chopping prices to the bone and chucking in some free kit. BFD.

Kawasaki had a new KLX250 dual purpose machine at the show, which was basically OK looking, lightweight and fun, but priced a bit high at £3699. Considering a Versys 650 can be had for £4000, it seemed a bit steep to me. Nice kawasaki showgirl though…

Honda had a cheap trailie for any budding enduro stars, a CRF230 for £2500. OK, so it’s basically a Chinese made, Honda-under-licence, but you still get the warranty and parts back up from the big H, which most chinese internet operations lack.

Suzuki had painted their DR250 and 450 models in new colours and er…that’s it. But their PR people told me that the Suzis were cheap to compete due to their reliable and basic designs…OK, I can handle that approach.

Meanwhile KTM had their beautifully made off-roaders lined up, plus the 690 SM with its wacky exhaust. Yep, the KTMs cost more, but you know what..I’ll take a KTM 300 any day over a plodding, built-to-a-budget Japanese thumper any day of the week. Quality counts, at least for some of us old gits with some cash left to spend…

One more trend I noted was that the MX/enduro clothing brands are all piling into leisure wear for 2009. There were more luxury travel holdalls, laptop holders, girlie handbags and fleecy hippie tops than you could shake an old Acerbis brushguard at…the lines between functional comp clothing and pub-based fashion parade, are getting fuzzier every day..

NOTE; Ta for the comments, it is true that recently Kawasaki have employed the most surly and unhelpful PR girls. The ones at the Paris Show in 2007 were appallingly sullen and pretended not to understand basic English.

c ya

insier

Endgame begins for manufacturers

Regular readers will know I take a gloomy view of the current economic situation and expect things to get considerably worse, before they get better.

There are many reasons for this, but the short answer is that the fraud – and repackaging a bad debtor loan as an asset is fraud – which has been encouraged by governments and banks alike over the last decade, will have to be paid for by us, ordinary people.

Expect huge taxe hikes in 2009, government subsidies to ailing industries, multinational companies etc. plus the blatant theft of savings/investments by greedy banks and bankrupt countries like Iceland, Russia, Saudis/Dubai China and others who have no qualms about stealing from the poor to keep the rich in lobster thermidor.

For motorcycle manufacturers things look OK at present, sales have dipped slightly, but the demand for small bikes and scooters in a recession will provide some revenue. I said last week that the CBF125 Honda is a crucial lifesaver for Honda – events will prove me right in 2009, and beyond.

2009 honda cbr600 RR

For the Japanese there is a safety net. Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki have the ultimate backing of their government if things get really bad. The Japanese government once knocked the heads of some 100 motorcycle companies together in the mid 1950s, to force some to quit the market, so that others, like Honda could expand, export and prosper. In the 60s, the same process winnowed out Bridgestone for example.

When things unravel in 2009, Japan will stay focussed on small bikes, scooters, light utility vehicles and partnership with low wage subsidiary builders to survive, but Kawasaki may have to be sacrificed as its sales depend largely on enthusiasts riders, not peasant farmers in Vietnam or shoe factory workers in Romania. For the big K, bikes are ultimately, a hobby, as its real business is heavy engineering projects – now sadly, that side of things will require large government subsidies to survive this recession, and the government of Japan will demand less frippery, less flagship speed machines cluttering up dealerships in EU/US markets, for their/taxpayers money. Japan has no oil, no arable land to feed its people – it must sell things overseas, or die. That harsh truth will prompt firm action.

Meanwhile, let’s look at Harley. Consider this; H-D finance deals are down 38%, sales are dropping rapidly in Europe, as well as the US. H-D are now using their own cash reserves to loan people money to buy their bikes, via their in-house finance arm. Like everyone else, they can’t borrow money on the Libor system. So, how long can the risky practice of loaning H-D money, and new H-D bikes, simultaneously, to customers who might lose their jobs soon, continue before the panic button is pushed in the boardroom?

I would predict around 6-9 months, depending on the default ratio of their existing loan book and the short term inter-bank lending rates.

Banks still aren’t lending, why? Fact is, banks are playing a waiting game, hoarding cash for the inevitable day when another of their rivals goes pop, and they can move in, like a vulture at a battlefield, and pick off the prime cuts. That leaves companies living off their immediate cashflow, or cash reserves, or selling off assets, to survive. Grim.

Harley’s purchase of MV Agusta couldn’t have happened at a worse time – how can they invest in new MV/Cagiva models, dealerships, parts, accessories, branded clothing etc when nobody wants to spend money, or lend money? That dream doesn’t add up right now.

Triumph are in a trickier position than H-D. On the upside, a private company, not answerable to shareholders always has room to make tough decisions, but without open credit lines, cannot survive.

But John Bloor is not Bill Gates, or the Sultan of Brunei, so at some point soon, his expansion plans in Thailand will require underwriting by the Thai or UK government to proceed, Triumph must borrow money to expand. Depending on the politics surrounding the Thai plants, that may proceed via government subsidy, or a strategic, last minute cash injection by BMW, Kawasaki or maybe the Chinese government. Hard to see the British government underwriting expansion that exports yet more British jobs isn’t it?

So much depends on the politics now, not the hard facts of a company’s balance sheet. Your past profits mean nothing, only your deep pockets and political friends can help you now.

You see, to all intents and purposes, most large banks are bankrupt, they don’t know how much they owe, but it’s a huuuge amount, exceeding deposits by a massive margin in most cases. That’s what happens when you lend imaginary money that you haven’t actually got.

Yet they are being propped up because we cannot revert to medieval barter – money must have a value, it is like religion or love, it only exists if we believe in it, so a banknote must have a guarantee behind it, otherwise it is just a fancy fire-lighter. But banks won’t lend govt cash – they need it to grab control of weaker rivals, as mentioned before. That leaves manufacturers left out in the wind – unable to invest in the future beyond next month, never mind next year.

Those motorcycle manufactures who wish to ride out this recession must curry favor with politicians in Brussels, Beijing Berlin, Rome and Washington to ensure they make it to the other side of the depression. They will need help. It will be bad. Food riots will occur, power cuts, bank accounts will be frozen. Some 5-6 million jobs will vanish in the US, another 3-4 million in Europe in the next 12 months.

But people need shelter, food, clothing and desire treats – we reward ourselves with things, like bikes – so that basic level of economic activity, that desire-driven demand, will pull us out the mire, eventually. The manufacturers who bag the government cash, and are seen as allies, not beggars, will be the ones who stay in business. The rest, will join Bridgestone, and many others, in the history books.

Meanwhile, fasten your crash helmets, polish up your CV and buy tinned food and candles. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
insider.

Bike Show Girls Extra

Let’s hear it for the show girls. What would motorcycle show press days be like without them? A gay-fest basically…

Here’s Mabel and Clara from Milan last year, doing a great job..

Buell 1125CR is a step up

Rode the Buell 1125 Cafe Racer lately, which is really a kind of all-rounder, as it’s far too comfortable to be labelled a cafe racer. It’s another step along the road towards respectable performance biking for Buell.

The launch in Germany saw a small racetrack used, very twisty, couple of tricky hairpins and the new bike did well. It pulled from lowdown, barely twitched or shimmied when flicked thru S curves and the front brake is all you need and then some.

Comes with Pirelli Diablos as standard and they’ve geared the bike down from the R version, so it wheelies real easy too. There are optional `ace’ bars for trackday addicts, but the 1125CR isn’t a trackday bike, it’s too easy to ride, too torquey and taller riders will feel kinda perched on top of the short chassis too.

On the road it really thrums along past traffic, although I think the R version’s half fairing is more use at speed than the tiny flyscreen on the CR. The motor sounds good, fuelling is OK, bit on/off when cold, and the welding, component details and so on look fair – still some odd gaps in the Buell bodywork occasionally.

But overall, they’re on a mission and the Helicon’s claimed 146bhp should put the CR on the map for riders used to regarding Buells as underpowered, pushrod dinosaurs. This is a good, honest, fun bike, although I still think it’s too ugly to tempt riders away from something like an XJR1300, Monster, Benelli TnT, Bandit 1250, Guzzi Griso 1100, or even the new Street Triple 675 R, which is a bargain by comparison.

ADVENTURE ON THE HORIZON

The next Buell bike using the water-cooled motor is likely to be an adventure touring model to replace the Ulysses and XB12T models in 2009. Perfect timing, as Honda have slipped up by failing to revive the Africa Twin for 09, which their dealers in Europe are screaming for by the way…

If they lengthen the 1125R chassis a touch, soften the motor’s power slightly and make 6th a real motorway overdrive, then they could be onto something with a new Ulysses 1125 Explorer.

WELCOME TO H-D SPORT & ADVENTURE STORES?

The only fly in the ointment is a likely rejig of the new H-D/Buell/MV Agusta/Cagiva dealer network across Europe. If Buell get a poor shake of the dice in that respect and end up shunted into backstreet and smaller shops, their new 1125 range could be overshadowed by a revived MV brand, even in the teeth of an economic recession.

Ideally, Buell needs to be pulled from the trad H-D dealerships, along with the V-Rods, and placed in new showrooms, alongside MV Agustas, with all the brands sportier/adventure bikes aimed at completely different riders from the old school cruiser/Fat Boy crowd. HOG members are a separate tribe from Buell, MV or V-Rod owners, and always will be.

But can that new marketing strategy happen? Who will pay for new H-D Sport stores to be built, who will underwrite dealer stock loans? It is an interesting time to be a European Harley dealer, as some tough decisions will have to be made by both manufacturer and dealer alike, if Buell is to flourish as a distinct marque within the H-D group.

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Honda’s `Stunning’ CBF125

Travel for Everyman

Intermot has seen one of the most crucial Honda launches of recent years; the new CBF125 commuter machine.

Not impressed? Maybe, but this basic no-frills bike, with its disc brake, half fairing and sturdy 11bhp single-cylinder motor is a modern day successor to the C90 Cub. It is also set to make Honda an absolute fortune in the EU market.

Why? Simple really, a basic bike like this, even though it features fuel injection and modern lights, brake etc costs very little to make when major components are sourced in China and India, plus assembly in CKD form takes place at Honda facilities near to, or just inside, the EU trade zone. Basically you make sure low-wage workers assemble 90% of a low budget bike and then a spend slightly more on Western economy marketing/logistics support to sell it across Europe.

in India this bike is being launched as the `Stunner’ and retails for around 51,400 rupees, or just under £800 sterling. You can bet it won’t cost that in the UK, in fact the French price is 2200 Euros. If Honda can sell it for half that Euros RRP in India, and make a profit, then what margin do they have on all EU zone CBF125 sales in 2009?

The timing is perfect for a modern-day CG125 bike too. People in the EU are finally, painfully, going to get their heads around the `new poverty’ this winter, as more banks go bust, factories close and food prices continue to rocket. In a climate like that, those who need transport first, and fashion/fun second, will choose something like the CBF125 to beat extra `congestion’ taxes, or parking charges levied by increasingly cash-desperate governments.

CRYSTAL BALLS DEPT.

The trough of the EU recession is probably going to be the winter of 2009/2010, when house prices, stock markets and consumer demand, will hit rock bottom. Also unemployment will peak in spring 2010. By that time at least one major European bank group/economy will have been obliterated in a catastrophic financial crisis that will drag down three or four international companies with it.  Some rioting/looting by those who have lost everything will provoke draconian regulatory action by EU finance ministers at that point, triggering a slow recovery.

The worst is yet to come, but don’t panic. For the majority of us, who will still have some kind of job, the CBF125 might prove a wallet-saving alternative to running a car next year, or paying spiralling public transport fares.

So Honda’s timing is absolutely perfect and this bike, given a couple of million sales across the globe next year, may also save the company from its exposure to the collapse of the `Mommy MPV’ market which is just around the corner and will decimate Honda’s US car dealer network as revenues tumble.

Keep smilin’

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Triumph’s Thai 125/250 ambitions?

Here’s a thing to consider; if you opened a second factory in Thailand, with some support from the local government, which of course you would never get from the lame-duck, bank-rescuing UK government, then what would you make there?

More Street Triples? Maybe. High ticket sportbikes like a 1050 Daytona, that would retail for 8000 sterling? Well, there is a downside in that your European customers might prefer something assembled in Hinckley, therefore `Made in England’.

But what if you wanted to make lots of small bikes, like say a 250cc Tiger Cub commuter twin, also in cruiser, pocket Daytona sportbike, Tiger adventure, or Ascot TT flat-track formats, all utilising the same engine/chassis platform, with a range of accessories and clothing as a sideline?

You could essentially `pay back’ the government for its support by offering cheap Police spec models for them, and a low interest rate finance scheme for Thailand residents who wanted the basic commuter/cruiser version.

Once you had you 250cc twin cylinder engine unit, then you could split it to make a 125cc commuter, and trailbike options, which would make a great learner bike for the UK and Eu market. Or double its capacity and have a 500 Thunderbird novice bike.

I’m not saying it will happen, it just seems to makes sense if you have two factories in a low wage economy, churning out more than component parts for your Hinckley operation, that’s all…

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Lambretta with a Chinese twist?

Word in the backroom is that Lambretta might be making a return at Intermot, with a new range of retro style scooters featuring chinese technology under European designed sidepanels, cool, electronic, i-pod friendly dashboards and a massive range of aftermarket accessories and options.

The idea behind the revival is to follow the success of the Fiat 500, and offer customers themed Lambretta scooters; so girls get to choose pastel colours, gay people go for Sheila’s Wheels style shocking pink with matching Tula laptop bags, whilst nouveau mods might choose a `68 Brighton Beach edition’ etc.

Engines would be 50cc and 125cc most likely, to meet EU licence regs and maximise the potential non-biking market share. A drive to get celebs aboard the `new’ Lambrettas is also expected in 2009.

The possibilities are endless, and as Lambretta is already established a s acool clothing brand world wide, it wouldn’t take a marketing genius to sell `style-it-yourself’ GP125s online, make them in Guandong, them ship out via scooter dealers, High St chains like Halfords, Next, Tesco and so on.

There’s no doubt that any of the six or seven biggest scooter makers in China has the financial muscle to make it work. The only question marks are over the global rights to make boatloads of cash from the Lambretta name, for in the same way that Harley make some 30% of theri revenue from various accessories and brand licensing deals, Lambretta – along with Vespa – are arguably the two most valuable scooter brand names in the world.

Nobody would want to make the scooters, then miss out on the merchandising side of it. It would be like George Lucas making Star Wars movies, but selling the toy rights to Mattel for $5000 a year – you just wouldn’t let that golden egg slip from your grasp…

Harley Trike at Intermot?

Rumors abound that Harley will show a Piaggio/Gilera type three wheeler at Intermot. The trike will be a concept vehicle aimed to gauge public reaction, and feature the V-Rod motor.

Two wheels at the front will effectively `lean’ as the bike corners, using the same technology as the Piaggio MP3/Gilera Fuoco thing. Harley are supposedly looking to diversify into leisure vehicles, along the same lines as the KTM X-Bow, or the Can-Am Spyder.

It’s also a project which might make more sense badged MV Agusta, with a Brutale 1078cc motor inside it, now that H-D own that brand.

Another new project for insider

Hello readers – many thanks for checking out my blog, I am pleased to see as many as 160 visitors per day are catching up with my words and pics.

But, to earn a living I have a new project on the go – so I don’t have lots of spare time to post new stories.

Apologies for this, I will try to upload pics at the very least, including new motorcycles, shows, events, customs, new biker clothing, products and the odd photo of girls on bikes, just to keep you entertained.

keep biking

correct safety gear is a must.

insider

Cheeky Girls

I spotted these two at the London SHow a few years back, they were offering some motivational advice which looked very interesting…

Use spanking to achieve success. Works for Max Mosely.

Daytona showgirl

From the archives – Ashley at the Daytona swap meet show 06, showing the spirit of a biking summer.

and her pants.

good on ya girl…

Ashley in the sunshine

2009 Harley/Buell models

new buell 1125CR 2009 model

Harley Davidson have released their 2009 and the most interesting change is the new chassis for the big touring models.

First off, the existing H-D Touring bikes are too heavy all round and the new chassis will hopefully shave a few pounds off them. Secondly, the suspension – especially at the rear – is too harsh, so again, perhaps the new line will offer more comfort which will make the bikes competitive with the Wing, new Victory, BMW K1200LT etc. It will be interesting to see if the brakes have more `feel’ although the brakes aren’t mentioned in the press blurb.

The single most useful feature will be the new swingarm, and this is long overdue. The big Glides have a scary ability to start weaving around in corners, or in a staright line sometimes, depending on the load the bike is carrying and the tyre pressures. These can make the bikes unstable even if they are out by as little as 2psi.

Handling a big Harley takes skill, but the problem is that Harley is reaching a new European customer who doesn’t want to fight a weaving chassis. They expect a $35,000 motorcycle to handle an 120kph corner, two-up, without drama – the key question is have Harley pulled it off with the 09 Touring Line?

Meanwhile Buell have a 1125CR cafe racer to join the sportbike. Same 146bhp motor, longer swingarm, nose fairing, tailpiece. It looks fun, but Buell dealers will be praying that the bike doesn’t have the same negative press and basic reliability problems the 1125R sportbike did.

Even if that all works out well, if the 2009 Intermot show has an MV Agusta cafe racer on its stand, then the game will be over for the 1125CR before it can win over new fans. A `fire engine’ rep MV 750S America will sell like hot cakes in Europe, and most of Buell’s sales are in France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

The Intermot show will be a real poker game this year – some manufacturers will deal a winning hand, others will come close to folding…

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PS. I am on holiday for a while, see you in August.

Triumph Flat-Tracker at Intermot 2008

I hear that it’s likely Triumph will debut its 2009 flat-tracker Bonneville at the Intermot Show in Fall 2008.

What I’ve heard from the factory is that the new bike will have an extensive range of accessories, plus `68 ‘ branded clothing, lid, boots, gloves etc so customers can really get the Ron Grant/Steve McQueen thing going.

There are three colour schemes being touted as possible options, one a red/white/blue combo is quite similar to the old 70s Norton-Villiers-Triumph Trident schemes, with bold stripes across the gas tank, another is an interesting green/gold two-tone, resonant of the old `Gold Leaf’ Lotus rcae cars.

Third choice looks like being predominantly white, the `in’ colour in auto design, with Fiat’s baby 500, Audi’s A4 and others all seeing strong sales of all-white motors at present.

Wide `bars, low seat, and a two-into-one exhaust are obviously mandatory for any flat-tracker, but the 790cc Bonny engine will sit lower in the frame than the Street Scrambler, and possibly canted forwards 10 degrees or so.

A new sub-frame will allow Triumph stylists room to mark the bike out as being distinctly different from the existing Bonneville family, plus there will be limited edition wheels, race plates, fenders, footrests etc.

Price is expected to be around $10,500 USA, ( exc taxes ) or £6800 sterling for the base camp model, but few buyers will end up choosing less than $2000 worth of extras on top if Triumph’s marketing plans work out well…

Could well spoil Harley’s 2009 Stateside launch of their 1200 XR, although the Harley will almost certainly have a low sticker price to tempt buyers, if the Triumph `Ascot’ flat-tracker proves a winner.

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The 60s chop is our future dream

Capt America chop by Polar Cycles

This is a chop built in 2006 for the Pro Custom Show in Yorkshire. Stez from Polar Cycles designed it and took first prize in the UK Biker Build Off comp on the weekend.

A tribute to the classic Easy Rider movie, it’s called Captain America and impressed the hell out of loads of people who saw it being ridden about for pics. The Build Off comp required the complete process, from design to firing up the motor to take place in six weeks.

One of the things that’s making the custom scene interesting in Europe is the sudden rise in one-off bike builds. From Barcelona to Budapest there’s amazing amounts of money being spent on creating beautiful bobbers, chops, trikes, lowriders etc. There was a very successful debut custom bike show in Moscow this Spring.

Although the best in the world goes to Sturgis right now, for the AMD finals, I can see the day coming when US builders will want to come and compete with the world’s best bike builders, in Europe, and they will have to work very hard to win trophies. 

Why the shift? Simple, we bikers are gettin old baby.

As European bikers age, there will be a growing market in custom style motorcycles, as sportbikes gradually decline in use. You can’t ride a Ducati 1098 with a range of aches n pains aged 55 plus, but you could struggle aboard an 1800cc lowrider and ride without difficulty.

More importantly, the over 50s are the ones with cash to spend. Everyone with an ounce of sense knows pensions are a con trick, the property market’s on its ass for a decade – so why save money, hoard it for your greedy, selfish kids and grandchildren? Maybe, but many oldies will think, `Let `em make money the hard way like I did,  I’ll buy a bike and enjoy life now the house is paid for.’

These are the true demographics of motorcyle ownership from 2015 onwards. Those who build dream rides for the mature, high spending rider will make serious money out of it…

see ya in New Orleans Billy…

insider

More motorcycle show girls

I know there’s no excuse really, but here’s yet more motorcycle showgirls for you – including Jodie Marsh, sometime celeb, model and actually rides a motorbike – true!

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jodie marsh at ally pally

day wear at Daytona

Harley’s MV Agusta deal will finish Buell

There’s one stark fact of life which emerges from Harley’s takeover of MV Agusta, one of the most valuable sportbike brands in the world, which is that Buell is doomed to die a slow, painful death.

Word is that Buell have been busy for the last year trying to fix various problems on their water-cooled 1125R model. The main one being the bike simply wasn’t ready to be launched, the press reviews were generally poor and sales have been crap.

Buell are an oddity in bike manufacturing, very much the brainchild of Erik Buell and Harley are to be admired for pumping millions into making Erik’s dream a reality. An American `Hot Rod’ type sportbike, with a truly unique chassis - it is a great idea, in theory. In the real world, Buell never got its act totally together, it always seemed a `Cindarella’ part of H-D’s empire.

Here’s a factoid for you which speaks volumes about Buell’s intrinsic ethos of failure; Buell allows keen Buell owners to volunteer as race team mechanics – working unpaid – at Daytona.

When I vistited Daytona to watch McWilliams race a Buell, I was shocked to see random helpers milling about, as someone realised they had slipped up; when the race machine came in to re-fuel, it couldn’t, why?? Well, the pitlane quick fillers didn’t fit around the large fairing screen on the Buell bikes – they had to cut the screen frantically with a penknife to get petrol in the bike.

So, nobody thought to check the fuel filler cap position was actually accessible, for a quick filler, on a race bike, before rolling up for practice week…Can you imagine Honda, Suzuki, or even Zongshen doing that? Nope, me neither.

 It is totally unprofessional, an amateurish mistake, and that `seat-of-the-pants thinking is the great undoing of Buell – they don’t care enough about the details, the quality control issues, so their bikes have too many DNFs, race or road…

My feeling is that now Harley have a brand name with `equity,’ that is to say MV Agusta is a make that bikers really, deeply, aspire to own, then the Buell project will be run down gradually – mainly to spare Harley’s own embarrassment at its failure.

Sad news for Buell workers, dealers and customers, but that’s the brutal truth about business – sometimes you have to cut your losses and try something new.

Dublin Motorbike Showgirls

Two ladies aboard an AMD Biker Build-Off Custom bike…

two custom bike fans

Manchester Showgirls 2

Benelli girl from the show…

Benelli Girl

Manchester Showgirls 1

From the Manchester Motorcycle Show 2007..

those boots were made for biking