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2011
Season

Mesh Jacket Review

Spring Prep

Carburetor Cleaning

What Will the 2011 Riding Season Bring?

Oh yes, any day now, the Twin Cites 2011 riding season will be well and truly under way. Of course there are a few of us (wierdos) who will ride in the winter, but this one has been especially bad road-condition-wise. As I write this, it's well above freezing and I think the snow pile in my back yard is down to "only" three feet deep. What kind of a season is it likely to be this year? Let's look at a few factors.

The Economy
2009 and 2010 were REALLY tough years for the economy in general and the powersports industry in particular. Both dealers and importers/distributors went out of business. Even some of the well-established major brands experienced significantly reduced sales. What I have been seeing (and hearing about) at some local dealers indicates that 2011 will be a better season for the industry. Even over the winter, some sales were there and service work is already getting busy. We are also facing higher fuel prices and that has a marked effect on powersports sales. In 2008, with gas at $4.00 per gallon, local shops like Scooterville ran out of a lot of models due to very high demand.

I can't say that I really believe the reactionary purchases that these high gas prices can bring mark a real change in transportation attitude. Yes, a LOT of people purchased scooters and motorcycles in 2008 because of the EXTREMELY good fuel economy of the machines. I am also fairly certain that as soon as gas prices fell, a lot of those new machines just sat in the garage. I hope that going through these tough economic times as well as facing rising fuel costs will get more people to understand and take long-term action about their transportation choices. My wife and I are living proof that utilizing scooters and motorcycles (as well as public transit) can bring serious savings. We went down to a single car several years ago (and, I'll admit, more powered-two-wheeled-vehicles than make purely economic sense) and have enjoyed very real money-in-our-pocket savings.

I sincerely believe that we will see an increase in riders in the Twin Cities who are on a scooter or motorcycle because they make for economical urban transport.

Pent Up Demand
After two years of holding back, I believe there is a fairly large pent up demand for motorcycles and scooters. Even people who didn't personally experience job loss or serious income reduction in the past couple of years were holding off on purchases that they didn't view as essential. Let's face it, a lot of people consider a motorcycle or scooter to by something that comes under "discretionary" spending. During the January Cabin Fever event at Scooterville, I talked with several people who had been considering a scooter purchase for AT LEAST a couple of years and finally seemed to have enough economic confidence to go ahead and pull the trigger.

Among existing riders in the Twin Cities area there has been a kind of holding pattern when it comes to their spending. In some cases it was waiting a while for a new machine and in others it was waiting on accessories or modifications. I do believe that service work on existing machines is what kept some dealers going through the last couple of years, and I believe this will maintain and even grow. Part of this pent up demand is represented by the person who HAS a motorcycle or scooter that needs work (or maybe even complete restoration). It's been sitting in the garage for a while, and there were PLANS to get it running or fixed up that just went to the back burner because of real or imagined economic fear. We're likely to see more of those machines on the road this season.

New Products
OK, at least "new" the USA marketplace. This season is brining us some great machines - both for the experienced rider and the newbie just starting out. There are also more choices that represent truly outstanding commuter machines. Honda is bringing us a great 250cc bike in the CBR250R that should appeal to new riders as well as commuters. Genuine has a new version of their very popular Buddy scooter coming out with 168ccs and fuel injection for about $3,300. Experienced riders looking for a do-everything-on-every-road-or-trail machine will have the new Yamaha Super Tenere to consider. The list could go on and on (much like my writing) but suffice to say that 2011 will be a great year for consumer choice in powersports.

Expanding and Growing Rider Base
The Twin Cities is likely to see a continued rise in ridership this season. In some cases, it's out of necessity. A moped-legal scooter (with a parking permit) may well be the best way to get around the University of Minnesota campus. I'm seeing more people shopping motorcycles and scooters for the first time who are looking more for a way to get around than a weekend toy.

Motorcycles have long been viewed as a "male" machine. Local expansion of female riders shows every sign of continuing and there are some dealers (and manufacturers) who are "waking up" to this huge potential market and offering choices and service geared to the female rider. Participating TOGETHER in some scooter activities last year was a high point in my wife and my riding season.

Motorcycles and scooter are "enthusiast" markets. People really get into their machines and in some cases it's even multi-generational. I know more than a few families that have been off-roading on motorcycles for two or three generations. There is also a strong community in the Twin Cities for everything from American V-Twins to Japanese vintage to Adventure Riding and everything in between. I'm fairly certain that my nephew owns and wears Ducati underwear. When he returned from his deployment in Iraq, buying a Duc was one of the first orders of business. I believe that the 2011 season will see growth in both enthusiast numbers and activities. 

2011 - the Year of More
I believe that the Twin Cities area will see more of motorcycles and scooters this season: More riders, more product choices, more transportation use, and more riding fun! 

David Harrington