Ultimately the reason so many dealers are struggling is the lack of new bikers, which is mainly caused by the unnecessarily onerous licencing requirements.
It’s also the price of used bikes. When I passed my test I bought a Suzuki Bandit 600 I for £650. Most for sale now are three times that or more and they haven’t got better over time, have they? The whole point of motorcycling was cheap transport - not the luxury touring and “adventure” BS now. It’s cheaper to learn to drive and buy an old banger, plus you don’t get wet or as cold and can carry more stuff in comfort.
Thanks freddie and monika for highlighting my story. I’ve been following your channel for over 2.5 yrs now, watching all the reviews and vlogs. Thank you for the great entertainment you have provided me specially when i was on ship away from home. ❤
The motorcycle industry in the UK has parallels with the musical instrument industry, albeit a few years behind. Too many shops, declining/ageing customer base, greedy manufacturers forcing retailers to overstock expensive items and heavy discounting resulting in tiny or no profits putting retailers out of business. The UK now has very few music shops compared to 30-40 years ago. Outside of the odd specialist, it’s now mostly cheap online box shifters. Clearly motorcycling is sliding down the same slippery slope. I met Elspeth once, I had no idea who she was. Thoroughly lovely woman to talk to. Huge respect for her travels and writing.
Spot on with the music store comparison. The surviving dealers will be more like ‘demo stores’ and you place your order online. Interestingly, for my generation, we all wanted bikes from age 16 and we all wanted to be playing in a band….these days I think the video game/web have replaced that.
it was never a legal requirement to insure your harmonica though so there was no monopoly involved. Insurance is harming the UK economy - that is a quote from the government. £10,500 to insure a 450cc bike for someone with 1 years NCB and who has jumped through all the hoops proving they can ride. It's madness. The FCA ought to have got hold of rampant profiteering and waste in the insurance industry but they have failed. On a side note did you see AXA health insurance saying they would pull cover from the old lady, hit by an SUV, who had part of her skull removed unless she flew home - agianst all medical advice?
This is Rex. Thanks for sharing my story on Janus and my Halcyon coming in December. I’ll send more info and pictures when it arrives and my impressions. Cheers!
The cost of motorbike ownership has caught up to the cost of new car ownership in terms of purchase price, maintenance, registration and insurance costs. Bloody crazy
Completely agree. I drive an old bullet proof Citroen C1. I’m now looking at getting a scooter or a 125 to her back into riding. Little available for less than what my car cost. Madness.
@@jostaniforth7407 A second hand Japanese bike that has been looked after is as reliable as you are ever going to get and probably more so than a lot of new bikes.
I read his book many years ago when I started reading other travel books and their authors mentioned it as their inspiration. Still one of the best I’ve read. And he didn’t do it on a £15-£20k machine with Sat Nav 🙌🏻
A big thank you Freddie and Monica, after watching your video's from India earlier in the year, my wife and I have just returned from 15 days in Goa. What a brilliant time, fantastic people and country.
Freddie, it was about a year ago that I told you about Janus. The founder, Richard Worsham has a livestream every Monday evening at 7 pm Eastern time. In August I rode my 450 from North Carolina to Sturgis and back about 3000 miles, camping in a tent. Then in September I rode to the factory in Goshen for the annual owners rally. 1100 miles round trip. I’ve met every employee. They are wonderful people. On my ride home I had a mechanical issue. Richard hit the road with a van, brought me back to Goshen and lent me a new 250 while they fixed my bike.
I’ll tell ya what Freddie. I’m not an ADV rider. And I’m never gonna be. But Elspeth Beard is truly the Godmother of adventure biking. Her story is amazing. You really need to read up on her. She did it all the old school way. And she looked dam hot doing it.
Very true about that IAM did an hgv course many years ago didn't get a penny as for bikes too expensive and not an everyday user which is why ROYAL ENFIELD do well,the right sized bikes and affordable and not ridiculous bhp which everyone seems transfixed on.brilliant input Freddie hope you and Monica enjoy your break
I love Elspeth she is my heroine and her book is fantastic. I even had the photograph book that came out afterwards and she signed it for me. I’ve met her twice at the ABR and she is just as cool today as she was back then. Very inspiring for female riders ❤
Freddie, firstly, like many, i have sat waiting for the Tuesday show. Thanks! Also.. if you are struggling to read her book. She has a audio book version, which are convenient for when you are riding, driving or cooking.. a far more accessible way to polish off these books you cant get around to!
Hats off to Janus for putting their motorcycle out there for purchase, I'm a scooter rider now-a-days and sort of wish an American scooter manufacturer would get into the act again with a modern "all metal" machine and not mostly plastic in composition (which is why I now ride a Vespa GTS 300).
I believe some of the reasons why so many dealers are closing are due to a combination of, Economy, overpriced bike's, licensing, insurance rates, lack of new riders, etc etc.. I got started riding dirt bikes as a young child, I still ride dirt bikes now as an adult and road bikes. I believe it's important to get kids into riding and they will grow into future bike owners as adults, manufacturers need to understand this and I believe dealers should create programs to get young and older ppl into motorcycling. Great video as usual. Ride safe ✌️
Hey Freddie. Thanks for another informative video. Re: Elsbeth Beard, I’ve had her book for sometime now and I highly recommend it. A very impressive adventure rider at a time when there was virtually no tech or GPS to help her on her journey, with only paper maps for navigation. A real pioneer who continues to ride today on her BMW. Btw, I’m also a fan of the ‘70s R Series bikes and am constantly on the lookout for one. Cheers and ride safe, Dan ✌️🏍🇨🇦
There's a great video on RUclips of Elspeth Beard giving an illustrated talk about her trip on RUclips, lasts for over an hour and is an excellent watch.
Here in U.S. the forced floor planning of the major motorcycle dealerships by the manufacturers is forcing them to close. They simply can’t move enough units to keep up with the over supply that the floor planning programs require.
Ooh Freddie! I spent weeks drooling over these Janus bikes. Contacted them about trying to get one over here but was too much like hard work if you've never done it before. I would LOVE one!! David
These motorcycle sales issues are rounding up to what we had in the US back in the late 70s/early 80s. We were for awhile able to buy 2 to 3 years old new motorcycles from the dealers that had been sitting in warehouses in their crates from Japan. 😎
I first became aware of Janus Motorcycles when I spotted one of their original 50cc bikes being used in a period TV detective show called " The Frankie Drake Mysteries"; I've been following their progress ever since. Despite the high cost I wish they were available in the UK, there might be a market for them as CCM seem to do ok with expensive but interesting looking bikes. I think it was quite common to give IAM members insurance discounts back in the 80's and early 90's but its been in decline for quite a while. I have a few mates that don't bother to mention it anymore.
Royal Enfield are scooping up the many buyers who only want to pay a four figure sum for a bike, not a five figure sum. Motorcycling is a fun hobby that should be be affordable for all.
I did alright with test dates. The weather puts me off some days but I still ride every month to varying degrees - weather alone would not put me off owning a bike. Some people have only ever ridden for the summer. Insurance costs are madness though. We have to have it but boy do the insurers milk that. Insurance is what is putting people off - hear this from friends, family and dealers who have had orders cancelled because insurance was either not available or cost way too much.
Oh God! I don't read much but I did have the good fortune of reading Elspeth Beard's book, it is so amazing with quirky family stories, unimaginable personal life drama, and just once in a lifetime motorcycle stories. I am a forever fan of Elspeth, if only I could be so cool. Also, she is an architect by trade and lives in a lighthouse that she modified to be her home, and it's amazing, which is another thing she is famous for before her book came out.
Small correction, Elspeth lives in Munstead water tower, it was never a lighthouse! The riveted steel base of the original water tank is her kitchen ceiling!
Hi Freddie, thanks for a great video as always. Bought myself a Fat Bob 114 this year, great bike! Happy surprise that my annual insurance cost is around £170 One good thing being +50 in Sweden :)
I bought a new Honda Hornet in 1999 and with that came MAC training by an ex police motorcycle trainer, it was only during that training that I realised I'd been making many riding mistakes.
I did a tour in Spain some years ago. There were a group of advanced riders there. All but one crashed. I’d spoken to one of the, a few nights before. He’d been riding for 18 months, myself -44 years, ex courier. He described himself as a “progressive rider” and said I’d be unlikely to keep up with them. He’d just got his second bike -a 1000cc sports bike. He was right. I didn’t keep up with them. I chose not to -unfamiliar roads with gravel on a lot of the bends in the mountains. Not overly impressed, to be honest. Perhaps why insurers do not give a discount to advanced riders.
Most advanced riders read a book, get some instruction and all of a sudden they deem themselves exalted “ advanced riders”. I know why I think rider of 50 yrs. 1 crash not my fault. I like to think I can ride quickly when I fancy but know my Own limits. Trail braking is the best and safest thing to learn for bends in my opinion however the police instructors all poo poo it as do the advanced riders. That’s why superbike schools teach it eh? Bends are where most motorcyclists crash if it’s their fault. Trail braking ties the suspension up allowing braking if you get it wrong. It takes a while to perfect and learn it but I can tell you that since I use it I have never had a drama on a bend, whereas occasionally using the focal limit as a guide still relies on judgement which is subject to human error
@@volt8684 Trail breaking for someone who grew up on mountainbikes is just...breaking. Do it carefully and without jerking and it'll get you through most stupidity you get yourself into. However, after one's extracted oneself out of said stupidity thinking has to start. The less self-reflecting amongst us will feel like they've used skill to survive, the more careful of us will perhaps change their riding to avoid the situation altogether. I find this when I go paragliding, some people think it was their skill rather than their luck and eventually luck tends to run out. I prefer to stay on the ground or in air I understand those days. I'm flying for fun, not to make a living and I've promised the wife and kids to always come home for dinner. I've had enough crashes growing up mountainbiking and skiing that I'm not terribly keen having them on a heavy (and expensive) motorbike. I leave such "advanced riding" for others. I ride because I want to get where I'm heading, if it takes half an hour extra in a day? It's a bit like my distance flight being 25km instead of 32. I'll survive.
It makes you laugh when somebody is so arrogant that they say you won't keep up with them, without even knowing your riding history and probably means they are only fast in their own head. Agree, only ride in a way you feel comfortable, especially if the roads aren't that great. I have nearly come a cropper many a times with gravel on the road.
@@903lew i always get riders scoff at me when I mention that cycling has transferable skills. I did mostly x-country, off-roading. I just assume these types are those that wobble around on push-bikes. as for actual motorbiking, I always ride to the conditions (and I don't just mean the weather). like you, I've had plenty of crashes on a mtb. really don't fancy a prang on a 200kg bike - and definitely not at speed.
@@doghous3 Two wheels are two wheels, the gyrophysics are the same. Add the stress of having to pedal the bloody thing…it creates good reflexes and habits. Eyes up, two fingers on the levers, look where you want to go, use your body as leverage. If people don’t want to train those things for ’free’….they must be very very advanced riders indeed.
I have a 2019 KTM 1290 Superadventure S which I absolutely love. Highlight roadtrips. London to Inverness in one day. Tregaron to LLandovery in South Wales on the back roads. Carrying a 16 stone pillion one section was more like a black run ski slope. The bike was impeccable and all the electronics gave me total confidence to absolutely boss it. Also very quick to get us back to Bristol. It's about 3 bikes all in one.
'Motor-Cycling for Women 1928: A Book for the Lady Driver, Sidecar Passenger and Pillion Rider ' Great book...applies as much to men as women....gives a lot of info about motorcycling way back when.
The simple but not so pleasant answer is selling bikes alone isn’t overly profitable, many of the big multi dealerships are now renting bikes, doing group tours, cafes, live music, clothing, clubs. Young people want a place to go listen to music and chill that’s never changed community and finding a hobby that is both enjoyable and cost effective.
Plymouth subscriber here The Plymouth Harley/triumph story includes group car dealerships Kia in exeter and Southampton. The parent company Marsh motor groups HMRC accounts show £32M turnover and £37,000 profit (available to anyone to view online). 0.03% profit margin after costs does not run a business.
I love my Tuareg 660. I bought Sept 2023, after passing my Mod 2 aged(50). It's a 2022 model, had 1300miles on the clock for £8500 from a Triumph dealership that wanted shot. Previous owner had fitted quick-shifter, heated grips, screen and most of the stuff I wanted on it. I flashed the ECU and fitted full stainless G-corse exhaust sytem and dna air filter with snorkel removal kit. She sounds amazing but, more importantly, She is breathing free and cooler, so better for the bike. I'm knocking on 90bhp with less weight now. The Brembo brakes are perfect, as are the traction control and cruise control. Really happy and, if/when I'm done, and wanted to upgrade coz it's Piaggio Group, I can trade in for a Guzzi Stelvio V100 if I wish. I'm gonna stick with for another year at least though.
Also cheap insurance, as per your theory, as therte's only about 150-200 Tuaregs in the country. I've been seeing on forums, people having to pay 3 times as much as me, for their CF450MTs, coz they've sold by the bucket load.
Bro Freddie is also there who always appreciated me as a true biking fanatics but bro not only RE your place I like chicks as well they are very pretty and good sense of humour bro 🌹❤️
I was at Motorcycle Live and it was super popular but there was a recurring trend where guys would sit on bikes and then when staff approached them and told them the cost they'd just go never mind and walk away. Bikes have pretty much stayed with inflation, I bought a new Transalp for just over £5k in 2007 and if you follow the inflation trend, it's the same price at just under £10k now. Wages and income have not kept up though and it's hard to justify an expensive bike when you could have a new car or home upgrade
A point I made last week. A new H-D setting someone back £30k is the same price as a pretty decent Bentley Continental GT. Now as much as I love bikes I know which I would prefer...
@glynOC Wage inflation has significantly exceeded price inflation since 2007. Average salary in 2007 was £24043. Today it is £37430. £24043 in todays money is £31406. In other words we earn an extra £6024 per annum compared to 2007. Why do people keep making things up to add credence to their nonsense post?
@ But you said “wages and income have not kept up”. They have more than kept up. They have exceeded inflation! Wages have increased by more even allowing for housing and Covid. You can’t argue against simple facts
Thanks for another good vlog Freddie. The Tuareg is off road focused. The Tiger is road focused. Make your choice based on how you want to ride. Easy-Peasy 😀😀
Good to hear motorcycle live was busy,When I went to motorcycle live this year it was like a ghost town and I thought motorcycling was in crisis although it was on a snowy Tuesday
My local dealership, Hailsham’s Groombridge, which had been going for decades, sadly closed their doors due to diminishing returns. Their facebook page was littered with shocked and saddened locals and customers. Bad times. Hope they all land on their feet.
@@michael37570I only started attending there in the past few years and could feel the history and good vibes there. I’m gutted for those like you that have more history with the place.
Freddie, I have a feeling that lease and PCP deals have also caused issues, with unreasonably high "guaranteed future values", these are then turned back into the dealers at the end of the term, and have to be sold on for more than their worth, causing more PCP "purchases" and so on, and so on. For more round the world bikers see Sam Manicom, Jacqui Furneaux, Tiffany Coates and of course Ted Simon, all have written some great books on the back of it, and many give talks at events like the Overland event, The Armchair adventure festival and the Adventure Bike Festival.
If anyone thinks thinks that advanced riding is about taking a particular line regardless of circumstances or conditions, they are wrong. The first rule is safety at all times. One of the principles of such courses is to create a ‘thinking’ rider, who makes good decisions and does not just blindly follow perceived ‘rules’. Try taking a course before knocking it. 😀
I have tried it was an emergency worker motorcyclist and for me the people that teach it will not listen to others when it comes to improvements. They think they know it all. Motorcycling for me is not just plodding miles safely but to also be thrilled
So begging the question that led to Freddie's comments - Why do the insurance companies consider the "Advanced Riders" a higher insurance risk? Insurers don't give a damn about perception or notions of "better" they rely on pure hard data crunched to the nth possible degree.
After following an advanced rider for many miles I think that the lines they take put you at far more risk and leave little room for error. Being right in the gutter on right handers and towards the middle of the road on left handers means your constantly crossing the crap/gravel in the middle of the road.
Hi. Check out the wardill 4.its handmade in Wales using a Chinese 250cc engine. It's run by the grandson (poss great grandson) of the inventor of the original wardill. Amazing bike and amazing story.
I suggested Janus lol. Can you imagine a Janus Halcyon with a Moto Morini 3 1/2 ( or 500 ) engine ( with more rounded cylinder fins and rocker covers. and EFI ) in the frame ? I can !
as a former owner of a 1978 r80/7 i felt if i wanted to ride from the UK to china all i would need to do was go yes it would need servicing and consumables ,i did travel around europe on it cherbourg to lisbon to bari italy and greece
Dealership closures are certainly not a worldwide problem. Motorcycle sales have surged in 2024 and are close to an all-time record. The UK and a few motorcycle brands have created some problems for themselves.
But for UK, ‘British Motorcycles Market is ending the 2024 with the third lost in a row. The Q3 was reported down a deep 9.8% and with Year to Date September figures at 90.363 (-3.8%)’ BMF .31 Oct 2024
@@GJS-live I simply used a Google search "World motorcycle sales". First post was motorcyclesdata with the headline: "During the first nine months 2024, the global motorcycles industry (including moped, scooter, motorcycles, underbone) scored a robust +5.7% with over 49.4 million sales and projecting the new all time record." Other sources agree.
Having now listened to the whole episode, I've got another key point to make: With the Aprilia vs the Tiger 660 you're really comparing an apple with a pear. They're completely different types of machine - the 17 inch front wheel on the Triumph tells you it's not an adventure bike at all - not designed for anything remotely off-tarmac. The Aprilia Tuareg, on the other hand, is eminently off-road-able, much more so than most adventure bikes, due to its relatively light weight and 21 inch front wheel. You should have compared the Aprilia to the Yamaha T7 Tenere700 or the Honda XLV750 Transalp! FWIW I had some of my most memorable adventures on a Mk1 Honda Transalp 600 back in the late 1980s: I raced it in the week-long Monte Carlo Moto in 1988, then I rode it the length of the Pyrenees, mostly off-road, in the 1989 Raid Aneto (and won the star prize), then I raced it in some of the very first super moto races in the UK. It was stolen and burnt out while I was working on Teesside in 1990, but I revived it and did an advanced police riding course with it before selling it to an Irishman who won the first ever Rally of Discovery on it! I've also had serious adventures on later Transalps - MCC Land's End Trial and Cambrian Rally in one 1,000 mile weekend in 1996, Rally of Discovery Spain on a hired Transalp in the Noughties. I could go on...Blez
In 1979 I bought a second hand Kawasaki 1976 Z900 for £925. I’ve still got that bike and it’s probably worth anywhere between £5K-£10K although values are now dropping from a few years ago. Elspiths R60 hasn’t gone up in value by as much but it’s certainly still a desirable bike!
I bought one of the first Tuareg 660 bikes available in 2022. I bought it via a nearby dealer, although I imported it to where I live as there is no local dealer. I've serviced it myself and ridden the wheels off it for that last two years. Probably a 70/30 split on road to off road. Nothing has gone wrong with it and I can't see myself selling it any time soon. These bikes are very much under the radar as far as the number of Aprilia Tuaregs I see as compared to the T7 etc. I think they are the "Swiss Army knife" of the ADV sector and can't see anything that has more to offer at any price really.
I would also go with the Aprilia. Primarily because it is air cooled. Air cooling keeps things more simple, especially with adventure bikes. Not only do they require much less maintenance but also as they age they won't be plagued with leaks and dribbles. Not only this but if you spear part of your liquid cooled system, you're screwed on a long ride in the middle of nowhere.
Those Janus’ look superb. Expensive. But really where else are you going to get a hand-built bike like that that’s styled after the bikes of the first half of the 20th century? Truly a bespoke operation. Niche, but if it’s your niche, I would imagine you’d absolutely love it. Well done to that company 🍻
Hello. 3 things. 1/ Tickled to get a mention when you read out the opening paragraphs of Elspeth Beard's home page which draws on my original 2009 article for BMW that helped to make her famous. FWIW I'm one of the very few people who's ridden both her RTW R60 and her R80GS Basic. 2/ I'm sorely tempted by the Aprilia Tuareg 660 myself - so much lighter than my erstwhile Africa Twin 1100, but still with 80bhp - I had an enjoyable introductory off-road ride on one at last summer's ABR Festival. 3/ You said the Aprilia was "air cooled" which is obviously bollocks - you can see from the photo that it's liquid cooled! I presume you were reading out someone else's ill-researched words there? Cheers, Paul 'Blez' Blezard.
I was in a fantastic honda dealer full of stock and would not offer any discount. He did not say they will be closing down and honda are price fixing which is not legal in the UK
Freddie mate, love your chats. Re the downward trend in the motorcycle world. Listening to the stories of young riders trying To get insured, this is going to kill motorcycling in this country. Someone needs to lead a protest about the insurance system for bike riders. The trial examples for quotes shows the insurance companies make it up as they go along. This can't be allowed to continue. I'm lucky, 57 and. Been riding since 95. I can almost buy and insure any bike. Even the benneli tornado I had a few years ago was only about £180, a year! Something has got to be done.
An insurance quote isn't just taken from a list and then presented to you, it is all done on a computer. Every single detail about claims, accidents, thefts, who is safer, where is safer etc etc, is all fed into a computer, which is regularly updated, then it comes up with a quote. That is why often you can get weird quotes just by changing one small detail, because of what has been fed into the computer. Obviously young riders must be a liability and is why they have to pay so much for insurance.
@@steveedwards4495 He found what is fed into the computer. Basically if you are an older rider from a small Suffolk village, you are a low liability and that liability doesn't change even if you have a no-claims bonus, or that you haven't passed your test for that long, which isn't surprising seeing that the test is so involved now. What makes the difference is your age and where you live in the country.
Superbike Warehouse has not long changed to BigMoto a few miles from me up in Yarmouth, Norfolk. I noticed they no longer sell new Royal Enfields. Bigger stock, a mixture of bikes, pretty much all second hand. (A few new 125cc Heralds)
The 1960’s Munich built BMW’s, in particular the R69S, are regarded by many as being even higher quality than the /5 and later models built in West Berlin, for example, the earlier models had roller bearings and the later models plain shell bearings. It is said of course that without changing the engine and other design features BMW would have stopped making motorcycles completely as they were making a loss on every bike they sold. If you have never watched the original 1973 Day of the Jackal film it is highly recommended, not least because it includes scenes of the French Police riding old BMW motorcycles. Got to love those odd looking handlebar end mounted indicators ! 🇬🇧
The town centres falling to pieces should have been a warning sign, everything is decaying in the UK so eventually the leisure products will be suffer and yes motorcycling is mostly a leisure activity for most
IAM Advanced Driver here, doesn't save anything whatsoever in the 3-4 years I've put it on quotes. £30 odd discount yet the annual renewal costs more 😂 I was going to do IAM Rider but thought its an absolute waste of money (and motorcycling is becoming prohibitively more expensive) Similar reason for the companies going bust - PCP and the cost of bikes is destroying the incident. I went into Triumph Oxford a few months back to look at upgrading my Tiger 900 GT Pro to a 1200 GT Pro, and had absolutely no interest from the sales guys when I walked in. I was ready to test ride and potentially buy in cash yet they didn't even say hello! I walked out and figured I'd just keep my 900 GT Pro instead. If I'm walking about looking at a machine, I want to be approached, I want to be wooed and shown some interest but got the opposite
Haha - I had exactly the same sort of experience when I went to a local Suzuki dealer to buy a new bike in early 2000! After waiting ages a salesman came over and said "Hello, are you Steve?" I got no further than replying "No, but... " before he turned round and walked off again. If only he'd waited for the end of the sentence, it would've been "... I'd like to put a pre-order deposit on a DR-Z400S." Hey-ho, his loss: I just went to a different dealer.
@Morrismarina precisely the point - actively looking like you give a toss about every single person walking through the door would help go a long way 😂
I wonder whether dealerships struggle as a result of wealth distribution across generations in the UK. Speaking as a millennial I see many peers of my generation prioritise affordability, to which brands like Royal Enfield are playing to very effectively. I wonder whether brands like Harley, on the other hand, haven’t acknowledged that younger generations don’t have the cash sloshing about like baby boomer have had. I could be wrong, but I do wonder
Interesting video especially wrt motorcycle industry. I too was at motorcycle live (the old man looking for a less hooligan bike) and went on the HD stand. My impression was that they were promoting their USP of lifestyle rather than their bikes. Also have a look at SWM bikes, they have a copy of the 1200 Sportster (Stormbreaker V 1200) and it conforms to Euro emissions. Unfortunately, SWM not currently available in UK (but are in Spain). It appears to me that more manufacturers are being influenced to supply smaller capacity and reasonably priced bikes.
Lack of young riders coming thru. Its the complete opposite in Asian countries where the max capacity is mybe 400cc = more affordable and that nearly all young people there rides. The UK market is too busy promoting expensive luxury motorcycles to ages 60+. And im getting sick and tired of that buisness model.
I've met Elspeth Beard a few times, she's a lovely woman. She also has a photo I took of her bike in her office. I would also check out Sam Manicom, the nicest man in motorcycling. He's written several books of his round the world travels on his old BMW R80. But I would say as you like adventure bike travel, then come to the Overland Event in Oxford next year. Elspeth is sometimes there, also Ted Simon has been to every one of the events for the last 10 years
With regard to adventure bikes, I have to say that the Aprilia Tuareg is a sweet machine. There are some drawbacks, as with literally every other machine. It all depends on the balance of what you love and what you're willing to live with. For me, at 56 years old at the time, and nearly 50 years of riding motorcycles, my latest purchase was a '23 Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer. It was after numerous test rides on every other bike in its class and reading and watching one review and comparison after another, I landed on the Tiger. After 18 months of ownership, I'm still very much in love with it and do not regret my decision in the slightest. Obviously, my opinion is subjective. Some may prefer other brands. Others may even eschew big bore adventure bikes altogether. Regardless, we're spoiled for choice, and I think it's very difficult for anyone looking, to not find the perfect bike for them.
Small independent bike shops are the way to go. I know of two old style shops still going strong. The big dealers are not personal and are customer unfriendly.
Royal Enfield is probably best placed to ‘ride’ the storm of dealers suffering from these challenging times. Maybe if they did a125 entry level bike to encourage new riders.
Hi Freddie I think we will see less dealers, with less stock. Customers will be able to ride a demo bikes but then have to place an order in advance. So dealers don’t have to hold much stock of bikes & bikes will only be built to confirmed orders. I’ve noticed this recently when trying the Triumph 400 scrambler and the CF Moto 450mt. There has been no stock of these bikes only demo bikes in the showroom. Surely this is the only way dealers are going to survive.
I had a lot of trouble getting test rides. One shop stated 'no more this year due to the weather', others said they hadn't got a demonstrator and wouldn't let me ride either the new or used stock and others could not insure me on their demonstrator until I had at least a year with a full licence. I'm coming up to 50 and have driven cars for 30 years with no accidents or points although only had 2 years on CBT and 3 months on a full bike licence at the time of looking for test rides. There were essentially two dealers that let me test multiple bikes... both some distance from me. I honestly felt people didn't want to sell bikes.
Yep. That went complete;y out the window with both bike suggestions and then also with Freddie's typical enthusiasm. The Aprilia is higher than the Transalp that was already dismissed as a no-go.
I think the sheer number of new models coming out 2/3 times a year from so many OEMs now, leading to over supply and as you said stock demands on the dealers to take a min number of each model. EG the last 18 months from Royal Enfield !!
Looking at your choices of bike of the week I would go for the all new Zontes 703f that comes with everything for under £7k 😮. Another manufacturer making bikes for a reasonable price. The problem is always seat height with this style of bike, take a look.
Any bike is a good adventure bike. In my opinion the current adv bikes are extremely heavy and complicated. Luckily the small / medium capacity adv and dualsport bikes are making a comeback. It depends on your definition of adventure, but my best adventures in southern africa have been on a Honda XR650R and a Suzuki DR650. Even my Transalp 650 becomes cumbersome when you hit sand etc. I am looking forward to the new DRZ and 390 Adv although a small capacity twin would be better. The CF Moto 450 looks very interesting as well.
Ultimately the reason so many dealers are struggling is the lack of new bikers, which is mainly caused by the unnecessarily onerous licencing requirements.
And poor economic situation for young people along with increasing insurance prices for young riders, partly due to volume of motorcycle thefts
If i were starting to ride again i wouldn't do it as to complex to long
It’s also the price of used bikes. When I passed my test I bought a Suzuki Bandit 600 I for £650. Most for sale now are three times that or more and they haven’t got better over time, have they? The whole point of motorcycling was cheap transport - not the luxury touring and “adventure” BS now. It’s cheaper to learn to drive and buy an old banger, plus you don’t get wet or as cold and can carry more stuff in comfort.
The cost of living , life got more expensive, some say our disposable income is being taken away to go towards saving the planet...
@@MV-XD2New, and used bikes, have never been cheaper in real terms. Why post made up “facts” to justify a nonsense post?
Thanks freddie and monika for highlighting my story. I’ve been following your channel for over 2.5 yrs now, watching all the reviews and vlogs. Thank you for the great entertainment you have provided me specially when i was on ship away from home. ❤
love your story and your bike, wishing you many happy thousands of miles 🙂
Great story man, that is a great description of the feeling and joy of buying and riding a bike! Hope you have many save miles and RIDE ON!
It was my pleasure to share your story, thank you so much for sharing it!:)
Beautiful motorcycle, wonderful story, best whishes from Ireland.
Hope you get as much pleasure from your classic 350 as I have had from mine😊
The motorcycle industry in the UK has parallels with the musical instrument industry, albeit a few years behind. Too many shops, declining/ageing customer base, greedy manufacturers forcing retailers to overstock expensive items and heavy discounting resulting in tiny or no profits putting retailers out of business. The UK now has very few music shops compared to 30-40 years ago. Outside of the odd specialist, it’s now mostly cheap online box shifters. Clearly motorcycling is sliding down the same slippery slope.
I met Elspeth once, I had no idea who she was. Thoroughly lovely woman to talk to. Huge respect for her travels and writing.
Spot on with the music store comparison. The surviving dealers will be more like ‘demo stores’ and you place your order online. Interestingly, for my generation, we all wanted bikes from age 16 and we all wanted to be playing in a band….these days I think the video game/web have replaced that.
it was never a legal requirement to insure your harmonica though so there was no monopoly involved. Insurance is harming the UK economy - that is a quote from the government. £10,500 to insure a 450cc bike for someone with 1 years NCB and who has jumped through all the hoops proving they can ride. It's madness.
The FCA ought to have got hold of rampant profiteering and waste in the insurance industry but they have failed.
On a side note did you see AXA health insurance saying they would pull cover from the old lady, hit by an SUV, who had part of her skull removed unless she flew home - agianst all medical advice?
So you're saying Yamaha is losing on all fronts?
This is Rex. Thanks for sharing my story on Janus and my Halcyon coming in December. I’ll send more info and pictures when it arrives and my impressions. Cheers!
The cost of motorbike ownership has caught up to the cost of new car ownership in terms of purchase price, maintenance, registration and insurance costs. Bloody crazy
Completely agree. I drive an old bullet proof Citroen C1. I’m now looking at getting a scooter or a 125 to her back into riding. Little available for less than what my car cost. Madness.
Maybe for youngsters. My 650 BMW cost £84 fully comp, service it myself.
@@jostaniforth7407 Unless your car is worth a lot less than £1000, I've seen hundreds available.
@@Steve-s8k Depends how reliable a bike you want doesn’t it
@@jostaniforth7407 A second hand Japanese bike that has been looked after is as reliable as you are ever going to get and probably more so than a lot of new bikes.
Ted Simon also toured the world on a Triumph Tiger 100 in the 1970s. I met him a while back and he's a lovely guy. His book is Jupiter's Travels.
I read his book many years ago when I started reading other travel books and their authors mentioned it as their inspiration. Still one of the best I’ve read. And he didn’t do it on a £15-£20k machine with Sat Nav 🙌🏻
I read his book way back when. Best read for round the World on a bike.
@@jostaniforth7407he did, but like 25 years later. It's called "dreaming of jupiter" lol
I'm going to get a Janus motorbike and call it Hugh.
Janus Hugh?
You should call it "Hugh Janus"...way funnier.
😆
Oh yes Mandingo! 😂
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne Duh?
Does it have a heated seat?
A big thank you Freddie and Monica, after watching your video's from India earlier in the year, my wife and I have just returned from 15 days in Goa.
What a brilliant time, fantastic people and country.
So glad you enjoyed yourself! It’s a magical place❤️
Freddie, it was about a year ago that I told you about Janus. The founder, Richard Worsham has a livestream every Monday evening at 7 pm Eastern time. In August I rode my 450 from North Carolina to Sturgis and back about 3000 miles, camping in a tent. Then in September I rode to the factory in Goshen for the annual owners rally. 1100 miles round trip. I’ve met every employee. They are wonderful people. On my ride home I had a mechanical issue. Richard hit the road with a van, brought me back to Goshen and lent me a new 250 while they fixed my bike.
That kind of service is unimaginable.
I’ll tell ya what Freddie. I’m not an ADV rider. And I’m never gonna be. But Elspeth Beard is truly the Godmother of adventure biking. Her story is amazing. You really need to read up on her. She did it all the old school way. And she looked dam hot doing it.
Her story is astounding. She doesn't sugarcoat anything.
Elspeth is really cool but check out Mary Motorcycle. Round the world in the 60s on a Bantam. Amazing lady, sadly left us recently.
Lol "I'll tell ya what Freddie"
Elspeth learned to strip down her BMW to engine level before starting her travels.
She's still hot for a woman of her age.
She's an excellent ambassador for biking and a true Brit with spirit
Very true about that IAM did an hgv course many years ago didn't get a penny as for bikes too expensive and not an everyday user which is why ROYAL ENFIELD do well,the right sized bikes and affordable and not ridiculous bhp which everyone seems transfixed on.brilliant input Freddie hope you and Monica enjoy your break
put Elspeth on top of your book list, that simple
It’s a great book
Great video as always Freddie. I always look forward to sitting down with a mug of tea to watch Tuesday at Dobbs’
I love Elspeth she is my heroine and her book is fantastic. I even had the photograph book that came out afterwards and she signed it for me. I’ve met her twice at the ABR and she is just as cool today as she was back then. Very inspiring for female riders ❤
Really look forward to these little Tuesday podcasts 😎 very informative and well done. Look forward to next week mate🍻
Those Janus motorcycles are true dream bikes.
Freddie, firstly, like many, i have sat waiting for the Tuesday show. Thanks! Also.. if you are struggling to read her book. She has a audio book version, which are convenient for when you are riding, driving or cooking.. a far more accessible way to polish off these books you cant get around to!
Hats off to Janus for putting their motorcycle out there for purchase, I'm a scooter rider now-a-days and sort of wish an American scooter manufacturer would get into the act again with a modern "all metal" machine and not mostly plastic in composition (which is why I now ride a Vespa GTS 300).
Lovely to hear mention of Paul Blezzard “Blez” .. a legend in motorcycling journalism. Great bloke too.
Why thank you Andy! But remember, there's only one Z in Blezard! :-)
@@pnblondon1087 Absolutely right. I will have a chuckle abut that next time I see him. Keep up the good work.
Thank you bro 🇬🇧🇬🇧❤️❤️❤️❤️thank you for appreciating RE
I believe some of the reasons why so many dealers are closing are due to a combination of, Economy, overpriced bike's, licensing, insurance rates, lack of new riders, etc etc.. I got started riding dirt bikes as a young child, I still ride dirt bikes now as an adult and road bikes. I believe it's important to get kids into riding and they will grow into future bike owners as adults, manufacturers need to understand this and I believe dealers should create programs to get young and older ppl into motorcycling. Great video as usual. Ride safe ✌️
Hey Freddie. Thanks for another informative video. Re: Elsbeth Beard, I’ve had her book for sometime now and I highly recommend it. A very impressive adventure rider at a time when there was virtually no tech or GPS to help her on her journey, with only paper maps for navigation. A real pioneer who continues to ride today on her BMW. Btw, I’m also a fan of the ‘70s R Series bikes and am constantly on the lookout for one. Cheers and ride safe, Dan ✌️🏍🇨🇦
There's a great video on RUclips of Elspeth Beard giving an illustrated talk about her trip on RUclips, lasts for over an hour and is an excellent watch.
Love the videos from USA.. Long time watcher.. Janus with a hard "J" 👍👍
Ah thanks Solidus- on both counts🙌🏻🙌🏻🇺🇸
I’ve read the Elspeth Beard book - it’s fantastic, right up there with Ted Simon’s book
Freddie you MUST read Elspeths book. She is a living legend as a biker and architect. I even named a bike after her.
Here in U.S. the forced floor planning of the major motorcycle dealerships by the manufacturers is forcing them to close. They simply can’t move enough units to keep up with the over supply that the floor planning programs require.
Interesting to hear similar’s happening in the US
Ooh Freddie! I spent weeks drooling over these Janus bikes. Contacted them about trying to get one over here but was too much like hard work if you've never done it before. I would LOVE one!!
David
These motorcycle sales issues are rounding up to what we had in the US back in the late 70s/early 80s. We were for awhile able to buy 2 to 3 years old new motorcycles from the dealers that had been sitting in warehouses in their crates from Japan. 😎
I first became aware of Janus Motorcycles when I spotted one of their original 50cc bikes being used in a period TV detective show called " The Frankie Drake Mysteries"; I've been following their progress ever since.
Despite the high cost I wish they were available in the UK, there might be a market for them as CCM seem to do ok with expensive but interesting looking bikes.
I think it was quite common to give IAM members insurance discounts back in the 80's and early 90's but its been in decline for quite a while. I have a few mates that don't bother to mention it anymore.
Royal Enfield are scooping up the many buyers who only want to pay a four figure sum for a bike, not a five figure sum. Motorcycling is a fun hobby that should be be affordable for all.
Always good content...Janus, interesting but all hardtails..........all the best to Monica and you...
No, the 450 Halcyon and 450 Griffin are full suspension
Cost of insurance, shit British weather, and the ridiculous long waits for mod 1&2 tests is the reason why I think Freddie
I did alright with test dates. The weather puts me off some days but I still ride every month to varying degrees - weather alone would not put me off owning a bike. Some people have only ever ridden for the summer.
Insurance costs are madness though. We have to have it but boy do the insurers milk that. Insurance is what is putting people off - hear this from friends, family and dealers who have had orders cancelled because insurance was either not available or cost way too much.
Oh God! I don't read much but I did have the good fortune of reading Elspeth Beard's book, it is so amazing with quirky family stories, unimaginable personal life drama, and just once in a lifetime motorcycle stories. I am a forever fan of Elspeth, if only I could be so cool. Also, she is an architect by trade and lives in a lighthouse that she modified to be her home, and it's amazing, which is another thing she is famous for before her book came out.
Small correction, Elspeth lives in Munstead water tower, it was never a lighthouse! The riveted steel base of the original water tank is her kitchen ceiling!
Hi Freddie, thanks for a great video as always.
Bought myself a Fat Bob 114 this year, great bike!
Happy surprise that my annual insurance cost is around £170
One good thing being +50 in Sweden :)
I bought a new Honda Hornet in 1999 and with that came MAC training by an ex police motorcycle trainer, it was only during that training that I realised I'd been making many riding mistakes.
I'd never heard of Janus, amazing bikes, the new scrambler looks right up your street Freddie, enjoy your content, thanks
Rich
Thelakesbiker
Cumbria
I did a tour in Spain some years ago. There were a group of advanced riders there. All but one crashed. I’d spoken to one of the, a few nights before. He’d been riding for 18 months, myself -44 years, ex courier. He described himself as a “progressive rider” and said I’d be unlikely to keep up with them. He’d just got his second bike -a 1000cc sports bike. He was right. I didn’t keep up with them. I chose not to -unfamiliar roads with gravel on a lot of the bends in the mountains. Not overly impressed, to be honest. Perhaps why insurers do not give a discount to advanced riders.
Most advanced riders read a book, get some instruction and all of a sudden they deem themselves exalted “ advanced riders”. I know why I think rider of 50 yrs. 1 crash not my fault. I like to think I can ride quickly when I fancy but know my Own limits. Trail braking is the best and safest thing to learn for bends in my opinion however the police instructors all poo poo it as do the advanced riders. That’s why superbike schools teach it eh? Bends are where most motorcyclists crash if it’s their fault. Trail braking ties the suspension up allowing braking if you get it wrong. It takes a while to perfect and learn it but I can tell you that since I use it I have never had a drama on a bend, whereas occasionally using the focal limit as a guide still relies on judgement which is subject to human error
@@volt8684 Trail breaking for someone who grew up on mountainbikes is just...breaking. Do it carefully and without jerking and it'll get you through most stupidity you get yourself into. However, after one's extracted oneself out of said stupidity thinking has to start. The less self-reflecting amongst us will feel like they've used skill to survive, the more careful of us will perhaps change their riding to avoid the situation altogether.
I find this when I go paragliding, some people think it was their skill rather than their luck and eventually luck tends to run out. I prefer to stay on the ground or in air I understand those days. I'm flying for fun, not to make a living and I've promised the wife and kids to always come home for dinner.
I've had enough crashes growing up mountainbiking and skiing that I'm not terribly keen having them on a heavy (and expensive) motorbike. I leave such "advanced riding" for others. I ride because I want to get where I'm heading, if it takes half an hour extra in a day? It's a bit like my distance flight being 25km instead of 32. I'll survive.
It makes you laugh when somebody is so arrogant that they say you won't keep up with them, without even knowing your riding history and probably means they are only fast in their own head. Agree, only ride in a way you feel comfortable, especially if the roads aren't that great. I have nearly come a cropper many a times with gravel on the road.
@@903lew i always get riders scoff at me when I mention that cycling has transferable skills. I did mostly x-country, off-roading. I just assume these types are those that wobble around on push-bikes.
as for actual motorbiking, I always ride to the conditions (and I don't just mean the weather).
like you, I've had plenty of crashes on a mtb. really don't fancy a prang on a 200kg bike - and definitely not at speed.
@@doghous3 Two wheels are two wheels, the gyrophysics are the same. Add the stress of having to pedal the bloody thing…it creates good reflexes and habits. Eyes up, two fingers on the levers, look where you want to go, use your body as leverage.
If people don’t want to train those things for ’free’….they must be very very advanced riders indeed.
I love the BMW K1! Had a poster on my bedroom wall when it came out and still keep looking at them to this day.
I love these posts! Nothing new to add here but I would just say, thank you Freddie.
I have a 2019 KTM 1290 Superadventure S which I absolutely love. Highlight roadtrips. London to Inverness in one day. Tregaron to LLandovery in South Wales on the back roads. Carrying a 16 stone pillion one section was more like a black run ski slope. The bike was impeccable and all the electronics gave me total confidence to absolutely boss it. Also very quick to get us back to Bristol. It's about 3 bikes all in one.
'Motor-Cycling for Women 1928: A Book for the Lady Driver, Sidecar Passenger and Pillion Rider '
Great book...applies as much to men as women....gives a lot of info about motorcycling way back when.
The simple but not so pleasant answer is selling bikes alone isn’t overly profitable, many of the big multi dealerships are now renting bikes, doing group tours, cafes, live music, clothing, clubs.
Young people want a place to go listen to music and chill that’s never changed community and finding a hobby that is both enjoyable and cost effective.
Plymouth subscriber here
The Plymouth Harley/triumph story includes group car dealerships Kia in exeter and Southampton. The parent company Marsh motor groups HMRC accounts show £32M turnover and £37,000 profit (available to anyone to view online). 0.03% profit margin after costs does not run a business.
Probably true that services on the vehicles sold does actually support the business and not the actual sale.
Thanks for flagging this up. 0.03% is scary😳
@@tuesdayatdobbsthat's not the full story to be fair, it's quite a bit more complicated ~ former Marsh H-D Employee.
I love my Tuareg 660. I bought Sept 2023, after passing my Mod 2 aged(50). It's a 2022 model, had 1300miles on the clock for £8500 from a Triumph dealership that wanted shot. Previous owner had fitted quick-shifter, heated grips, screen and most of the stuff I wanted on it. I flashed the ECU and fitted full stainless G-corse exhaust sytem and dna air filter with snorkel removal kit. She sounds amazing but, more importantly, She is breathing free and cooler, so better for the bike. I'm knocking on 90bhp with less weight now. The Brembo brakes are perfect, as are the traction control and cruise control. Really happy and, if/when I'm done, and wanted to upgrade coz it's Piaggio Group, I can trade in for a Guzzi Stelvio V100 if I wish. I'm gonna stick with for another year at least though.
Also cheap insurance, as per your theory, as therte's only about 150-200 Tuaregs in the country. I've been seeing on forums, people having to pay 3 times as much as me, for their CF450MTs, coz they've sold by the bucket load.
Watching this in Copenhagen Freddie!
Bro Freddie is also there who always appreciated me as a true biking fanatics but bro not only RE your place I like chicks as well they are very pretty and good sense of humour bro 🌹❤️
That Janos is a beautiful looking bike, the engine could do with a bit more disguising as it’s obviously modern, but the frame and wheels are a gem
I was at Motorcycle Live and it was super popular but there was a recurring trend where guys would sit on bikes and then when staff approached them and told them the cost they'd just go never mind and walk away. Bikes have pretty much stayed with inflation, I bought a new Transalp for just over £5k in 2007 and if you follow the inflation trend, it's the same price at just under £10k now. Wages and income have not kept up though and it's hard to justify an expensive bike when you could have a new car or home upgrade
A point I made last week. A new H-D setting someone back £30k is the same price as a pretty decent Bentley Continental GT. Now as much as I love bikes I know which I would prefer...
@glynOC Wage inflation has significantly exceeded price inflation since 2007. Average salary in 2007 was £24043. Today it is £37430. £24043 in todays money is £31406. In other words we earn an extra £6024 per annum compared to 2007. Why do people keep making things up to add credence to their nonsense post?
@richardbrooks4549 Yes, but look at the cost of housing increase since then, about 80%, and fuel/food since COVID, not remotely in scale to income
@ But you said “wages and income have not kept up”. They have more than kept up. They have exceeded inflation! Wages have increased by more even allowing for housing and Covid. You can’t argue against simple facts
@@richardbrooks4549 What planet do you live on? Let me guess, you are a highly paid London stock broker or something?
Thanks for another good vlog Freddie. The Tuareg is off road focused. The Tiger is road focused. Make your choice based on how you want to ride. Easy-Peasy 😀😀
Good to hear motorcycle live was busy,When I went to motorcycle live this year it was like a ghost town and I thought motorcycling was in crisis although it was on a snowy Tuesday
My local dealership, Hailsham’s Groombridge, which had been going for decades, sadly closed their doors due to diminishing returns. Their facebook page was littered with shocked and saddened locals and customers. Bad times. Hope they all land on their feet.
Very sad to hear this as it was my local bike dealer from the 70s when I started biking 😢
@@michael37570I only started attending there in the past few years and could feel the history and good vibes there. I’m gutted for those like you that have more history with the place.
What a great jacket! 😉
Thanks Edward😀
Freddie, I have a feeling that lease and PCP deals have also caused issues, with unreasonably high "guaranteed future values", these are then turned back into the dealers at the end of the term, and have to be sold on for more than their worth, causing more PCP "purchases" and so on, and so on. For more round the world bikers see Sam Manicom, Jacqui Furneaux, Tiffany Coates and of course Ted Simon, all have written some great books on the back of it, and many give talks at events like the Overland event, The Armchair adventure festival and the Adventure Bike Festival.
If anyone thinks thinks that advanced riding is about taking a particular line regardless of circumstances or conditions, they are wrong. The first rule is safety at all times. One of the principles of such courses is to create a ‘thinking’ rider, who makes good decisions and does not just blindly follow perceived ‘rules’. Try taking a course before knocking it. 😀
Never sacrifice safety for position - first rule!
I have tried it was an emergency worker motorcyclist and for me the people that teach it will not listen to others when it comes to improvements. They think they know it all. Motorcycling for me is not just plodding miles safely but to also be thrilled
So begging the question that led to Freddie's comments - Why do the insurance companies consider the "Advanced Riders" a higher insurance risk? Insurers don't give a damn about perception or notions of "better" they rely on pure hard data crunched to the nth possible degree.
After following an advanced rider for many miles I think that the lines they take put you at far more risk and leave little room for error. Being right in the gutter on right handers and towards the middle of the road on left handers means your constantly crossing the crap/gravel in the middle of the road.
@ anyone riding like that would not qualify as an advanced rider. Safety is always the number one priority.
Hi. Check out the wardill 4.its handmade in Wales using a Chinese 250cc engine. It's run by the grandson (poss great grandson) of the inventor of the original wardill. Amazing bike and amazing story.
I suggested Janus lol. Can you imagine a Janus Halcyon with a Moto Morini 3 1/2 ( or 500 ) engine ( with more rounded cylinder fins and rocker covers. and EFI ) in the frame ? I can !
as a former owner of a 1978 r80/7 i felt if i wanted to ride from the UK to china all i would need to do was go yes it would need servicing and consumables ,i did travel around europe on it cherbourg to lisbon to bari italy and greece
Dealership closures are certainly not a worldwide problem. Motorcycle sales have surged in 2024 and are close to an all-time record. The UK and a few motorcycle brands have created some problems for themselves.
But for UK, ‘British Motorcycles Market is ending the 2024 with the third lost in a row. The Q3 was reported down a deep 9.8% and with Year to Date September figures at 90.363 (-3.8%)’
BMF .31 Oct 2024
Interesting. Can you elaborate please?
Very interesting- I’ll keep an eye on this thread for any updates. Thank you all
@@GJS-live I simply used a Google search "World motorcycle sales". First post was motorcyclesdata with the headline: "During the first nine months 2024, the global motorcycles industry (including moped, scooter, motorcycles, underbone) scored a robust +5.7% with over 49.4 million sales and projecting the new all time record." Other sources agree.
It's the Asian market that is booming.
Having now listened to the whole episode, I've got another key point to make: With the Aprilia vs the Tiger 660 you're really comparing an apple with a pear. They're completely different types of machine - the 17 inch front wheel on the Triumph tells you it's not an adventure bike at all - not designed for anything remotely off-tarmac. The Aprilia Tuareg, on the other hand, is eminently off-road-able, much more so than most adventure bikes, due to its relatively light weight and 21 inch front wheel. You should have compared the Aprilia to the Yamaha T7 Tenere700 or the Honda XLV750 Transalp! FWIW I had some of my most memorable adventures on a Mk1 Honda Transalp 600 back in the late 1980s: I raced it in the week-long Monte Carlo Moto in 1988, then I rode it the length of the Pyrenees, mostly off-road, in the 1989 Raid Aneto (and won the star prize), then I raced it in some of the very first super moto races in the UK. It was stolen and burnt out while I was working on Teesside in 1990, but I revived it and did an advanced police riding course with it before selling it to an Irishman who won the first ever Rally of Discovery on it! I've also had serious adventures on later Transalps - MCC Land's End Trial and Cambrian Rally in one 1,000 mile weekend in 1996, Rally of Discovery Spain on a hired Transalp in the Noughties. I could go on...Blez
In 1979 I bought a second hand Kawasaki 1976 Z900 for £925. I’ve still got that bike and it’s probably worth anywhere between £5K-£10K although values are now dropping from a few years ago. Elspiths R60 hasn’t gone up in value by as much but it’s certainly still a desirable bike!
I sold one of those around that time for around that money. Wasn’t near Coventry, was it?
Love the Janus, I can see a hint of Brough Superior. More so if it had a V Twin.
I bought one of the first Tuareg 660 bikes available in 2022. I bought it via a nearby dealer, although I imported it to where I live as there is no local dealer. I've serviced it myself and ridden the wheels off it for that last two years. Probably a 70/30 split on road to off road. Nothing has gone wrong with it and I can't see myself selling it any time soon. These bikes are very much under the radar as far as the number of Aprilia Tuaregs I see as compared to the T7 etc. I think they are the "Swiss Army knife" of the ADV sector and can't see anything that has more to offer at any price really.
my 800 tiger xca is superb and comfort is paramount. regards Richard in Essex
I love them both 🌹❤️
I would also go with the Aprilia. Primarily because it is air cooled. Air cooling keeps things more simple, especially with adventure bikes. Not only do they require much less maintenance but also as they age they won't be plagued with leaks and dribbles. Not only this but if you spear part of your liquid cooled system, you're screwed on a long ride in the middle of nowhere.
Those Janus’ look superb. Expensive. But really where else are you going to get a hand-built bike like that that’s styled after the bikes of the first half of the 20th century? Truly a bespoke operation. Niche, but if it’s your niche, I would imagine you’d absolutely love it. Well done to that company 🍻
As a (clothing) retailer, the rise in the minimum wage, plus employers' NI and pension contributions are really putting the squeeze on ALL retailers.
Hello. 3 things. 1/ Tickled to get a mention when you read out the opening paragraphs of Elspeth Beard's home page which draws on my original 2009 article for BMW that helped to make her famous. FWIW I'm one of the very few people who's ridden both her RTW R60 and her R80GS Basic. 2/ I'm sorely tempted by the Aprilia Tuareg 660 myself - so much lighter than my erstwhile Africa Twin 1100, but still with 80bhp - I had an enjoyable introductory off-road ride on one at last summer's ABR Festival. 3/ You said the Aprilia was "air cooled" which is obviously bollocks - you can see from the photo that it's liquid cooled! I presume you were reading out someone else's ill-researched words there? Cheers, Paul 'Blez' Blezard.
I was in a fantastic honda dealer full of stock and would not offer any discount. He did not say they will be closing down and honda are price fixing which is not legal in the UK
Freddie mate, love your chats. Re the downward trend in the motorcycle world. Listening to the stories of young riders trying
To get insured, this is going to kill motorcycling in this country. Someone needs to lead a protest about the insurance system for bike riders. The trial examples for quotes shows the insurance companies make it up as they go along. This can't be allowed to continue. I'm lucky, 57 and. Been riding since 95. I can almost buy and insure any bike. Even the benneli tornado I had a few years ago was only about £180, a year! Something has got to be done.
An insurance quote isn't just taken from a list and then presented to you, it is all done on a computer. Every single detail about claims, accidents, thefts, who is safer, where is safer etc etc, is all fed into a computer, which is regularly updated, then it comes up with a quote. That is why often you can get weird quotes just by changing one small detail, because of what has been fed into the computer. Obviously young riders must be a liability and is why they have to pay so much for insurance.
I’m 54. New to riding in the U.K. and have been quoted £500 for a 125. Double what I pay for my car. 😕
@@jostaniforth7407 Precisely, because you are twice as likely to have an accident and to get it stolen.
@@Steve-s8k how do you explain Freddies findings then?
@@steveedwards4495 He found what is fed into the computer. Basically if you are an older rider from a small Suffolk village, you are a low liability and that liability doesn't change even if you have a no-claims bonus, or that you haven't passed your test for that long, which isn't surprising seeing that the test is so involved now. What makes the difference is your age and where you live in the country.
Superbike Warehouse has not long changed to BigMoto a few miles from me up in Yarmouth, Norfolk. I noticed they no longer sell new Royal Enfields.
Bigger stock, a mixture of bikes, pretty much all second hand. (A few new 125cc Heralds)
The 1960’s Munich built BMW’s, in particular the R69S, are regarded by many as being even higher quality than the /5 and later models built in West Berlin, for example, the earlier models had roller bearings and the later models plain shell bearings. It is said of course that without changing the engine and other design features BMW would have stopped making motorcycles completely as they were making a loss on every bike they sold.
If you have never watched the original 1973 Day of the Jackal film it is highly recommended, not least because it includes scenes of the French Police riding old BMW motorcycles. Got to love those odd looking handlebar end mounted indicators ! 🇬🇧
The town centres falling to pieces should have been a warning sign, everything is decaying in the UK so eventually the leisure products will be suffer and yes motorcycling is mostly a leisure activity for most
IAM Advanced Driver here, doesn't save anything whatsoever in the 3-4 years I've put it on quotes. £30 odd discount yet the annual renewal costs more 😂 I was going to do IAM Rider but thought its an absolute waste of money (and motorcycling is becoming prohibitively more expensive)
Similar reason for the companies going bust - PCP and the cost of bikes is destroying the incident. I went into Triumph Oxford a few months back to look at upgrading my Tiger 900 GT Pro to a 1200 GT Pro, and had absolutely no interest from the sales guys when I walked in. I was ready to test ride and potentially buy in cash yet they didn't even say hello! I walked out and figured I'd just keep my 900 GT Pro instead. If I'm walking about looking at a machine, I want to be approached, I want to be wooed and shown some interest but got the opposite
Haha - I had exactly the same sort of experience when I went to a local Suzuki dealer to buy a new bike in early 2000! After waiting ages a salesman came over and said "Hello, are you Steve?" I got no further than replying "No, but... " before he turned round and walked off again. If only he'd waited for the end of the sentence, it would've been "... I'd like to put a pre-order deposit on a DR-Z400S." Hey-ho, his loss: I just went to a different dealer.
@Morrismarina precisely the point - actively looking like you give a toss about every single person walking through the door would help go a long way 😂
Janus (Jay-nuss) was the Roman god of future and past who had 2 faces. One looking forward and the other looking back.
Is first name was Hugh.
@dogzero1 Nope, what you've got there is the name of the owner, Mr Jardon.
@@BunyipToldMe Nevermind.
@@dogzero1 Well it was funny when you were 10yo.
I met Elspeth once. Lovely lady !
I wonder whether dealerships struggle as a result of wealth distribution across generations in the UK. Speaking as a millennial I see many peers of my generation prioritise affordability, to which brands like Royal Enfield are playing to very effectively. I wonder whether brands like Harley, on the other hand, haven’t acknowledged that younger generations don’t have the cash sloshing about like baby boomer have had. I could be wrong, but I do wonder
Interesting video especially wrt motorcycle industry. I too was at motorcycle live (the old man looking for a less hooligan bike) and went on the HD stand. My impression was that they were promoting their USP of lifestyle rather than their bikes. Also have a look at SWM bikes, they have a copy of the 1200 Sportster (Stormbreaker V 1200) and it conforms to Euro emissions. Unfortunately, SWM not currently available in UK (but are in Spain). It appears to me that more manufacturers are being influenced to supply smaller capacity and reasonably priced bikes.
ohhh how lovely for you.toff
Tuesday!🎉
The complex and expensive licensing system is choking the industry to death.
Lack of young riders coming thru. Its the complete opposite in Asian countries where the max capacity is mybe 400cc = more affordable and that nearly all young people there rides.
The UK market is too busy promoting expensive luxury motorcycles to ages 60+. And im getting sick and tired of that buisness model.
That Jannis is stunning
I've met Elspeth Beard a few times, she's a lovely woman. She also has a photo I took of her bike in her office.
I would also check out Sam Manicom, the nicest man in motorcycling. He's written several books of his round the world travels on his old BMW R80. But I would say as you like adventure bike travel, then come to the Overland Event in Oxford next year. Elspeth is sometimes there, also Ted Simon has been to every one of the events for the last 10 years
Just look at the overheads they have with these massive dealerships! We need to bring back the local small dealership with better personal service!
With regard to adventure bikes, I have to say that the Aprilia Tuareg is a sweet machine. There are some drawbacks, as with literally every other machine. It all depends on the balance of what you love and what you're willing to live with.
For me, at 56 years old at the time, and nearly 50 years of riding motorcycles, my latest purchase was a '23 Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer. It was after numerous test rides on every other bike in its class and reading and watching one review and comparison after another, I landed on the Tiger. After 18 months of ownership, I'm still very much in love with it and do not regret my decision in the slightest.
Obviously, my opinion is subjective. Some may prefer other brands. Others may even eschew big bore adventure bikes altogether. Regardless, we're spoiled for choice, and I think it's very difficult for anyone looking, to not find the perfect bike for them.
Small independent bike shops are the way to go. I know of two old style shops still going strong. The big dealers are not personal and are customer unfriendly.
my best adventure bike is my 2002 honda 125 innova .. wherever i go its an adventure if it makes it to the bottom of our road
Royal Enfield is probably best placed to ‘ride’ the storm of dealers suffering from these challenging times. Maybe if they did a125 entry level bike to encourage new riders.
Being an advanced rider generally means you do more miles and ride in the rain etc.
Don’t forget Rents have gone through roof as all costs, such as insurance, labour and margins squeeze by internet shopping for helmets clothing etc.
Hi Freddie I think we will see less dealers, with less stock. Customers will be able to ride a demo bikes but then have to place an order in advance. So dealers don’t have to hold much stock of bikes & bikes will only be built to confirmed orders. I’ve noticed this recently when trying the Triumph 400 scrambler and the CF Moto 450mt. There has been no stock of these bikes only demo bikes in the showroom. Surely this is the only way dealers are going to survive.
Very interesting insight- thank you for sharing this, Andrew
I had a lot of trouble getting test rides. One shop stated 'no more this year due to the weather', others said they hadn't got a demonstrator and wouldn't let me ride either the new or used stock and others could not insure me on their demonstrator until I had at least a year with a full licence. I'm coming up to 50 and have driven cars for 30 years with no accidents or points although only had 2 years on CBT and 3 months on a full bike licence at the time of looking for test rides. There were essentially two dealers that let me test multiple bikes... both some distance from me. I honestly felt people didn't want to sell bikes.
Both those adventure bikes have high seats. 860mm in the case of the Aprillia! That rules them both out doesn't it?
Yep. That went complete;y out the window with both bike suggestions and then also with Freddie's typical enthusiasm. The Aprilia is higher than the Transalp that was already dismissed as a no-go.
Freddie, please do a video of the classic BMW, they're unbelievably cool 😎
My local Enfield dealer closed after 60 years of trading. They said high rents and small margins on new bikes was the reason.
I think the sheer number of new models coming out 2/3 times a year from so many OEMs now, leading to over supply and as you said stock demands on the dealers to take a min number of each model. EG the last 18 months from Royal Enfield !!
Looking at your choices of bike of the week I would go for the all new Zontes 703f that comes with everything for under £7k 😮. Another manufacturer making bikes for a reasonable price. The problem is always seat height with this style of bike, take a look.
Any bike is a good adventure bike. In my opinion the current adv bikes are extremely heavy and complicated. Luckily the small / medium capacity adv and dualsport bikes are making a comeback. It depends on your definition of adventure, but my best adventures in southern africa have been on a Honda XR650R and a Suzuki DR650. Even my Transalp 650 becomes cumbersome when you hit sand etc. I am looking forward to the new DRZ and 390 Adv although a small capacity twin would be better. The CF Moto 450 looks very interesting as well.
Make sure you visit the original tea hut, high beach..