Ducati Monster Forum

NY Times opinion piece. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/opinion/sunday/is-the-iphone-replacing-the-motorcycle.html?_r=1)

huh ?

as a compromise, i really do have an apple logo sticker on my bike.  (and yes, i get a lot hate for that sticker)

someone picked the wrong mushrooms in that field.  ;)

I, uh... what?

So he's saying that the sort of knobs who might once have bought a motorcycle as a fashion accessory are instead buying smart phones?

1) Can he back up this assertion?
2) Why should I be concerned?

("Next week: Are people who once purchased CDs now buying hamburgers?")

I think I can 'hear' where he's going,though he doesn't make many good arguments for his point.

Seeing a new bike unveiled gets us all lathered up, since it represents something we relate to.  Riding.  Others get lathered up because it's beautiful.  It's sculpture.

In other sports, we have seen the video game become more important than the real sporting experience.  EA Sports has a headlock on this, and we see teenage kids opting for the video instead of tossing a pigskin around.

What does that mean for that article?  he makes a bad attempt to parallel Apple to a new bike unveil.  But I just wonder if the thought was that 'bikes can get you hurt. . . . but you can instead putz with something Apple like, and its technologically acceptable'.  I don't know.  But that could be one aspect of his thought.

Another is that we've seen choppers (and the TV adoration) jump the shark.  Nobody wants to see another OCC bike, and they were fashion accessories from the get go.  Ducati is an exotic maybe fickle brand but even if the author rides bikes, it's a weird article, especially for a big publication like NY Times.

amen to that.

For me? Not on your life.

Meh. His editor had a hole in the layout so he crapped out 1000 words.

this

The big reason people aren't buying sportbikes like they did before the recession is that they don't have the disposable income.  If I made an extra $10K or $20k I would have an 1199 reserved with my name on it.  To keep the 1198 I would have bought 2 years ago company.  but since I don't make that extra cash, I don't have the bikes.  Young people don't have money these days,  I saw a figure this morning that the median net worth for households where both partners were over 65 was over $170,000.  The median net worth for households below 65 was just over $3000.  With those kinds of numbers, who's going to buy a $20,000 motorcycle?  I am confident that if the economy turns around, people will buy motorcycles again. 
   Lets face it, an iPad or Powerbook are both nice,  but they have nothing on a hot motorcycle.  I work in IT.  I am surrounded by neat tech toys all day.  Not one of them has ever made my heart beat faster.  There isn't a smartphone in the world that has ever sung to me through an open airbox as I open the throttle.  Bikes are having a tough stretch, but they'll come back. 

I think somebody harshed Mr. Seidel's mellow.

He's been writing since '56.  I think there are kids with iphones on his lawn.

This.  Every company focuses on the 'youth' market but during the last 5 years, that demographic has less disposable income.  I know Ducati's business model involves a lot of accessories beyond a high MSRP but I don't believe that's sustainable in established markets like NA and EU.  Also, I'd like to know what the median age of its buyers is, and what their median income is, knowing Ducati NA had a record sales year.

Too much of a reach with no substance to back what he's implying.  [coffee]

Nice writing style though.  [wine]

Same pointed head liberal elitism in articles that is saying that the world is over as we know it because they have a "vision" of the future.  Bunk it!  But we must stay vigilant against the ones that are trying to push us into the cookie mold.  I sound paranoid?  I don't think so.  Look at a lot grass root sports that are going by the way side because that sport as a whole is not paying attention.  OK riding is not a sport per say to an elitist  pin head but the parables are the same.  Why don't I just say what I feel?  [coffee]

↑

I'll have whatever he's having.

i dont know about you guys but i bought my bike to get the ladies! now the girls want guys with iphones so im going to get an iphone 5 and wear skin tight jeans.


later you losers!!!

dont forget to trade in your bike for a fixie and a chrome bag.  that'll be what totally seals the deal.

Only if that fixie comes with deep v wheels.  :P

OK : I give up what is a "Fixie and a chrome bag" ?     I'll try anything once.............Well almost anything ;D

A fixie is a one-speed pedal bike. They're pretty hip at the moment.

And I've no idea about the chrome bag. I have a mental image of a tacky silver messenger bag, but I'm not cool enough to know for sure.

Chrome bags are the ones with the hip-looking seatbelt release buckle right near the wearer's solar plexus. They get REALLY pissed off when you say "What does this button do?" (poke).

Try it, it's fun.

 [evil]

Fixie:

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_t6ycF5f8eg/Td3hGYwTFlI/AAAAAAAAABk/i_JvxaJ9Ncg/s1600/intersection_koxx_fixie-1.jpg)

Chrome brand messenger bag:

(http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/988/dscn2613sh2.jpg)

Oh hell no, it's never over, only ever evolving. The era of 60K choppers from OCC is flaming out but the visceral experience of riding won't be.

I'm seeing more Japanese cafe style bikes around Atlanta and a whole lot of souped up mopeds. Whatever the two wheels the goal is the same, transportation and/or individual expression for attracting the ladies. I've been riding off and on for over 20 years and find nothing better than just being in the wind no matter what's necessarily under me as long as it's fun.

I've had my Chrome XL messenger bag for about 10 years now and have used in on both bicycles and motorcycles. As for the buckle, I had it welded because some ass-hat would push it without fail  :D

But what's most important to me about them, I can fit 2 twelve packs of beer in and bring it home on my bike  [beer]

you cant tell thats a fixie.


a fixie is a death bike. why ANY idiot would ride that thing in the city is beyond me.

the pedals are FiXED to the rear tire so no matter what they keep spinning. so you cant get off your bike and use your legs as shocks in case you go over a bump. instead you have to eat it because the rear wheel will continue to spin your pedals and your feet which are connected to them.

Call me selfish, but I have bought motorcycles for only two reasons: Me and the motorcycle.

While looking cool on a cool looking bike full of farkle is great, for me it's still about, it's really only about, me riding the machine, admiring the machine, or tinkering with the machine.

Everything else is just waiting.

I think the riding of a motorcycle, like most hobbies individuals have, is all about the action... the experience. Same with playing music, or building a ship in a bottle, or parkour if you are into all that. For someone to question the survivability of a hobby like motorcycling is to question the survivability of people who enjoy the process. There will always be people that like dancing, or, tae-bo, or motorcycling whether it's cool or not... and therefore there will always be dancing, tae-bo, and motorcycling, etc. Human beings are do-ers, and as long as people enjoy it, they will find a way to do it.

Any bike is a death bike if you don't know how to ride it.

More accurately, the rear cog is fixed (hence "fixie") to the hub and has no free-wheel mechanism so you cannot coast. With correct technique, you can easily lift your arse off the saddle whilst pedaling and absorb any bump(s). With correct technique there's no need for brakes, either.  Picture it as a naked bicycle -stripped away of all the extraneous junk: no brakes, no cables, no derailleurs, chainrings, shifters. Nothing but a bike in it's simplest form.

Last year people would come up to me at the coffee shop and tell me "hey, is that an Pad? Nice!" Now, one says anything about my iPad at the shop but someone ALWAYS says "Wow, that's a cool Ducati.  Wish I had one!"

Technology will change but the coolness of motorcycles will never go out of style.

meh. let them have their iThings.

so what if my bike doesn't let me update my facebook?

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

Net worth and disposable income are not the same.  Us old folk have more net worth in general because more than likely we have some savings retirement savings and equity if we own our own home.   Disposable income?  Maybe not.  Twenty something, good job, living with Mom and Dad?  Little net worth, lots of disposable income.  Fact is today, most of us have less disposable income, young and old.

The other reality is for a while motorcycles were trendy.  Lots bought them, like any other trend.  That is over.  IMO, better for the rest of us.

"full of farkle"  I really like that one. ;D

77South, most young people can't get credit like they could before.  Bikes are luxury items for most and banks are lending based on that trend.  The number of 18 year olds with hayabusas and the like are getting slimmer. 

weird article.  doesn't make much sense.  i have an iphone and motorcycles, but one has nothing to do with the other... except that i've used my iphone to take pictures of my motorcycles and upload them to facebook. 

Bad economy upside.  [thumbsup]

I think the guy lives in a rarified world where everything is a fashion accessory.  I'm surprised he did write something about Hollywood actresses with tiny dogs with their heads peeking out of purses.

I own a Ducati...

I don't own an iPhone...or an iPad...or an Apple computer of any kind.

It does sound nice doesn't it.  :-)

Yes indeed.   Helps insurance rates  ;D

i'm just going to paste in my same reply to this article as I did on another forum:

the lack of free money (ie easy financing) did in motorcycle sales, not Apple.

and last I checked you can't jump on an iPad and get to Yellowstone, Yosemite, San Francisco, San Diego, Salton Sea, Anza, 89A, Jerome, Durango, and all the thousands of other cool spots that a motorcycle can take you. 



all electronic devices of personal importance, not just Apple's, let you consume.  Bikes let you live.

True. But for a certain segment of the population, all items are simply fashion accessories. These people aren't actually going to ride to any of those places on their motorcycle anyway.

  [clap] [clap] [clap]

Old guys with Busas drive insurance costs down. ;) Just saying.

I have no hi-tech accessories but I do have motorcycles. I'm OK with that. [thumbsup] I have a tractor at my farm and I'm OK with that too. :)

iPhone = Electronic Leash

Motorcycle = Personal time/freedom


self-enslavement is "in"

My wife is a former felony probation officer. She thinks my cell phone is a version of an electronic ankle monitor! [laugh] I get in trouble if I leave it at home or if she calls and I don't answer... even on bike rides! [bang] [roll]

I embrace the combination of phone technology and riding my moto.  I like to set the phone on vibrate, put it in my breast pocket, and then ride.  When I get a call, I don't answer the phone, I just enjoy the sensation of my vibrating nipple while I lean into the corners.  Weird, I know, but the world takes all kinds and I'm just one of them[cheeky] [cheeky] 

 [laugh] [thumbsup] [Dolph]

I'm the other way around? I work for Apple and have all the cool stuff, but I got the bike for a totally different reason. If only I could enjoy the bike. I'm probably another couple weeks out from being able to walk after a broken tib/fib and ankle.  :-\ soon!

You don't need to walk to ride! [laugh]

Good luck with the healing. [thumbsup] Did that same thing decades ago racing MX.