American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 228 July 2018 | Page 24

“The amazing moto
In the first of two articles about current trends and changes that
are reshaping the motorcycle industry status quo, Andrew Koretz,
Founder of GarageTime, a community garage space finder and
consulting service, argues that dealers and manufacturers
are failing to capitalize on a wave of opportunity ….
e’re all tired of hearing
about the demise of the
motorcycle industry and the
usual talking points:
declining new bike sales, an
aging rider base, and lack of interest by the
younger generation. In a misguided effort
to attract first-time riders, manufacturers
have rallied to create the next wave of
smaller, lighter, and more affordable bikes, a
stopgap for what seems like the inevitable
future of electric power.
We are indeed teetering on the edge of what
motorcycling will become, but the likely outcomes
are far less drastic than we’re led to believe. The issue
at hand is less about delivering a better motorcycle,
and more about connecting with the next generation
of rider.
Ever the unruly child, motorcycles evoke emotion
unlike any other object, and have long faced social
and technological pressures threatening to strip the
soul from the machine. The future of motorcycling
has been challenged time and again: the jump from
carbureted motors to fuel injection, helmet
requirements, and emissions regulations. The
innovation arms race has been successful at one
W
thing recently - burning good dealer and
manufacturer marketing dollars. This perpetual
dance has made bikes safer and more efficient, but
failed to address problem-solution fit. What’s
currently being sold at the highest levels is the
perception of lifestyle. What riders are craving is not
perception.
Motorcycling is predicated on two notions: truth of
self, and rebellion against convention. At its roots,
motorcycling is about the ride, and not necessarily
the bike. The machine is an important element, but
the sport remains about feeling - freedom,
camaraderie, empowerment, education, and joy.
A select few have embraced that rebellious spirit, and
lead a trend that will shape the next couple of
decades of motorcycle ownership. Across industrial
parks and vacant rail yards, a resurgence of DIY
community garages is taking place. These boutique
garages have quickly realized that the problem isn’t
a need for more or newer bikes, but a demand to
By Andrew Koretz, GarageTime
Jason Paul Michaels, founder of
Standard Motorcycle, an
Orlando-based community
garage: “The biggest thing
community garages
offer is a place for
people to congregate
and not feel like
they have to
be sold something”
‘the likely outcomes
are far less drastic’
‘a resurgence of DIY
community garages
is taking place’
deliver the motorcycle experience in an authentic
and inspiring manner.
Community garages provide the space and tools to
wrench, offer hands-on classes, weekly rides, movie
nights, and a place to congregate with other
enthusiasts. As our cities become more populous
and the sharing economy mindset is applied to more
aspects of daily life, millennials have shown a
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - JULY 2018
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