British motorcyclists – we’re always being told – are getting older every year. Our average age is now between 54 and 57, a huge difference from the 1960s and ‘70s when most motorcyclists were under 30.

Writing recently in British Dealer News, marketing consultant Dan Sager points out that that the youngsters of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), “are less interested in riding bikes than any previous generation,” and that the number of teenagers taking their Mod 1 bike test has plummeted, presumably put off by the high cost of getting a licence and rocketing insurance premiums.

The current situation is not helped by the Government’s official position of having “no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles”; an approach reinforced by motorcycles being consistently excluded from mainstream government transport planning, and a fanatical and short-sighted support for “active travel”, predominantly walking and cycling, to the exclusion of other personal transport modes. Overall, the Government’s current approach is clearly not conducive to encouraging and supporting motorcycling for the benefit of future generations.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, because there is evidence that Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996, so aged 29-44 years) are increasingly attracted to the benefits and joys of motorcycling and, unlike their Gen Z counterparts, have been taking the Mod 2 test in greater numbers.

For Millennials in their 30s or early 40s and working full-time, the cost of motorcycle training and getting a licence isn’t perhaps quite so so daunting. Millennials are increasingly attracted by motorcycles as a cheap and affordable commuting option during the week, and/or a leisure option at weekends.

Of course, motorcycling represents an accessible, affordable, cleaner and greener transport option than most other powered modes of transport, which younger generations are increasingly beginning to realise. But where is the government support for motorcycling in the form of tailored incentives and grants to fully unlock the sector’s future transition and growth? Whilst the Government engages in road safety campaigns aimed at motorcyclists, the official stance remains one of neutral neglect or explicit non-promotion of motorcycling as a viable transport solution. This is a significant missed opportunity.

Dan Sager recommends that the motorcycle industry itself should do its utmost to encourage 30-somethings into motorcycling, with specific package deals from the training schools and dealers to make it as easy and cost-effective as possible to get onto the road on two wheels.

But the Government also has a key part to play by fully integrating motorcycling into the mainstream of its future transport policy. Allowing motorbikes to use bus lanes by default, which would not only speed up journeys but significantly improve motorcyclist safety, would be a quick win, as would the much needed reform of rider licensing regulations, that have not delivered anticipated safety improvements. Tackling motorcycle theft, and making it mandatory for car parks to have dedicated motorcycle parking spaces with ground anchors and good lighting, are other key areas where action is also needed.
But more than anything, the Government should be encouraging younger people to buy a bike or scooter as a practical means of getting around, and as a viable means to solve the UK’s future mobility needs, developing a similar culture to that Italy or Greece, where motorcycles have always provided a key personal transport solution.

Jim Freeman, Chair of the British Motorcyclists Federation says “ Forcing young people to either walk, cycle or get the bus is not a strategy that is going to work for current or future generations, particularly when public transport options are often inadequate or too expensive. Motorcycling represents an efficient and affordable future transport solution that, if properly supported, will foster social mobility, economic growth and improved safety. And regardless of age or generational stereotypes, riding motorcycles is a pleasure that everyone should have the opportunity to experience. The Government needs to ensure that its much touted new Integrated National Transport Strategy unlocks the benefits of motorcycling, not only for the benefit of the UK’s future transport needs but also for the benefit and joy of future generations”

Written by Peter Henshaw/Paul Morgan CBE

Top image courtesy of Alex Parsons-Hulse