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The Next Big Trend in Motorcycling

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Overview

Ryan F9 argues that the “next big trend” in motorcycling can be predicted by two main shifts:

  1. How popular media influences motorcycle fashion
  2. How demographics shape what people actually buy

1) Media trends historically drive bike trends

Ryan claims motorcycle culture has repeatedly followed film/TV trends—“life imitating art”—where audiences adopt styles they see portrayed on screen.

  • 1980s–1990s: Sport bikes boomed alongside action-movie hero aesthetics, driving consumers to buy sport bikes soon after seeing them in media.
  • Early 2000s: As cinema demand declined and TV grew, motorcycle-related content expanded through TV shows (examples cited: Monster Garage, Biker Buildoff, American Chopper). Ryan credits this with helping fuel the rise of Harley-Davidson and the cruiser/chopper ecosystem.
  • 2010s: With social media (Instagram/TikTok) taking over, he says the trend shifted toward café racers and “retro/authentic” styling, citing brands such as:
    • Ducati Scrambler
    • Royal Enfield
    • Kawasaki W-series
    • Yamaha XSR/XS

2) Social-media algorithms reduce the need for traditional big-brand marketing

Ryan argues that in an algorithm-driven era, brands don’t need massive marketing budgets to get attention.

  • A small startup can create short, clickable promos, sell direct-to-consumer (DTC), and then use algorithm targeting to reach likely buyers.
  • As examples, he points to fast-growing “fly-by-night” brands, specifically Surron and the broader market momentum around it.
  • He also mentions the Sondor Meticycle as an example of hype-driven sales—even when the brand quickly disappears.

Skeleton-margin / hype-driven comparison

He uses a lesser-known e-motorcycle company (referred to as “Li…ish Valor” or a similar-sounding brand) to illustrate an approach that can win via:

  • low cost
  • decent components
  • strong “fun/value” delivered on thin margins

The implication: algorithm-fed virality can outperform advantages held by legacy manufacturers.

3) Demographics may predict the real “next trend” more than media

Ryan suggests that demographic change could be a better predictor of the true next motorcycle trend than media influence alone.

  • He presents motorcycle licensing data (2016–2017–2022) to argue fewer young riders are entering motorcycling each year, while older riders make up a growing share.
  • He counters the interpretation often framed as “industry death”:
    • Total licenses may rise
    • But new entrants are arriving later in life

Median rider age shift (historical jump)

He highlights the growth in median rider age:

  • 1985: ~27
  • 2003: ~41
  • 2018: ~50

Collector behavior over entry-level growth

He argues older riders tend to collect motorcycles—accumulating machines over time—reflected in registrations growing faster than rider counts.

If motorcycling becomes more of a collector/add-on hobby, he predicts manufacturers—especially those relying on “one-bike lifestyle” marketing—may struggle against their own vintage/used ecosystems.

4) Expected near-term bikes for an older collector demographic

Using a “what would you want at 60?” framing, Ryan suggests the next trend could be “add-on” motorcycles rather than one dominant, primary machine type.

Examples include:

  • Honda Trail 125: positioned as a nostalgic, practical “spot-filler” bike for older garages.
  • Stark Varg: presented as an alternative for older riders who want high performance with fewer “maintenance/top-end” hassles.

5) Uncertain conclusion: the market doesn’t fit neatly

Ryan doubts there will be a clean, obvious conclusion. He critiques both earlier hypotheses—media influence and demographics—by noting that releases don’t align neatly with either framework.

  • He claims many new bikes feel inconsistent (“EKMA releases… all over the place”).
  • A common thread, he says, is that production partnerships with major manufacturers in China/India may be driving output more than any single cultural storyline.

Final takeaway

His conclusion is that the “next big trend” may be not where people expect—he hints it’s “over there,” implying a shift that isn’t fully captured by the two frameworks above.

Presenters / Contributors

  • Ryan F9 (speaker/presenter)

Original video