The End of Classic Bikes?
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:16 am
I have been pondering this subject for a while, but have hesitated to post on here because this is an enthusiasts forum, not a political one, but the news this morning that more electric cars were sold in March than in the whole of last year has swayed my hand.
Is there any future for classic bikes? Once electric becomes the standard, which is gathering speed and may happen before the end of the year, the Government will be able to turn the screws on petrol and diesel cars by raising the tax until few will be able to afford the costs of filling up, on top of which, petrol stations will switch over to electric, or simply close because the demand will fall below the economical level, as refinery costs escalate. We have already had to accommodate E10, which means that we have to fill up with super unleaded, and as Esso is the only brand without ethanol in the UK I have only one station anywhere near me that I can use. We all know the anguish of trying to find a filling station when out somewhere and there is a shortage of fuel, a situation that will become the norm as refineries are blockaded and the Government is either unwilling to do something about, or is actually colluding in the situation.
I keep my eye on certain classic bikes for sale that I covet, and it appears to me that they are not selling, so is this the effect of the electrification of our transport? Are buyers being put off because of the uncertainty of petrol supplies in the future? Some rare classics may always fetch high prices due to their classification as two wheeled art, which the collectors love as investments, but are standard classic bikes going to be any use in the future? Are enthusiasts willing to ride miles in search of fuel, or keep supplies at home and carry a can strapped on the back? Anyway, I would be interested in what others think.
Cheers,
Colin
Is there any future for classic bikes? Once electric becomes the standard, which is gathering speed and may happen before the end of the year, the Government will be able to turn the screws on petrol and diesel cars by raising the tax until few will be able to afford the costs of filling up, on top of which, petrol stations will switch over to electric, or simply close because the demand will fall below the economical level, as refinery costs escalate. We have already had to accommodate E10, which means that we have to fill up with super unleaded, and as Esso is the only brand without ethanol in the UK I have only one station anywhere near me that I can use. We all know the anguish of trying to find a filling station when out somewhere and there is a shortage of fuel, a situation that will become the norm as refineries are blockaded and the Government is either unwilling to do something about, or is actually colluding in the situation.
I keep my eye on certain classic bikes for sale that I covet, and it appears to me that they are not selling, so is this the effect of the electrification of our transport? Are buyers being put off because of the uncertainty of petrol supplies in the future? Some rare classics may always fetch high prices due to their classification as two wheeled art, which the collectors love as investments, but are standard classic bikes going to be any use in the future? Are enthusiasts willing to ride miles in search of fuel, or keep supplies at home and carry a can strapped on the back? Anyway, I would be interested in what others think.
Cheers,
Colin