You must have thought at some stage in your riding life, "Do you really need that stuff?" I mean, most bike magazines these days are chocked full of bikes (No der!!), accessories and, well, stuff! I have had that thought pop into my head too many times lately to be ignored (again). Usually when I notice something often enough to notice myself noticing it (Does that make sense?) then there is usually a reason. The most common reason I notice things is that I just saw, used, bought, rode the thing and you know how you always notice things your interested in at the time. But what I'm talking about here is stuff that I'm not particularly interested in. Stuff that I don't need, use or want! There just seems to be a part, item process or service for just about anything you can dream up. What I want to know is, does anyone use that stuff. At all! Or are there just infinite advertising budgets being supplied by bags of money falling out of the sky these days?
For instance, I can see the value in and indeed own/use/subscribe to most of the following:
- Bikes Yes well, we all like them, but then, there are some ......(That's for another time)
- Safety gear. 'nuf said.
- Wet weather gear. 'nuf said.
- Tires. Getting closer but still 'nuf said.
- After-market Suspension. Too damn expensive but stock kit is usually pretty ordinary.
- Air filters. Well yes, OEM paper is useless off the beaten track, or when wet!
- Exhausts. Like suspension. Oh yeah maybe if ADR was turfed out where it belongs....
- Pegs, bars. plates etc. Yep all good kit and serves a real purpose.
getting to the thin end of the wedge now
- Hydration packs. Well, cutting it fine, maybe for those who just don't have time to take a breath and walk around a bit, or if your following a bunch of guys who do have them and don't stop
. - Luggage gear. Yes, definitely needed but really, do we need the $1000 of hard gear. NO, a bit of cheap soft stuff is fine.
- Knee and Boot sliders. yeah OK I know a few guys who actually need them, but they're not who I'm talking about.
Well that pretty much does it really. Anything that isn't in that lot is pretty much a gold plated waste of time and money. Particularly the likes of carbon fibre bits. What a load. If there is enough guys/gals out there that can ride that well (on what track) that these things make a 'real' difference to support the 'business' that make them, then where are they. I'm not seeing them. Does your 996 really corner that much better with 3 Kg of plastic/Alloy replaced? Save your money and lay of the Mars bars and loose a Kg or two. That would make sense to me? But hey, I'm just a silly old guy from the ol' school, what would I know.
Other things like the 'Custom' alloy side stand foot increaserartor. Never heard of a coke can, a stick or one of those things from under the leg of Granma's lounge chair? I mean really, the fact that there are enough people out there with the money to spend on this tripe is bad enough but they don't realise that by spending money they create demand (Google it) and that demand stretches supply and ultimately leads to increased prices. Something I'm sure we all rather didn't happen.
I think there is too much fashion and not enough function in the bike industry. When did good helmets start costing $1000. When they started putting MotoGP replica decals and graphics on them. Your paying $400-500 for the paint people!! I started riding in the early eighties and have only ever worn Shoei lids. They are the right shape shell for my scone' and are comfortable and relatively quiet. Didn't take me long to realise they were a quality piece of kit. In those days a solid cost you $200-250. About the same as a good jacket. Up until 5 years ago, the price had gone up with inflation pretty much and you could buy a solid for about $400-450, about the same as a good jacket! Now you have to shell (pardon the pun) out about $700-800 for a solid and that's if you can find one. Some retailers want well over $1000 for a lid with graphics. About as much as a good jacket!!!!!!!!! Crazy!! What has happened in the last 5 or so years, fashion, that's what. Fashion has invaded the last bastion of enjoyment left to us, where ego is backed by ability. Fashion driven by those who don't or can't enjoy feeling good from riding so they have to make up for it by looking good! Well you know what looks good? The rider showing how much they enjoyed the ride, not how good they think their bike looks while they are riding it, that's what. Those graphics won't help you there.
The list is long but here goes:
- Rider to Pillion- Bike to Bike comms. Do I have to comment here. Why do we ride bikes again????? Please take the Volvo
- Bluetooth mobile phone/GPS systems See above
- Logo's and Bullet hole decals and stickers? Like we're not walking billboards, now we're mobile billboards too.
- Shift indicators. See Carbon Fibre comment above.
Really guys, if you want to buy something onto which you can bolt 'street cred', it's called a Harley, have your mortgage documents ready.
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