Classic Motorcycles & Youth Classic Harley Motorcycles Discuss Classic Motorcycles & Youth in the Motorcycles forums; A young friend of mine, Matt Olsen, is working hard to find other young people (under 25 years old) who are into classic motorcycles. He has a title of something ...

[Buzz Kanter]

A young friend of mine, Matt Olsen, is working hard to find other young people (under 25 years old) who are into classic motorcycles. He has a title of something like the Youth Coordinator for the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.

Matt has come up with a number of good ideas on how to make classic bikes more interesting to young riders and is always looking for good ideas.

So any suggestions?

He feels one of the biggest hurdles for young riders is the cost to buy even a basketcase classic bike.

Your thoughts?

[BlueBob]

I'm not QUITE 25 anymore, but I do have a couple of thoughts.

1. Maintenance concerns - Some younger folks don't have a lot of experience in wrenching yet (i.e. ME!). While older bikes are easier to work on, parts can be harder to find and the miles under the tires may be cause for more maintenance... especially if all they can afford is a fixer-upper.

Suggestion - Find a way to offer some basic instruction in maintenance and locating hard to find parts. I would use it.

2. Sell the merits of classic iron - Things like the fact that classic iron IS mechanically simpler... less complex... easirer to learn how to fix and maintain.

3. Young folks are impressionable - Fast + fairing = dangerous. Dangerous = sexy. Sexy = the attention of young ladies. The attention of young ladies... you get the point.

Suggestion - Marketing! Know your target audience and appeal to what's important to them

I may think of more later, but I gots ta go.

[48panshovel]

I figure if they want a classic bike bad enough, they'll find the money. And with all the great tech tips coming out in AIM (which I hope keeps happening). Next you've got this GREAT forum full of knowledgeable people that own classics that can help on questions about older and newer bikes. The same people know somebody that has parts laying around looking for a home.

Out here in the San Francisco Bay Area there are some vintage bike clubs like the Norton owner group and so on. A friend belongs to an Indian club and those guys are a wealth of info as well as a great source of who might have a project for sale. One of their club members died not too long ago and had 17 Indians in various states of readiness sitting in his basement and garage. I think they were all sold through word of mouth to club members and friends. Usually if the guys in the club know of someone wanting to truly 100% take on a project they'll do their best to find one as well as help with parts and info.

Bringing the young blood into the fold is good for us all.

[BaggerDad]

Is this guy the same Matt Olsen who worked on Buzz's latest Panhead project at Wheels Through Time Museum?

Still anxiously waiting to read about it in the magzine.