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A big part of how we earn our pay at Common Tread is by aiming to present a curated look at what's happening in motorcycling, not just dumping every news item and press release out of our boots. So while you'll see the usual new-model introductions here, if we're doing our jobs right you'll also see stories at Common Tread that you don't find on other sites.
Part of delivering something different is keeping up with not just what's happened in the motorcycle world, but what's developing. So every year as part of our Year in Review stories, we ask a few members of the team to identify the trends in motorcycling they've spotted. Here are their choices for one positive and one negative trend in 2023.
Dustin Wheelen: Retro '80s styling and pricey paint
Positive: The café racer fad is dead. There, I said it. When Triumph announced the Final Edition of its category-defining Thruxton, it sounded the death knell for the trend. Now, 1980s styling is filling the void. Last year, the Yamaha XSR900 shed its café racer looks in favor of bodywork inspired by '80s Grand Prix race machines. Team Blue only cranked that styling up to 11 when it revealed the XSR900 GP in 2023. Yamaha isn't alone, either. Kawasaki also reached into the archives for its 40th Anniversary Ninja series. Each specially painted model comes in a livery reminiscent of the 1989 ZX-7. The '80s are back (long live chunky tail sections and saturated color combos), and I'm here for it.
Negative: The formula is simple. Paint an existing model in flashy colors, limit production numbers, and jack up the price. Voilà, you have a special-edition trim. From Harley-Davidson's 120th Anniversary range to Indian's 100%-branded FTR, from MV Agusta's U.S.-themed Dragster to Ducati's 916 tribute, nearly every manufacturer is guilty of these thinly veiled cash grabs. As 2023 draws to a close, one example remains particularly egregious: Buell's 40th Anniversary Freedom Edition Hammerhead 1190. Never mind the fact that the revived company has yet to release a production model of its own design and is just selling the now-dated models from the Eric Buell era. Just purchase this star-spangled, $24,990 sport bike, why don't you? After all, it is a special edition.
Spurgeon Dunbar: Big happenings in small displacement, threats to off-road riding areas
Positive: Small displacement is back in a big way. A bunch of us here at Common Tread kicked off the beginning of 2023 by co-hosting a CTXP episode around small-displacement beginner bikes. This sparked a larger conversation on a Highside/Lowside podcast episode to expound upon additional models that we didn't get a chance to cover in the CTXP video. From there, the conversation went beyond beginners as we spent the rest of the year watching manufacturers such as Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, and Royal Enfield flood the market with even more small-displacement opportunities for all types of riders. From Honda's uber-affordable XR150L aimed at the dirt-curious, to Kawasaki's sophisticated ZX-4RR for race-track enthusiasts, to Triumph's new 400 lineup, which Zack and I proved can work for all types of adventures, 2023 was a big year for small displacement.
Negative: Our access to off-road riding areas continues to be threatened. As someone who really enjoys riding motorcycles off-road, 2023 marked even more controversy in the battle for land rights. In Utah, the government is threatening to close a large majority of trails that were previously open to dirt riders. In the Black Hills of South Dakota, trails are being monitored more than ever before. And back home on the East Coast, the battle continues over banning motorcycles and motorcycle events in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
As more people than ever before head out to these wild places to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, motorcyclists are increasingly outnumbered. But it's not a lost cause. As Jen discussed back in July with the reversal of the off-road ban at the Oceano Dunes riding area on California's Pacific coast, positive change in favor of motorcyclists is possible. That reversal happened because of engaged activists, which shows it's important for us to get involved to protect the sport we love while also being good citizens on the trails. Sign petitions, write letters to your local legislator, show up at local town halls, and let your voice be heard respectfully. And most importantly, be a positive steward of the sport. If you see hikers, slow down. If you see horseback riders, pull over and shut your bike off. Be respectful, not entitled. These trails are ours to share, until they're not.
Spenser Robert: Chinese motorcycles get better, bikes neutered for the U.S.
Positive: At the risk of lighting our comments section on fire, I think 2023 has seen the beginning of a turnaround in the quality of Chinese-made motorcycles. Historically, bikes from the Middle Kingdom have been disappointing because they sacrificed quality and originality at the altar of a low MSRP. But, swing a leg over the likes of a CFMOTO 450SS or sneak a peek at some of their exciting new models coming our way, and it’s hard to deny that Chinese brands are doing legitimately interesting things in the two-wheeled space. Say what you want about politics, resale value, aftermarket support, and beyond, but in terms of pure motorcycling capability, these machines are only getting better and I’m happy to see it.
Negative: Complaining about motorcycles we don’t get in the United States is a cherished pastime. And to be fair, the grass can be greener on both sides of the fence. More concerning, if you ask me, is the trend of U.S.-spec bikes being underpowered, or oddly tuned, compared to their global counterparts. Zack noticed a clear example of this with the new Kawasaki ZX-4RR (said to be detuned in the United States for "sound emissions") but we've also seen spec disparities with models like the BMW S 1000 RR, Honda RC213V-S, and Yamaha YZF-R1. So, no, this isn't necessarily a 2023-specific trend. And, yes, you can usually flash a bike's ECU (voiding the warranty) to get that power back or pay a professional to turn it into a top-flight track bike. But considering we live in the land of bigger, better, faster, it's disappointing and a little disconcerting that U.S. consumers get the short end of the performance stick.
Patrick Garvin: Garage-built choppers rule, social media shouldn't
Positive: I feel like the chopper scene never really dies, it's just always floating around as a motorcycling subculture. It definitely isn't for everyone, but it does look to be having a bit of a resurgence and maybe even creeping into the mainstream via social media. I'm not talking about the oddball choppers from the early to mid-2000s, where everything had a 330 rear tire and a theme like a helicopter or dinosaur. What I've noticed lately are garage-built choppers being pieced together in home shops. Some folks will never "get it," because on paper choppers are a bad idea, but as a creative outlet and way to express yourself on a motorcycle, they get top marks from me. There's nothing like blowing down the road on something you built with your own hands. And it warms my heart every time I see a raggedy Ironhead chopper blazing down a two-lane highway.
Negative: This definitely isn't a new trend, but it seems we are at a tipping point where posing and posting pictures of motorcycle-related activities are somehow more important than actually riding your motorcycle. And I can understand how this can come across as hypocritical from a guy who makes his living making motorcycle videos. But if the ride is dictated by potential Instagram posts, then you may be participating in a social media activity with motorcycling as a byproduct and not the other way around. Let me be the first to tell you that I am guilty. I have caught myself way too many times thinking more about where to stop to take a dope pic than enjoying my ride. Over the last few weeks of my riding season, I made a concentrated effort to just ride my motorcycle and not post any pictures of my activities. It turns out that riding a motorcycle is a really enjoyable activity, even if no one else knows about it.
Lance Oliver: Gray clouds part and nobody's market
Positive: I may be overly optimistic and jumping the gun, but my positive trend of 2023 is the beginning of the end of a lamentable trend of recent years. I think we're finally seeing the return of real colors after years of motorcycle manufacturers painting everything gray. I admit it's too soon to declare total victory. The worst example is Honda bringing its Transalp to the U.S. market only in dull, matte black, instead of the traditional red, white, and blue available in Europe. But it's normal for some symptoms of a disease to linger, even while the healing is taking place, and we've also seen signs of hope: Suzuki's offering its new GSX-8R sport bike in bright blue and yellow, Harley-Davidson's CVOs include a lovely "Whiskey Neat" color alongside the obligatory gray, the new BMW R 1300 GS line includes a red-white-and-blue version and a rich green option, etc. The first cracks in the dreary gray wall of conformity?
Negative: Usually, it's either a buyer's market or a seller's market or roughly in equilibrium. I'm sure this is a temporary trend, but right now it feels like nobody's market. Like nobody's winning. Motorcycle buyers and sellers are both unhappy.
According to the latest monthly data from National Powersports Auctions, wholesale prices for used motorcycles have been falling for about a year and are now down 9% to 22% year over year, depending on category. Sellers, who are mostly dealers, are nervous because inventories have fully recovered from the era of pandemic-caused shortages just as inflation and high interest rates have slowed discretionary spending by consumers. Meanwhile, I can tell you anecdotally, as someone who has been casually shopping for a used dual-sport, that private sellers in many cases are still hoping for pandemic-era prices (a two-year-old model with "desirable mods" and an asking price higher than MSRP). Here's my analysis that's half unhelpful and half unwelcome: If you want to sell a motorcycle, you should have done it a year ago, and if you want to buy one, you should probably wait a year. Right now, it's nobody's market.
What are the top trends you spotted in motorcycling in 2023?
