In the reasons motorcycles are on the decline, the author neglects to mention the most obvious, the demographic shift and aging population. Cruising around on motorcycles is mostly a young male pastime, with its Macho, Tough Guy, Cool, Sexy image it conveys. As has been noted in all the falling birthrate articles, there just are relatively fewer of the teen and 20-something male consumers of these vehicles around.
Far as the impracticality goes, that has always been the case, and the main reason lots of young men got them in the 50s & 60s was they were cheaper than cars. Later on as they started getting super powered up and tricked out the price differential wasn't so big, but in the 50s you could buy a bike for a few hundred while a car ran a few thousand. You could pay cash for it, no loan needed.
I doubt they will disappear completely. At least until there are zero adolescent males around who want to flash a motorized penis substitute around to pick up girls. Or these days pick up other guys. lol.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-11-08/why-us-motorcycle-sales-may-never-recover?utm_source=newsshowcase&utm_medium=gnews&utm_campaign=CDAqEAgAKgcICjDi7PAKMIXduwIw8fqvAw&utm_content=rundown&gaa_at=g&gaa_n=AVINqTxW9QcNe3-WHQHWrRY__4XUCFSacGbewD0xy1nGLizR3QqL9SHTv9mtIeZOlYjBZWTzC9J_vjEfFM6T&gaa_ts=6731caea&gaa_sig=9pxjzqiWCQqS7q2UYiz37Ga5btDmYKWA8sD5yZYurgEZNW9lEYBepB3Mrz8aTUL3ed5hAGB9iCZp6dkAg9vV0A%3D%3D
Weekend Essay
The Allure of the Motorcycle Is Stalling Out