By Robert Johnson

I’m the proud owner of two Honda VTX1800Cs. I usually commute Denver’s I-25 daily on one of them.

Something I’ve noticed during the past couple of years is a transition in my fellow riders.

More and more, I see different styles of motorcycles—everything from sport bikes to adventure bikes, and still quite a few cruisers. It’s making me wonder if my bikes and I are dinosaurs.

I believe the change in bike designs and riding styles will be good for the motorcycle industry in general. It’s high time for fresh blood in the motorcycle world.

I compare this to what has happened to passenger cars, with the automotive industry moving to SUVs. Most major manufacturers have always built a variety of motorcycles and will have little problem transitioning to a changing rider scene.

Highly specialized manufacturers, like Harley-Davidson, are having to make bigger corrections. The V-twin cruiser was about all they were focused on. Watching Milwaukee correct course is very interesting. I’m sure they feel it’s imperative for their survival. But, still, not everything they’re doing is as radical as the Livewire electric motorcycle.

If you check out Harley-Davidson’s website, you will ll find that they aren’t moving far away from the tried-and-true V-twin drive train, but are adapting it to adventure touring and street fighter models coming in 2020. That is most likely the smartest course they can take. They’ve made great strides in recent years with dependability and reliability. H-D does know V-twins.

The question becomes: How far and fast is the transition that’s coming?

Am I—and both of my bikes, for that matter—truly on the verge of extinction?

I’m a realist. And, while I’ve been riding for about 50 years now, I don’t expect to be able to ride another 50. I hope I have a good 10 or 15 years ahead of me, though.

In the near future, when you attend events like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Daytona Bike Week and Laconia Motorcycle Week, the V-twin cruiser will still be the predominant bike. But I welcome the variety of designs. This transition will ensure the survival of the transportation mode far into the future, well beyond the next generation or two.

Will I see a time when sport bikes and adventure tourers outnumber me and my brontosaurus bikes? I kind of doubt I’ll be around that long. But who knows for sure?

The transition for the other major manufacturers has not been as painful or as radical. Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, BMW, Triumph and others have always built a wide variety of bikes without concentrating on a particular segment of the riding market. The real change for them is in the product mix that they roll out every year. They simply decrease the production of the cruisers, while beefing up the numbers of the other styles.

Builders like KTM, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and others are likely welcoming the transition with open arms. The bikes they build are appealing to more and more riders.

I’m not very familiar with European and other markets, but I realize the V-twin cruiser is primarily an American phenomenon. I suppose this means the transition to more “modern” bikes will be a bigger adjustment for American riders.

One area that Harley may have a leg up is a bit further in the future. The Livewire is probably the most interesting new motorcycle out there. The reviews I’ve read are surprisingly positive concerning the rideability of this machine.

Are we witnessing the end of the internal combustion engine in all vehicle forms?  I hope I don’t see the day when I have to hunt for  fuel for my bikes. When will the majority of “gas” stations be electric vehicle charging stations instead?

Is this what if feels like to be on the edge of extinction?