I'm not sure where all your facts and figures are coming from, but the necessary evils of society are having a tough time as well. People are not paying their taxes and Virginia has opened up a GetSquare program just to get SOME of the money they are not getting. This runs government and our institutions of arrest. The prisons are getting more populated, but they are NOT kicking butt. They are short staffed because of the lower wages and LACK of skilled workers. (that's another problem of our society today). The institutions are going to a pay as you go system by the inmates, at least some to offset the cost. So while there is preceptions that these things are doing well in our government, local, state, federal, they just don't have the dollars to exist.

But that is not my point, the Motorcycle instrustry seems to be doing a dramatic change due to a demographics shift. The mighty boomers moved the pace for a lot of the "have fun" industries in the past decade, like motorcycles, but that is starting to change. I read an article not long ago where most of my peers, the tailend boomers, 50+ group is foregoing the less practical motorcycle craze and going with the camper RV's instead. That is taking away from the bigger touring bikes that seem to be the hot item for RUB's in the past decade or so. And with the "down turn" of the economy, this is also causing that problem for the motorcycle makers. My personal assessment is there has been a shift in disposal money use and it is no longer toward these items but more investment type thing, or less hard on my, more practical items, like RV's.

I still see money out there as I travel the roads and the traffic has not died down much, just more smaller, fuel effiecent cars instead of big red neck trucks. The problem with the shift in the economy is that what used to bring home the bacon is no longer the trend, and workers not skilled enough to shift over, is raising unemployment. Now a word to the skilled market; we are extermly lacking due to many factors. To speak on the jail and prison industry, there is plenty of jobs to be had, but a lack of workers. The folks that would qualify do not want the wages paid, and the folks that would find that to be a good wage cannot get the job or keep the job because of infractions that disqualify them or terminate them. This is just a single example, but it is prevalent across the board because people are not skilled or interested in the available jobs. Many may disagree with me, but we are having problems in my area in central VA directly related to those issues.

Back to the motorcycle industry, it is far from dead, maybe a reduction in the larger new production bikes, but customs still sell, the local rider bikes still sell, like crouch rockets and smaller cc's. Harley announced it no longer can support Buell and they will support but no longer make. I see a reduction in production in the more expensive bikes and refocus to a plan jane bike, leaving the accessories to those who can afford them. This will also keep the cheaper aftermarketers in business. Those who look beyond motorcycles as another toy in the garage will keep someone making bikes, and hopefully there is enough of those guys and girls to keep things going.

Our economy is in need of refocusing and government is not the answer. it is time to emphasize to our kids you have to have education and skills to make a difference. Girls are pursuing the higher education arena's and the boys are just looking for the girls who have jobs to support them. Government will not fix these problems ever, never have, never will.