I have no hard data to prove my position. It’s just an observation and my opinion on what could have had a hand in one of America’s most colored industries to be on the ropes. There are over 45,000 brand-new motorcycles—sport bikes, cruisers, adventure bikes—just sitting in dealer showrooms across the U.S. They’ve been there for more than 200 days, unmoved, unsold, unloved. This isn’t just a market slump, this is devastating. Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Indian, BMW—they’ve all slashed production by up to 25%, hoping to stem the bleeding. Prices have dropped. Discounts are generous. Financing has never been more attractive – 0% in some cases!
And yet… nobody’s buying.
This isn’t just devastating for the industry. This is, in my opinion, indicative of a cultural crisis. Because it’s not scooters and mopeds piling up. It’s not commuter bikes or Gold Wings. It’s the testosterone-fueled machines—the liter sportbikes, the V-twin thumpers, the Dakar-ready beasts designed to go full throttle into the unknown.
So where are all the riders?
They’ve vanished. And I think I know why.
THE TANK IS EMPTY
Let’s call it what it is: We’re living in the age of low testosterone.
And motorcycles are paying the price. In 1945, the average 20-year-old male had double the testosterone of his modern counterpart. That’s not a typo. Double. Over the last 70 years, testosterone levels in men have been falling off a cliff. It’s not just a drop—it’s a freefall. Fertility rates have tanked. Muscle mass has shrunk. Mental health issues have exploded. And drive—sexual, physical, even spiritual—has been all but extinguished. You see the ads for ED meds on TV? Most are geared toward a younger demographic. Why can’t young guys get it up? You’re all not hooking up with Karen.
It’s not hard to see how this connects to motorcycles. Other typically male stuff too, but the looming bike market crash is existential. Riding is a physical act. A risky act. A rebellious act. It’s loud, aggressive, primal. It’s a challenge. It’s freedom on two wheels. It’s the ultimate expression of masculine autonomy—fast, exposed, unapologetic, bordering on obnoxious.
But that kind of thing requires testosterone. Not just in the blood, but in the brain. It requires the urge to ride. To urge to take risks. To urge to go fast. To be alone with your thoughts while ripping through a canyon with sparks shooting out of your knee pucks, or weaving through city traffic at night, with nothing but a helmet and a heartbeat.
Most young men today don’t have it. Not the urge. Not the hormones. Not the balls. They’re soft. Unmotivated and intrigued by androgyny. At the current rate males are losing their testosterone, it’s only matter of time – just a few decades – where Dylan Mulvaney will be the epitome of masculinity.
THE ENDOCRINE APOCALYPSE
Why are testosterone levels crashing? Because modern man is being soaked in estrogen. And not from just one source. It’s a perfect storm of estrogenic pollution:
- Xenoestrogens in plastics, pesticides, cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, and deodorants.
- Soy derivatives in processed food.
- Sedentary lifestyles—no physical challenge, no strength-building, no metabolic demand.
- Environmental toxins that disrupt endocrine function.
- Lack of sun, lack of sleep, lack of sex.
And then there’s culture. A culture that demonizes masculinity, confuses strength with aggression, and teaches young men to suppress their instincts. A culture that rewards passivity, weakness, victimhood. And lets not forget boys playing girls sports, 400 pronouns, 32 genders and tampon dispensers in the boy’s room.
Add it all up, and you’ve got a generation of men who can’t grow beards, don’t lift weights, don’t start fights, and don’t ride motorcycles. And when they do get the itch? They’re on Reddit asking if a 650 is “too much bike” for someone who “just got their license and wants something chill.” In 1995, that same kid would’ve been drag racing a GSX-R750 through the suburbs with no helmet. I’m not condoning such activity, but it indicates we’ve gone soft.
THE BIKE AS METAPHOR
The motorcycle has always been more than just a machine. It’s a symbol. Of freedom. Of danger. Of rebellion. Of individuality. It’s not just transport—it’s identity. Think James Dean. Steve McQueen. Marlon Brando. Hunter S. Thompson. Sonny Barger. Even Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2.
These weren’t just riders. They were icons— male macho icons. And the bike was part of the myth.
Today? The myth is dying. It’s hard to be a lone wolf when you’re living in mom’s basement, playing Call of Duty on your third Monster Energy of the day. It’s hard to fantasize about open roads when you haven’t even mastered changing a tire. And it’s damn near impossible to get a thrill out of a throttle when your brain’s been numbed by porn, TikTok, and Uber Eats.
MONEY’S NOT THE ISSUE
Yes, bikes are more expensive today. Yes, insurance is high. Yes, gas is a factor. But none of that’s new—it’s always been that way. Motorcycles have always been a luxury. A risk. An indulgence. Today, you can get massive discounts on brand-new models. Manufacturers are offering 0% financing, cash rebates, and bundle packages. You can walk into a showroom with a pulse and walk out with a Ducati Panigale.
So if it’s not money, what is it?
Desire. The desire to ride has vanished.
That’s not economics. That’s endocrinology.
THE WAR ON MASCULINITY COUNTERS NATURE
Let’s not ignore the social side of this. The very idea of a motorcycle—power, speed, independence, danger—is considered toxic by many. Parents discourage it. Girlfriends hate it. Society frowns on it.
Young men have been conditioned to believe that risk is bad, that loud is immature, that independence is selfish, that thrill-seeking is juvenile. They’ve been taught to blend in, follow rules, and be cautious. They’ve been told that masculinity is a problem to be solved. Well guess what? When you neuter masculinity, you kill the motorcycle— and the gun, the hot rod, the speed boat, the snowmobile, and the stud—the kind women like. Studies show over 70% of male attractiveness ratings correlate with cues of upper-body strength and leanness. This is instinctual. Such masculine physical traits indicate, to a woman—instinctually— that such a male will be a good hunter, provider, protector. important traits when it comes to propagating the species.
FIX THE MAN, FIX THE MARKET
So what do we do?
Start with testosterone. Fix the man. The rest will follow.
- Lift heavy weights
- Eat real food
- Sleep deeply
- Get sun
- Eliminate seed oils and endocrine disruptors
- Do hard things
And most of all—reclaim risk. Buy the bike. Take the ride.
Scare yourself a little. Bleed a little. Live a little. Because this life isn’t meant to be safe. It’s meant to be ridden wide open. And if we don’t bring back the man, the myth, the throttle-twisting bad ass that made motorcycles cool in the first place… Then the whole industry dies.
Which is 100% exactly what’s happening right now….
