It's a well-known phenomenon.

Cars displaced motorcycles as basic transportation in the USA in the early 1920s when Model T Fords sold new for peanuts. From that time to this, motorcycles in the USA have been toys, bad-boy symbols, and recreation. Even in a big country, very few people ever needed to go 50 miles at a time on a motorcycle, or commute on it every day of the week.

The reminisces of you guys in the 50s (or your Dads in the 30s) riding to work every day, or the family taking a holiday to the seaside with a double adult sidecar, never happened here. Stylish tiny peanut tanks did just fine for 99% of the riding population, and that's what sold ...

Lannis