AH Challenge--fewer/no motorcycles...

The motorcycle is an obvious, will happen invention, if the bicycle and car are invented. My challenge--make the motorcycle a very uncommon vehicle in the USA--rare enough that kids will be amazed if they see one. I don't care if they're rare because they're outlawed, stigmatized, or something else...
 
Easy. Have the "outlaw one-percenters" of Hell's Angels take over the scene, have a massive law enforcement crackdown...and then make it so only the military and law enforcement get them.
 
There might be an easier way: butterfly the internal combustion engine. Something less compact & powerful might be impractical for motorcycles. Steam? Stirling?
 
All motorcyclists must pass a test in quantum physics and ancient Greek poetry.

Insurance rates will be 10% of the national debt per year.
 

Narnia

Banned
They could be banned for safety reasons in a large American city following a tragic accident. That could lead to more cities banning them and maybe even federal regulations on them.
 
They could be banned for safety reasons in a large American city following a tragic accident. That could lead to more cities banning them and maybe even federal regulations on them.

This is crazy, in such a scenario cars would have been banned first.
 
Motorcycles do offer all the impact protection of a pair of trousers, what could be safer?

Build a frame around the motocycle, but part of the post implied 'a tragic accident' - which is plain ridiculous. There are 'tragic' car accidents, but no move to ban cars.

As long as there will be bicycles I don't see why anyone would not attempt to put a motor on it, even an electric one (counter the overused 'WI the internal combustion engine was invented' argument).
 
They could be banned for safety reasons in a large American city following a tragic accident. That could lead to more cities banning them and maybe even federal regulations on them.

the country that cant regulate hand guns and assault rifles is going to ban motorcycles.........oh don't b silly..........and those pants have Kevlar liners.......atleast mine do:D
 
The motorcycle is an obvious, will happen invention, if the bicycle and car are invented. My challenge--make the motorcycle a very uncommon vehicle in the USA--rare enough that kids will be amazed if they see one. I don't care if they're rare because they're outlawed, stigmatized, or something else...

Couldn't happen in America, I don't think.....now, China, on the other hand....maybe not so hard.
 

Narnia

Banned
the country that cant regulate hand guns and assault rifles is going to ban motorcycles.........oh don't b silly..........and those pants have Kevlar liners.......atleast mine do:D

Guns have powerful political organizations protecting them. In many parts of America knives have stricter restrictions than guns. It has to do with lobbying and publicity. If motorcycles are banned when they are just seen as weird recreational vehicles most people won't care and the bans will stay enforced.
 
And why would motorcycles be banned when they were just a weird recreational vehicle? It couldn't really be because of safety, because many early cars were all-around death-traps too.
 

Narnia

Banned
And why would motorcycles be banned when they were just a weird recreational vehicle? It couldn't really be because of safety, because many early cars were all-around death-traps too.

Well, unnecessary danger VS necessary danger. Also, they would be viewed as something used by criminals or adrenalin junkies. All you need is some well-known person to be killed by a motorcycle driver for a whole anti-motorcycle movement to rise up. Moral guardians often attack new technology when it causes problems.
 
All you need is some well-known person to be killed by a motorcycle driver for a whole anti-motorcycle movement to rise up. Moral guardians often attack new technology when it causes problems.

This arguement comes up time and again, the 'celebrity death' and is there any proof to it all happening in OTL. James Dean was killed in an auto accident, but we still have cars. Plenty of famous musicians have been killed in airplane crashes, but we still fly. So, frankly, no the well-known person killed line doesn't work.
 
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