FOMO
I feel like I say this every day but I want a Honda Trail 125. I know I think it.
The last three years have been crazy. Supply chain issues and pandemic revenge spending resulted in a ridiculous motorcycle market. ADM is terrible and scalpers are worse.
Fear of Missing Out is a real thing even before it came into our vernacular in 2004. I’ve got it bad for the little 125. Posts on various social media outlets remind me that one isn’t in my garage. I absolutely do not need one. No one does.
People overpay for motorcycles. That is nothing new. Recent scarcity of all things two-wheeled is widespread but everybody likely remembers the custom chopper craze aka the beanie babies of the 2000s. Those are close to worthless today and barely ridable. I’ve been hoping that history would repeat itself in an accelerated fashion and the public would tire of sub-10hp bikes by now. The used market should be flooded with dirt cheap MiniMOTOs. It is not. They are not.
The market has softened a bit since sellers listed $3999 motorcycles for $7500-$8000. Private sales on Craigslist in California are still pricing bikes for more than they are worth.
I’ve reached out to many dealers back in November 2020 (before I ever owned my current motorcycles and had a Z900 in the garage) with little luck. One said they could talk to me but only if physically onsite and in person. That strategy made no sense in the depths of COVID. Most just ignored my inquiries. Those who responded demonstrated a willingness to take a deposit but none would say the OTD price or if they charged ADM upfront.
I emailed a few different shops to ask about the 2023 model after having mostly given up on obtaining a 2022. One tried to sell me a non-Trail 125 motorcycle. At least they read my inquiry. Sure, I was wasting dealers’ time but I was willing to pay-in-full up front to be first in line. No luck.
A last-ditch attempt to get a spot in whatever was available occurred a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. Bald Rider told me to go buy something to scout forest roads around our house. A small part of me is glad they did not respond.
Why do we do this to ourselves? I am lucky to have two very nice bikes (depending on your definition) already, both of which are more practical than a 125cc scoot. A CSC TT250 can be purchased with more horsepower for less money tomorrow. Their only showroom in existence is an hour away from home. I made a New Year's Resolution to buy only one bike this year. It was intentional to stop myself from buying a different one to fill the Trail 125-shaped void in my life.
Fate may keep me from filling that void. I know I’d be better-served with a more practical steed. TT250s and Yamaha TW200s exist at the low end. Kawasaki KLX300s, Honda CRF300L and Royal Enfield Himalayans are at the middle lower end. KTM has a 390 Enduro (if it ever comes out) in the middle and 350 EXC-F at the stupid high end. If I acquire one of those, I will need to have room for 4 bikes because a Trail would eventually make its way in there.
Is FOMO just an excuse we use to spend more money than necessary? I suppose the ‘MO’ has come to fruition because I am missing out. To paraphrase Homer Simpson: I’m tired of being a wannabe Trail 125 owner. I wanna be a Trail 125 owner.
At least I didn’t FOMO-buy a $275k fixer-upper for $455k. My neighbor might have, though.
