If you add for Brits as a suffix to "main streaming of motorcycle travel/holidays", then some of what you say makes sense. Otherwise it's nonsense. This forum has (had) contributors from probably more than a hundred countries (I'm sure GJ has the stats at his fingertips ), so bandying about "we all agree on that" is disingenuous and makes any other contributions to be taken with a pinch of salt too.

I like your too cool for school comment. Once at a UK BMW owners club event many moons ago, this chap turned up with a 1150gsa with, shall we say politely, lots of bling attached. I, "in civies" in an old car (at the time poor and couldn't afford a bike after the end of my rtw trip) only asked him 2 questions:

1. Do you know what all those buttons do?
2. If you press all the buttons at the same time, will your bike explode?

His buddies thought it hilarious, him less so.

When I still lived in the UK (until 2020), I had a paid subscription to the Ukgser forum (despite swearing in 2002 I'd never ride a BMW again, having ridden one around the world... Now 23 years later still pretty much abstinent, except when I had a free bike to ride or when it was actually just a rebadged Aprilia ) in order to have access to their for sale section. Must have saved 100s of £, despite my £12/year outgoing, buying rarely/never used gear at a fraction of the full price from the Portsmouth posers you mention, after they moved on to macramé or tiddlywinks. Those clowns do have some uses...

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