First off, sportbikers shouldn't feel uncomfortable or that anyone is pointing the finger at them. It could be argued that without them there might not be a motorcycle industry in the UK worth talking about.

The "extra 5mpg" quote is missing the point - these cheap imports will also be covered by the increased emissions regulations. As for emissions from the developing world - this will take longer but they can incorporate the current emissions technologies and take steps in the right direction. Those consumers will eventually demand it too.

"Autogearboxes", "know what gear you're in" - I thought we were grown-ups here. Sounds like a bit of biker-chauvanism here - real bikers use gears! Is this the tactic you use to sell your bikes? No wonder the motorcycle industry feel stagnant! I included that as an example of how innovation can improve accessibility for people new to biking. Without this change/innovation and others like it, motorcycling will cease to be relevant in the modern world and will die.

You are spot on about the bike-buying public's habits but rather than settle on sportsbikes being the zenith of motocycling and continuing to sell people the same irrelevant over-powered plastic crap 'lifestyle' we need to start talking about the future and enthusing the public with a cleaner, more-inclusive vision of biking. The car on my driveway bears no resemblance to an F1 car in the same way that I stopped believing the MotoGP/WSB are reliable/relevant enough to entrust the future of biking with.

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Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
www.brighton2expeditions.co.uk