state of the hobby?

[boxcarOkie]

 

Good question, unfortunately, I do not have the answer.  It could be disposable income as some have suggested, it is not cheap to run a bus.  If you are trying to do this, well, good luck. As I understand it, the new generation is not into cars and transportation and cities with good municipal transport systems, rank high on their list of where to live.

My last hobby became too expensive for me, so I gave it up.  That hobby paled in comparison to owning/maintaining a bus.  How it is that we move in and out of hobbies during our lifetime.  Earlier in life, I started out with motorcycles, and then moved to pickup's and hot rods, then briefly into Vans during the seventies. Model Railroading took up a great deal of my time and resources for over thirty years, photography, computers, desktop publishing and eventually, full circle, to the bus.

Now as I slowly slide into my seventies, I am looking at the end of the road on the bus.  Having about 95% of it completed and in place, I see the end of the line as far as the bus is concerned.  With the economy in the tank, I would have sold it a long time back, but that no longer is a valid option. 

As I age,  I am starting to experience the familiar pangs of anxiety and I find myself wondering ... "What will it be after this?" ... the old "What's Next?" issue is rearing its ugly head.  So I suppose that is the burning question for me this day, "When you do get to the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and it is not a train" ... Then what? 

Having no clue as to whether it is a hobby or a lifestyle as some have suggested, I will leave it with you to hash out among each other.

Some really interesting responses to this thread, good reading.

BoxCarOkie

The Real Deal ... Accept no substitutes.

[luvrbus]

LOL I have never called it a hobby owning a bus is work anyway you slice the pie 

[Jon]

Calling it a hobby is the only way to justify spending more money than you would have spent on an already converted or store bought RV.

[Cary and Don]

I think it will be coming back big time. Maybe not coach conversions to begin with, but schoolies. Look at the new "Tiny Home" movement. How long will it take this to move from, basically, home made trailers, to buses? Not very long I think. Then the schoolie people will discover coaches. Give it five years. Want it to happen sooner? Get on the TV program with a project. Take conversions to these Home Shows that are showing the Tiny Houses. It's just that people don't really know we exist.

Cary

[Mike in GA]

In our club, the SE Bus Nuts, there seems to be a drop off in newer, younger members. In chewing this over around the campfire several reasons have been put forth, which all probably have a kernel of truth:
     Our club is comprised of a few late WWII generation folks and lots of Baby Boomers. Not to overgeneralize, but these groups generally like challenges, like restoring and renovating, they value sturdy and dependable goods made the "old-fashioned" way, and they believe that hard physical work has its rewards. The younger generation, Gen X, doesn't share all of these traits, and often would rather buy something new vs. fixing up something older, driven partly by concern for how their time is spent, and generally avoiding the get-your-hands-dirty hobbies. Certainly not all, but many. If you think that's depressing, check out the Millennials, who've had mom and dad do all their heavy lifting, etc.
     When I joined the SE Bus Nuts 17 years ago it was common for new folks to not even have their 1st bus yet, but wanted to network and learn about the hobby. Then a bus purchase and even more questions. The club was an invaluable resource for a hands-on hobby. We get fewer new members these days, and they have usually bought someone else's conversion. Of course we love 'em all.
     A couple of our bus nut members are also in antique and classic car clubs. Most our their members have done at least one restoration themselves. They say their members are older and the hobby is dying out. Today's young people, they say, don't seem to like turning wrenches, valuing older things, etc.
    I just drove our bus 1200 miles from New Hampshire to Georgia. Saw fewer conversions on the road than years past, and a couple of them were newer Prevosts. Anecdotal, I know. But as far as our hobby is concerned, depressing.
     Just my two-cents worth...
Mike in GA

[Scott & Heather]

There's some truth to the above statement. Hipsters and younger gens are really really lazyish. I'm 34 so I include even some of my gen. How can I skate through life with as little effort as possible is basically the general trend. I was taught old school which is why I've now converted two coaches and fulltimed in both. Hard work is something I enjoy. I do fear for the next and next generations. Who is going to do the dirty work?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dtcerrato]

Well put, I agree. But at my age most of the hard work is behind me (I wish?)

[boxcarOkie]

I would agree with most here (Mike has a good grasp of it all for sure), raising two boys, and now full grown, they have no interest in cars, hot rods, motorized transportation of any sort.  Scott I would say you are the exception to the rule, not the norm.  I have met very few (at your age) with your talents, drive and ambition, when it comes to buses.

Mine. 

They just want to know what it is worth?

Which is kind of like "Free Advice" ....  Not much.

BCO

[John316]

As a fairly young person, who has been there done that, I can offer my thoughts.

Personally, I would never own a bus, unless I was travelling full time. I did almost all the maintenance and upkeep on ours, and I am so glad to be done with it. I enjoy hard work, IF there is a purpose and reason. Buses are (can be) expensive and take a lot of time. My time is so full, that I cannot afford to spend time working on a bus.

I do agree. A lot of people in my generation are lazy. The rest of us are just trying to maximize our time. I will end up getting a travel trailer to pull behind my truck. It is a lot of fun to help other people, who break down in the area, or need help for some reason. However, I will not purchase a bus just for weekend trips.

Cheers!

John

[luvrbus]

LOL young people today use their brain not their brawn it did surprise me how many younger people have abandoned the so called American dream (owning a home) and have moved into buses.They don't travel in the buses it is home for them and family.I guess I forget John helping me  ,and you did do a good job John on the DL   

[Cary and Don]

The 30 somethings just don't have the time to do a conversion. The average work week is 48 hours, then there is all those kid activities, soccer, baseball, dance lessons, etc., home chores, wife chores, church, the list goes on and on. They barely have time to sleep.

Cary

[CrabbyMilton]

They need all of the time they can get to play POKEMON GO.

[CrabbyMilton]

It doesn't have to be just buses but anything. If you have an interest in something, why would you even care if other people do or not? Just do your own thing and if the other people don't like it or lose interest, that's their problem.

[Dave5Cs]

John that's Just called Nervous energy Fill your day Say W H A T!........

[boxcarOkie]

I will end up getting a travel trailer to pull behind my truck. It is a lot of fun to help other people, who break down in the area, or need help for some reason. However, I will not purchase a bus just for weekend trips.

Cheers!

John

John, you are right, these monsters consume a lot of time, and of course, resources.  But it is by choice we do these things, and you seem to have realized your goals and time restraints, what it is that is important for you, it is a wise man who can do this.  

We are only allotted so much in life (time) and it is wise not to fritter it away on what some consider non productive endeavors.  Time is like smoke thru a keyhole, it goes away very fast and the first thing you know, it is over.

The trailer thing is a good idea.

But I would say after having gone down the trailer route for several years, I feel safer in a motor-home/bus configuration.  Not being a big fan of campgrounds and plugging into a pole, I spend a lot of time in various locations. In the bus, if someone decides to mess with me, wherever I happen to be, I can just walk up, sit down, start it and drive off.  

You cannot do that with a trailer, you have to exit the trailer, and go to the truck.  This (in my opinion) can be a dangerous thing, I never felt comfortable with that aspect of it all.

BCO