The vanishing bicycle: Why motorcycles are taking over

When Fahim left his hometown (Bagerhat) after his SSC in 2014, bicycles were still a common sight. Students like him, as well as adults of all ages, relied on them for everyday commutes. They were affordable, easy to maintain, and well-suited to the small-town pace of life. 

But when he returned this year for Eid, he noticed a clear change — bicycles had become noticeably rare on the streets. In their place, autorickshaws, easy bikes, and motorbikes now dominate the roads. Even people from lower-middle-class families, who once mostly depended on bicycles, were increasingly choosing easy bikes, which can cover several kilometres for just Tk10.

Out of curiosity, Fahim stopped by a few bicycle shops and spoke to some local mechanics. 

"Yes, bicycles are on the decline in towns like Bagerhat," one of them told him. "A few schoolboys still use them, but that's about it. Once they reach class nine or ten, long before even entering college, many of them force their parents to buy them motorbikes instead."

This wasn't just a local phenomenon. Fahim's observation echoed a broader shift across the country. The move from bicycles to motorcycles had been building slowly but decisively since around 2013-2014, when motorcycle assembling began in earnest within Bangladesh. 

Brands started producing bikes in Semi Knocked-Down (SKD) and Complete Knocked-Down (CKD) formats, drastically reducing prices. Local manufacturing, combined with the expansion of 3S centres (Sales, Service, Spare parts), brought motorcycles within the reach of even lower-middle-income families. 

However, bicycles, despite being much cheaper than motorbikes, often come with hidden costs — chief among them, safety and security. While riding a bicycle in smaller towns is still considered relatively safe, cities like Dhaka pose a very different challenge. 

The pace is faster, dedicated cycling lanes are non-existent, and theft is alarmingly common.

Syed Shadman Haque, a professional working at BRAC, regularly commutes within the capital. He shared his brief but meaningful experience with cycling and why he eventually gave it up. 

"I learned to cycle quite late in life. But when I did, it honestly felt like I was flying. You don't come across that feeling every day. It's very hard to replicate that kind of joy on purpose," he recalled.

He took up cycling not just for the thrill, but also as a way to stay fit — something active but not monotonous. 

However, in Dhaka, that ideal quickly ran into hard realities. Roads weren't safe, traffic was unforgiving, and bicycles, unlike motorcycles, lacked basic protections or secure parking infrastructure. Eventually, his bicycle was stolen, an unfortunately common fate in the capital.

That loss, combined with the growing impracticality of cycling in the city, marked the end of his short-lived chapter of fitness and joyride. 

Dhaka's relentless pace, combined with rising congestion and the growing need for mobility, further moved towards the shift. The birth of ride-sharing platforms turned motorcycles into income-generating tools. 

Ride-sharing changed everything, as around 2015-2016, people were seen signing up with services like Pathao or Uber Moto after the pandemic. 

Then came COVID-19 and that period played a critical role in this shift. As businesses closed and people lost jobs, ride-sharing became a fallback plan — a flexible, self-managed means of survival. At the same time, fears of infection made solo travel more desirable.

In small towns, the types of motorcycles chosen reflected users' needs. As small business owners or rural users focused on fuel economy, 100–110cc bikes dominated.  

In contrast, safety-conscious riders gravitated towards 150cc bikes with features like Combined Braking Systems or ABS. Scooters — easy to handle and gear-free — had also carved out a significant niche, especially among women, elderly riders, and the style-conscious urban youth.

Electric scooters were gaining traction, too. Sleek, quiet, and affordable to run, they appealed to a younger generation embracing not just utility, but identity. 

In Bagerhat, Fahim spotted several pastel-toned e-scooters zipping past him — silent, futuristic blips in a town that once buzzed with the ring of bicycle bells.

But no shift in the motorcycle market was as culturally charged as the arrival of Royal Enfield.

Shafkat Sakin, an Assistant General Manager of Brand & Marketing at IFAD Motors Limited, Royal Enfield Bangladesh, explained this to The Business Standard.

"Royal Enfield is the first proper 350cc motorcycle to officially enter our market," Shafkat said. "We didn't come in with noise—we came in with heritage." 

He is not wrong. The iconic British-born brand, famous for its rugged build and vintage style, had landed in Bangladesh with prices lower than most had expected. 

"People assumed the Hunter 350 would cost over six or seven lakh. We launched it at just Tk3,71,000 — with dual-channel ABS," he said proudly.

According to Shafkat, Royal Enfield's appeal lies not only in its engineering but also in its soul. 

"It's not just a machine — it's a story. These bikes were dropped from parachutes during World War II. They've crossed the highest motorable pass in the world. We're offering that legacy, but tuned for the modern rider." 

"We're not just selling bikes," Shafkat said. "We're creating a riding ecosystem — rider jackets, helmets, even accessories and merchandise. You buy into an experience. Royal Enfield is for people who don't just ride — they ride with intent." 

Motorcycles have increasingly overtaken bicycles on the roads of Dhaka — for some, they serve as a source of income, while for others, they have become a part of their lifestyle.

In places like Bagerhat, the gentle ring of a bicycle bell has long given way to the steady roar of motorcycle engines.