"Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul. "
Author Unknown.
Motorcycling Moves Mainstream America
By: Linda Gross
When Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper took to the open road in “Easy Rider” - circa 1969, Harley’s were a symbol of what it meant to be young, male and counter-culture.
Even up to 1987 half of all Harley riders were under the age of 35. Today, Harley riders are largely established baby boomers, with a median age of 47 who own homes and 401Ks. Things which are decidedly not counter-culture. In fact, the entire industry is going mainstream according to the Motorcycle Industry Council Owner Survey just released in 2009. The survey shows there are over 10 million Americans who now own a motorcycle. That’s greater than the entire population of New York City. All on two wheels.
The Zen of Motorcycling has gone main stream.
Beverly LeResche, co-owner of Superstition Harley-Davidson, in Apache Junction has been in the industry for over thirty-five years and seen the changes. She started out in ’73 with her late husband, Jerry opening a small dealership in Wisconsin. At the time she didn’t ride. She learned in ’74 on an X90 Lightweight so she would have some credibility with buyers who came in to talk bikes when she’d be the only one in the shop. Back then both buyers and sellers were mostly men. Women who rode were often considered ‘rough.’ Beverly was an anomaly. She was neither male nor ‘rough.’ She just made it her business to know her customers and know her bikes, a trait which remains at the heart of her success.
Harley-Davidson itself is quite the success story both for the bikes it has produced over the years and its avid customers who make up a culture unto itself. Started in 1903, the Company has survived the economic and social upheavals of five wars, and the Great Depression.
In fact it was one of just two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. In 1973 when Beverly opened the first dealership, there were only three models: the Sportster, Super Glide ,Electra Glide and the Lightweight. Today there are nearly forty models and a multi-million dollar industry in accessories and add-ons. The company generates 5% of their revenue just by licensing the logo.
The name HOG, commonly associated with Harleys, came from the early 1900’s when a group of farm boys who raced Harleys would place a real pig on the back of their bike and take a victory lap after every win. They won so consistently, the hog became synonymous with Harley.
With over 10 million motorcycle owners, it is safe to say, not everyone owns a Harley. Something which is a mysterious phenomenon to those who do. Yet, according to webBikeWorld, sales of Street Bikes far exceed the other categories of Dual Sport, Off Road and Scooters by a margin of 40% - 80%. And it is this market where Harleys excel: heavyweight street bikes built for comfort on the road.
It’s that love of the road combined with a powerful machine and newly designed comfort of the ride which translates into more folks discovering the joy of the road.
In April of this year, Joanne Steel who authors a blog about rural tourism posted an excellent piece on Bikers and Rural Tourism.
She says communities - especially rural communities - are missing a great opportunity if they are not marketing to today’s Biker. She goes on to say, “today’s bikers are passionate about their bikes and the open road. They are also generally middle-to-upper class folks who love the challenge of scenic, un-crowded back roads and take very good care of their bikes. They are community spirited people and drop money into rural communities where they often spend a night, hang out at bars and restaurants and - in general raise the economic bar for rural communities and back road businesses.“
