Pasta burner!
Mark
Posted on 03/30/2005 3:01:07 AM PST by Melas
You Are What You Ride: Progressive Survey Finds Differences Between Harley and Sport Bike Riders Go Beyond Bike Type
Wednesday March 9, 1:33 pm ET
Both Dig Body Art But Harley Riders More Likely to Wear What They Ride, Says America's Top Motorcycle Insurer
MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2005-- What can you tell about a person by the kind of motorcycle they ride? Plenty, according to a recent countrywide online survey conducted by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the number one seller of motorcycle insurance in the U.S. The survey finds interesting differences - and similarities - between Harley-Davidson riders and those who ride sport bikes.
For example, everyone knows that Harley riders wear their passion for biking on their sleeve... literally. The survey finds Harley riders are three times more likely than those who ride sport bikes to own clothing or artwork that displays the brand of motorcycle they ride (93 percent versus 30 percent, respectively). Harley riders are also more likely to have body art such as tattoos and piercings (52 percent versus 40 percent).
The survey also finds that Harley riders are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to plan rides around where they'll eat (32 percent versus 23 percent).
Sport bike riders are three times more likely to eat at fast-food restaurants (18 percent versus six percent), while riders of Harleys are nearly four times more likely to pick restaurants with the nicest looking waiters/waitresses (11 percent versus three percent).
The survey confirms that both rider groups have much in common, too. For example, both say "freedom" is the number one reason they ride. And though sport bikes are commonly known as "crotch-rockets" or "road-rippers," only six percent of those who ride them say they do so for "speed" while fewer than one percent of Harley riders say the same. Both groups listed the same top excuses for justifying a quick ride: running errands, testing the engine and visiting friends.
Progressive's survey also finds that ninety-five (95) percent of all riders acknowledge their fellow bikers while riding. Waving is the preferred method of acknowledgement (37 percent), although Harley riders are nearly twice as likely to acknowledge other riders by pointing two fingers down (29 percent versus 16 percent).
Harley riders are six times more likely to only acknowledge those riding the same style bike (18 percent versus three percent).
Additional survey results include:
An overwhelming majority of riders (88 percent) donate time or money to charities. Two-thirds of Harley riders (67 percent) and one-third of those who ride sport bikes (33 percent) participate in at least one charity ride each year.
Sixty-nine (69) percent of all riders daydream at work each day about riding their bike.
Eighteen (18) percent of all riders call in sick to work at least once a year to go riding.
Women prefer to ride with their significant other (58 percent), while men choose to ride with their friends (63 percent).
Adding custom parts that enhance the look of their bikes was the number one choice for Harley riders (73 percent), while adding performance equipment was the top choice for those who ride sport bikes (44 percent).
I will vouch for all of the above facts. There is just something about riding down the road on my Triumph Bonneville and getting lots of "thumbs up" and hearing "Hey, that's a beautiful Triumph", that makes me feel great. Of course, folks at the John Kerry street corner ralley didn't much care for it last year when I pulled up to the stoplight and opened up the throttle and drowned them all out with my roaring Bub exhaust system :)
Harley only makes two colors: Black and ugly.
Back in the 90's the local HD dealer for central Fl was "Dick Farmer". All the dealer shirts had huge lettering above their logo:
"DICK FARMER'S H-D"
If you owned one, you wore it inside out. :-)
Brother, I wish I had an answer. All I know is that the man or woman who thought of it, is a marketing genius, because I would have sworn durng that particular meeting that the socks would never move.
Gives new meaning to the phrase, "bumper crop"
Adding more tools and extra bars of Lava soap is the top choice for those who ride vintage Brit iron. ('65 Norton Atlas, '61 BSA 441)
Here, we call them Liquorcycles. How many DUIs you got?! ;-)
I don’t get the whole Harley scene. In an $ effort to be different, cool, individual, unique, whatever, they all end up looking the same,(walking Harley endorsements), so what’s the point. I don’t get spending 20k on 70year old technology that everyone else has.
Save some money buy a real bike (Ducati…) that’s designed to perform.
May my VFR - R.I.P - way to dangerous out there for me.
Include the BMW's in your test rides and enjoy the process!
LOL, I've actually found it's the other way around. The GW riders go back to HD when they're too old or infirm to handle 1,000 pounds of bike.
Oh, I don't know about that. I commuted 40 miles into downtown Boston for a number of years on the Wing and and found it more enjoyable than the the same commute on my cruiser.
Ah, got ya. Thanks!
I think it depends on what type of riding and the type of bike. Not all Harleys are good for long distances or around town. Same with sport bikes and racers. I am not much on them, but I think BMW makes a nice cruiser. I hear they are the smoothest. Some Harleys are smooth and several are not. Also, what's the insurance costs? Yamaha and Suzuki know have Harley clones which arent too bad. But they aren't Harleys, only half the price. If you come to Daytona, I know you can rent a Harley from Robinsons and also all week long they have free test rides from all the manufacturers at the Speedway. Next one is in October at Biketoberfest (at least I think they do free rides there. I know for a fact they do during Bike Weeks in March).
Most of the differnce between Tridents and Rocket IIIs is seen in the forward cant of the cylinders. In 1975, Triumph used these same blocks to make room for congress-mandated electric starters. That was the year of the death of British iron's uniqueness: They made them move the shifter to the left side, brake to the right, etc.
Mine's the only bike I've ever owned, and I'm hesitant to mount an American or Japanese bike, afraid I'll get into a stress situation and instinctively hit the shifter, trying to stop.
At one charity ride, there were several hundred Harleys, and 1 Ducati! lol
Mark
Snortin' Nortons and Moto Guzzis are nice old bikes. If I run across anyone interested in your Norton, I'll let you know.
CBR 600 Bump!
Pasta burner!
Mark
About to surrender?
Mark
Harley seems to offer less and less for the money.
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