Demographic Analysis for US Motorcycle Riders

• The majority of motorcycle riders in the US (81%) are male, while female riders represent 19%. For both genders, the median age of riders is 50 years.
• A big number of riders in the US are married (68%).
•  24% of riders who are college graduates.
• The median household income of motorcycle riders in the US is $62,500.
• Of all riders, 71% are employed while 24% are retired.
• Overall, there were 13,158,100 motorcycle owners in the US in 2018 compared to 11,704,500 in 2009.
• South Dakota has the most number of motorcyclists at 12 people for every motorcycle, beating the national average by 66%. New Hampshire is second at 17 people for every motorcycle, beating the national average by 53%. Iowa is third with 18 people for every motorcycle, beating the national average by 50%.

Recent Changes in Demographics of Motorcycle Riders in the US

• According to data compiled by the Motorcycle Industry Council, the median age of riders has been rising from 45 years in 2012, to 47 in 2014, and 50 in 2018.
• College graduates are taking up more motorcycling with the number rising from 17% in 2010, to 20% in 2014, and 24% in 2018.
• There is also an increase in the number of women motorcycle riders in the US. In addition, there is an emerging trend of millennial motorcyclists.
• More than half of millennials have enrolled for a training course and frequently commute using their bikes. 69% of millennials are interested in electric motorcycles because of environmental concerns and the high price of fuel.

POTENTIAL NEW AUDIENCES

• Survey conducted by Motorcycle Industry Council in 2018 reveals a drastic change in statistics for American Motorcycle riders, including more college- educated and female riders and a record amount of motorcycles in households.
• Male owners are 81% and female owners are 19%.
•  The median age for motorcycle owners have shifted from 47 to 50.
• Married owners has increased from 61% in 2014 to 68% in 2018.
• More college graduate now rides because statistic witnessed a rise from 20% in 2014 to 24% in 2018.
• The median household income for motorcycle in 2018 is $62,500 compared to $62,200 in 2014.
• Employed owners of motorcycle are 71% while retired owners are 24%.
• In 2009 11,704,500 people owned a motorcycle, while in 2018, 13,158,100 owned a motorcycle.

WOMEN

• According to the survey by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), t he study found that among all age groups, women make up 19% of motorcycle owners, compared with less than 10 % less than a decade ago.
• The survey found even greater ownership among younger generations. Among Millennials, 26% of motorcycle owners were women.
• Among younger generations of owners, the percentage of women is even higher. Slightly more than 17% of Gen X owners, and 17.6% of Gen Y owners, are women. Among Boomer owners, women make up 9%.
• Among all age groups, women in the United States now make up 19% of motorcycle owners. But the 2018 survey showed even greater women motorcycle ownership lies within younger generations.
• Among Gen X motorcycle owners, 22% were women; among Gen Y, 26% were women.
• When it comes to purchasing a motorcycle, women rate fuel economy and test rides as the most important decision-making factors.
• The study revealed that female riders are safety-conscious. While 60% of women took a motorcycle safety course, only 42% of men had any formal training.
• In some state motorcycle safety training programs, women make up 30% of the student population.
• In the survey, of some 48,000 American households, women were also asked to share their top three reasons for riding motorcycles, they answered fun and creation, sense of freedom, enjoy outdoor and or nature.
• The 2018 owner survey also found that women motorcycle owners spend, on average, $574 a year on tires, routine repairs, maintenance, replacement parts, and accessories and modifying equipment, compared with $497 by men.
• The median age for female motorcyclists is 39 versus 48 for males.
• More than 49% of women motorcyclists do their own maintenance or have a friend or relative do it, instead of taking their bikes to a shop.
• New motorcycles are preferred over used by 57% of female riders.
•  49% of female motorcyclists are married.
•  47% of female motorcyclists have a college or post-graduate degree.
• Among Gen X, 22% were women.

YOUNG RIDERS

•  The MIC survey uncovered trends among the emerging group of millennial motorcyclists. More than half have taken a training course and use their bikes frequently for commuting.
• In the survey, 69% say they are interested in electric motorcycles, citing fuel and the environment as top drivers.
• Millennial are potential new audience as t here are over 75.4 million. millennials nationwide surpassing baby boomers at 74.9 million.
• The millennials that do ride motorcycles tend to ride different brands or models of motorcycle as compared to baby boomers. Millennials prefer Bobbers, Choppers, Cafe Racers, Bratt.
• Not only do manufactures need to make motorcycles that go along with today's trend but they also need to make them affordable.
•  The motorcycle industry is changing not dying because most new riders are not looking for robust hogs to roll anymore. They are looking for practical and inexpensive cool; Cheap transportation with low entry cost, that gets great gas mileage making them environmentally friendly.
• Indian Motorcycle press release r showed a 20% increase in sales last year, because of their hugely popular Scout lineup.

MOTORCYCLING IN HOUSEHOLDS

• MIC survey shows households owning motorcycles rose from 6.94% in 2014 to a record 8.02 % in 2018, an increase of more than 1.5 million homes.
• Accordingly, the survey revealed that 10,124,400 of US homes has a motorcycle since the United States Census Bureau’s most recent estimate put the number of U.S. households at 126,224,000.
• The MIC says that motorcycle households in the USA have on average 1.30 bikes in their garage, which is up from the 2014 figure of 1.23 bikes per garage.

MOTIVATIONS FOR RIDING A MOTORCYCLE

RECREATION

• A survey commissioned by Harley-Davidson, found out that men and women share similar reasons for riding. The survey reveals that women and men both are seeking the freedom and adventure the sport of motorcycling can offer.
• According to the survey, 77% of male and 67% female riders said that riding increased the freedom and adventure in their lives, and more than 75% said that the aforementioned reasons continue to motivate them.
• For some, to be cool- Motorcycles are cool since it shows the world that the rider is adventurous.

COMMUTING

•  Riders opt for a powered two-wheeler as a cost-efficient alternative to infrequent and expensive public transport systems, or as a means of avoiding or reducing the effects of urban congestion. In addition, where permitted, lane splitting which is also known as filtering allows motorcycles to move between vehicles in slow or stationary traffic.
• In the survey conducted by consumer report on motorcycle owner satisfaction, owners of motorcycles and scooters are very satisfied with their bikes overall, with a majority rating them either excellent or very good for comfort, cost of maintenance and repair, fuel economy, and performance.
•  88% of respondents were highly satisfied with their bike, with 61% saying they would definitely purchase the same model again.

YOUR RESEARCH TEAM APPLIED THE FOLLOWING STRATEGY

HARLEY DAVIDSON

• Harley-Davidson's reviews are predominantly negative, with people mainly pointing out engine failures, electric part malfunctions, and high fees. The average rating of the company on the Consumer Affairs website is around 1.2 stars.

•  Harley-Davidson has focused lately on expanding its aim at the millennials and baby-boomers.
• The company has also been targeting women. An example of this is their bike line Sportster.
• In general, Harley-Davidson targets passionate bikers coming from the upper-middle-income group and between the ages of 25 and 40 years.

• Harley-Davidson offers electric, street, sport, heritage, touring, trike and CVO bikes.

• Harley-Davidson's main competitive advantage is its broad product portfolio, brand recognition, and years of experience.
• Another advantage that Harley-Davidson has against their competitors is its wide array of customization options.

HONDA

• People think of Honda mainly as the brand that manufactures automobiles. On the Consumer Affairs website, Honda has 4 out of 5 stars average rating.
• In general, customers are dissatisfied with paint quality, electric part malfunctions, roadside assistance and build quality.

• Honda has committed to serving the eco-friendly field, intending to have two-thirds of its global vehicle sales come from electrified vehicles.
• Their US market, however, is currently lacking interest in eco-friendly vehicles and demands bigger size, utility, and driving dynamics.
• In the US, Honda's motorcycles marketing team is targeting multicultural millennials. Their strategy is a combination of digital and social media ads that focus on multicultural individuals.
• Their target market is middle-income individuals.

• Honda offers adventure, touring, cruiser, sport, super sport, minimoto, and standard bikes.
• In, addition, they offer off-road (Source 19) and police bikes.

• Honda leads the market in terms of reliability. The brand has a widespread reputation of being reliable, which is supported by consistently earning high rankings in Consumer Reports.
• Also, Honda is competitive in terms of fuel efficiency in comparison with other brands.

POLARIS

• On the Consumer Affairs website, Polaris has an average score of two stars.
• Most of the reviews are negative, and the complaints are focused on vehicle malfunctions.

• While millennials are one of Polaris' main consumer groups, the brand is currently targeting baby boomers.
• Through their marketing and message, they aim at people with heritage value by evoking feelings of nostalgia.

• Polaris owns the Indian Motorcycles product line.

• Polaris has a competitive advantage in terms of safety/quality of their products. According to the executive vice-president of global operations of the company, they have invested significantly in safety development.

YAMAHA

• On the Consumer Affairs website, Yamaha Motorcycles has an average rating of 4.2 stars, and most of their reviews have positive feedback.
• Their consumers' feedback focus on how innovative the brand is, the quality of their manufacturing, ease of steering, and suitability for learner-drivers.

• Yamaha targets the middle-class market and individuals between the ages of 25 and 35 years old.
• Through their marketing and message, they also target families with children.

• Yamaha offers the following motorcycle types: motocross, cross-country, trail, dual-sport, super sport, Hyper Naked, Sport Heritage, Transcontinental Touring, Adventure Touring, Sport Touring, and scooters.

• Yamaha has the best price to performance ratio in the field and competitive pricing in comparison with its competitors.

SYM

• The general US opinion around SYM is that it is a scooter company rather than a bike manufacturer.
• The customers praise the brand for its high-quality and performance but consider it low-tech when compared to other bikes in the market.

• Through their advertising and their message, SYM targets both millennial men and women.

• SYM offers scooters, e-bikes, cubs, and bikes in their portfolio.

• A review made by one of MN Motorcycles experts said the bike is capable of outperforming other more technologically advanced motorcycles.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

Royal Enfield

• Target Market: Royal Enfield is an automobile company that produces motorcycles. The company is widely known for its gun manufacturing past. Its bikes are targeted towards those who are appreciative of the company's dutiful or utilitarian image. This image stems in part from Enfield's past and the names of their bikes, such as the Bullet.
• Types of Bikes: Enfield produces both on-road and off-road bikes. Enfield's bike names invoke a type of military-esque image with names such as Desert Storm or Bullet.
• Competitive Advantage: Enfield's competitive advantage is its lengthy history that spans back to the 1890s. The company has stood the test of time, and it manifests in its bikes. Enfield's image is also an advantage due to its past as a gun manufacturer. Enfield has the image of functional products that could literally survive or be administered in wars. This ties in well with the utilitarianism and ruggedness of its bikes.
• Consumer Perception: Enfield projects an air of manliness and rugged functionality. Consumers see Enfield as crafting reliable bikes that fit its purpose perfectly. While this is not an example specific to the United States, India notably used Enfield bikes for its police force.

KTM

• Target Market: KTM's target market includes riders that are sporty, enjoy racing, and are into bikes that are bright and stylish.
• Types of Bikes: KTM's bikes are designed for speed, style, and tricks. Despite having consumer bikes, racing culture is a major facet of KTM. Some of its bikes include the 450 SX-F 2020, the Duke 200, and the 2019 FIM MX2.
• Competitive Advantage: KTM is renowned for its status as a major sports bike manufacturer. Racers and stunt performers use KTM bikes, a fact that is widely proclaimed on its site.
• Consumer Perception: Consumers love the sleekness, speed, and style of KTM bikes. Reviewers remarked that their bikes feel and look powerful, owing to its sporty look.

Triumph

• Target Market: Triumph's target market are motorcyclists who appreciate motorcycles as machines. This is captured by its motto, "For the Ride." Triumph does not make brightly colored sports bikes, but large, classy, and sleek bikes. The sports bikes Triumph does develop have the same sleek style as its other bikes. Its site is replete with information on maintenance, apparel, and accessories, indicating that it is for bike lovers.
• Types of Bikes: Triumph's bikes include the Rocket range, Tiger range, Twin range, and Daytona range.
• Competitive Advantage: Triumph's competitive advantage is its sleek, well-designed bikes. Consumers note that Triumph's bikes feel engineered and well-designed, meaning that deep thought and meaning were applied to construct a powerful machine. Its bikes place minimal extra demands on the rider, making them easy to handle.
• Consumer Perception: Consumers note that Triumph's bikes feel elegant and refined. The bikes are powerful and their designs do not abandon that power.

Indian

• Target Market: Indian Motorcycles was the first motorcycle company in the United States. The name references Native Americans, and its bikes reference Chieftains. Indian Motorcycles targets Americans who fasten themselves as leaders, not followers. The brand's stylishness is uniquely American.
• Types of Bikes: Indian's bikes reference Native Americans and frontier culture. Some of the bikes offered include the Indian Springfield Dark Horse, the Scout, Roadmaster, and Chieftain Dark Horse.
• Competitive Advantage: Indian has existed as a company since 1897, producing bikes. Thus, the company has a long history of bike manufacturing, including developing America's first motorcycle. Indian also has the advantage of being a major American company that produces motorcycles.
• Consumer Perception: Consumers love the "classic" look of the Indian bikes. They note that the bikes always garner questions and turned heads from onlookers. Indian bikes are easy to handle as well.

Ducati

• Target Market: Ducati is a popular sports bike manufacturer and many people still associate the brand with its sports dominance. Ducati is also known for its power and performance, which is a part of its sports image.
• Types of Bikes: Ducati has several models of bikes, including Diavel, XDiavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, and Panigale. Ducati's bikes range from cruisers to high performance sports bikes. The bikes all have a style that's elegant as well as sporty.
• Competitive Advantage: Ducati's competitive advantage is its performance. Their bikes handle well, while being powerful and light. Technological superiority is often cited as Ducati's major advantage.
• Consumer Perception: Ducati is the type of brand that consumers dream of purchasing from. The brand is noted for its sleekness and its name, like Porsche, is used as an example for high-end quality. Consumers appreciate Ducati's power and high-end bikes. Its sportiness adds to the Ducati allure.

Before buying the motorcycle:

• Decide the type of motorcycle- It can be a Cruiser, if you are looking for an everyday bike, a Sports bike for the high speed riding thrills, or a touring bike, if cross-country travels is your thing. Knowing what type of bike you require depends entirely on what you want out of it.
• Go to school- Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) rider education classes are required by a number of states before you can make a motorcycle purchase. These classes range from beginners classes for first-time riders, to advanced classes for honing your skills as you get more experience. It is a great opportunity to try out riding in a protected environment.
• Gear up- When deciding your motorcycle, make sure to keep a budget and a choice for the gear equipment you require with your bike. At minimum, this should include a full-face helmet, a purpose-made motorcycle jacket with pads, gloves, and boots.

Customer Journey

• Once you have shortlisted the bikes you want, the first step would be to get the insurance quotes for them. Motorcycle insurances are not cheap- therefore it is always important to research about it. Insurance cost also helps you in deciding on your motorcycle as the rates might be higher for one shortlisted brand as compared to another. MSF training, lower displacement engines helps in getting the insurance discounts. 
• The second step is to decide how to finance your purchase. Taking a loan is not necessarily a bad thing if you can keep up the timely payments as it helps to improve the credit history and boost the credit score. The dealer undoubtedly offers the financing but it doesn't hurt to research with your bank or local credit union.
• Choosing the dealership is not just about getting the right price, one needs to research about the overall service and reputation of the dealerships near you. Attend the events, interact with the employees and get to know the type of relationship they have with their customers.
• Even if the customer has the type of motorcycle decided, it doesn't hurt to have a look and feel of the bikes available at the dealership. Ask as many questions one has about the bike and get it all clarified, also make sure to sit on the bike and get a feel on how comfortable it is with respect to height, foot pegs etc.
• If it is not necessary to get the latest model of the bike, it is easier to snag great deals since dealers are also interested in getting rid of older models. This is a great time to ask for value added deals like accessories, apparel and prepaid service deals.
• The last step is the paperwork and final signing of the deal. Proper care needs to be given to make sure the document is in order and also keep in touch with the service department of the dealership for future use.

Factors to buying a Motorcycle

• Environment friendly: As compared to cars, motorcycles require less fuel and the average fuel consumption rate is around 30-40km/litre. This leads to low cost, low carbon footprint and a much efficient form of transportation with low environment impact.
• Commuting made easy: Traveling with motorcycles with much faster as compared to cars which saves the precious time spent on the road. Especially with riding between lanes allowed in states like Texas and California, riding has never been more enjoyable. Also, parking is much cheaper and easier for the bikers.
• Cool factor: No one can deny the fact that one of the major reasons to buy motorcycle among any age group or gender is to look cool. Bikers have that innate sense of attitude which has led to increased motorcycle purchases.
• Sense of independence: Freedom is one of the attractions of motorcycle culture and being able to get on the bike and travel around the country is one of the examples of independence. The younger demographic is extremely influenced by this factor and the need for freedom.

Barriers to purchasing a Motorcycle

• Cost: Even though motorcycles in general cost much less than cars, but the overall cost including insurance, equipment, maintenance costs, gear costs etc., is much more than that of cars. This is a major deterrent for people to buy them and requires heavy research.
• Safety: Motorcycles are unfortunately associated with track biking, accidents and rash driving. Though, most of these assumptions are wrong, but there is no denying about the additional safety measures required for riding.
• Licensing issues: In most states, a separate license is required for bikes and getting a new license seems like huge hassle for a lot of people.
• Longevity: Since the motorcycles are not shielded from the weather elements, unlike cars, they tend to last much shorter and you can do more miles with your car. Therefore, customers looking for long term investment tend to prefer cars over motorcycles.

Research Strategy