Here are some interesting statistics from a recent Associated Press article on Motorcycle fatalities in Vermont and New Hampshire:

 

Statistic 1:

In Vermont, Of the 23,000 riders who have taken motorcycle education courses between 1990 to 2005 only 2 have been involved in fatal crashes.

 

Statistic 2:

In Hew Hampshire, of the 69 people killed during 2004/05, only 3 had taken formal motorcycle riding courses.

 

(State vows to step up motorcycle safety after spike in deaths - Boston Globe, January 2006) 

 

Say what you like about the small size of these states, during the good weather, northern New England is a major motorcycling destination, not to mention that one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the nation occurs every year in Laconia, N.H. an otherwise small town in the center of the state. These statistics are significant and speak volumes about what is possible with proper training. Sadly, there is no such thing as a safer cigarette, however given the aging demographic of the American motorcycle rider; a safer motorcycling experience can be the cornerstone to aggressively campaigning to bring new riders to the sport.

 

So how can companies involved in the motorcycle trade make best use of this type of data?

Make it easier for new riders to say yes.

 

Cool-Factor Checklist 

Think about a hypethical motorcycle cool-factor checklist for a moment:

    Reliable Machines - Yes

    Cheap Transportation - Yes

    Sex Appeal - Yes

    Hip Clothing - Yes

    Great Lifestyle - Yes

 

    Really Safe - NO

    Easy to Get Started - NO

 

If you are someone, man or woman, who has never ridden, who doesn’t have friends who ride and whose main exposure to motorcycling has been the Discovery channel – how likely are you to just walk into a showroom? Not very.

 

The new converts who will comprise future markets must come from the ranks of the never-done-that-but-it-looks-really-cool community. These are 20-somethings, looking for new experiences; freedom, adventure – and they want it now. The motorcycling cool-factor checklist has its positives for sure, but a sense of real risk coupled with a perceived steep learning curve from beginner to “"I can do this without getting killed”" is a real barrier to entry.

 

How do you overcome the barrier? 

The data from New Hampshire and Vermont are a great clue – proper training will greatly diminish the risk of injury – however this will fall flat if it is not incorporated into a “whole product”. What is a whole product? A whole product considers the buying experience from the perspective of the customer and everything they need to have a great experience. In the case of a new motorcycle buyer, think of the whole product not as an entry level bike with a helmet thrown in as a sweetener, but rather think of everything before your customer has to:

 

    Bike

    Helmet

    Jacket

    Pants

    Gloves

    Boots

    Riding School

    Insurance

    12-24 Month Maintenance Agreemet

    Winter Storage

    Local Touring Guides

    Riding Group.

 

Sell it as a mix and match package at full retail price with a slight stepped discount structure, or with a meaningful discount when bought as a whole package.

To get real good at this, anticipate the 10 questions every new buyer is going to have – something your top sales people already know – and now you have the core messages for your marketing effort.

 

This is something anyone in the supply chain can organize around:

    Bike Manufacturers

    Protective Gear Manufacturers

    Distributors

    Retailers
    Tour operators.

 

Need for Speed or something else? 

Growing the number of 20-something customers is more than appealing to a fringe who feel the need for speed - these people are looking for something new, different and reasonably safe - the data is out there - all of the pieces are out there.

 

I suppose the question is: who will be best at putting the puzzle together for the future?