Where will we be in 20 years?

michael_dinwiddy

michael_dinwiddy

Club Member
Our club is has more members now than at any time in the past. Well over 2000 I believe. So we can safely say we are growing. But it is interesting to note that the average age of the members appears to continue to get older. Moreover in a recent post in this Forum the future the club was touched upon and a suggestion was made that we need to attract more young people. But is this really a feasible proposition?

To answer this question we need to know what age group are buying Harleys. It is hard to find the raw data on the internet, partly due to our country being such a small market, but also because when buying a bike the customer age is not required. This is more of an issue with the second hand market. In the USA 🇺🇸 the average age given is over 50, and on some web sites it is higher. There is also quite a few websites that suggest millennials are not buying Harley Davidsons, but it is all quite vague and speculative with little real hard data.

So what do the dealers here say? In personal conversations I have found they are very reluctant to discuss the matter initially, suggesting all age groups buy and they are very busy with sales, however after a bit of pressure I was told that the largest proportion of bikes are purchased by those who retire early and use a bit of their ‘lump sum’ to buy the bike they always wanted. So 50 years plus. The second group are smaller in number but range from their 30’s and use H-D finance, PCP to effectively rent a bike for three years. Furthermore bikes sales have been slowing over the last few years. (pers com.)

So to conclude, what evidence I have seen and heard would suggest there are few young buying harleys, some near middle age buying them too but the vast majority are older, and appear to reflect the current average age of our club.

Perhaps trying to encourage the young then is a waste of time, and not the answer, the current growth in our club numbers is simply a relatively recent blip that will in due course slowly over the next decade or so start to diminish. Does that also mean that Harley davidson motorcycles days are also numbered?



(Note this is a public section on our Forum)
 
in 20yrs i dont think i will be riding ,,,,,,,,but you never know !!!!
as you might know i have been involved with Rospa for around 20yrs ,,,
its surprising how many there are new to biking ..it seems many are now in the say 50s and decided to geta licence .
this year there a lot of new riders joining are group ,,,
so its more the middle are type that are coming into are world ,,,
as i think more here have started as a teenager as it was the only way to get around ,,but now cars are cheaper option .
as to Harleys its still a older mans bike ,,,, due to cost and riders perception of the bike
 
michael_dinwiddy said:
Our club is has more members now than at any time in the past. Well over 2000 I believe. So we can safely say we are growing. But it is interesting to note that the average age of the members appears to continue to get older. Moreover in a recent post in this Forum the future the club was touched upon and a suggestion was made that we need to attract more young people. But is this really a feasible proposition?

To answer this question we need to know what age group are buying Harleys. It is hard to find the raw data on the internet, partly due to our country being such a small market, but also because when buying a bike the customer age is not required. This is more of an issue with the second hand market. In the USA 🇺🇸 the average age given is over 50, and on some web sites it is higher. There is also quite a few websites that suggest millennials are not buying Harley Davidsons, but it is all quite vague and speculative with little real hard data.

So what do the dealers here say? In personal conversations I have found they are very reluctant to discuss the matter initially, suggesting all age groups buy and they are very busy with sales, however after a bit of pressure I was told that the largest proportion of bikes are purchased by those who retire early and use a bit of their ‘lump sum’ to buy the bike they always wanted. So 50 years plus. The second group are smaller in number but range from their 30’s and use H-D finance, PCP to effectively rent a bike for three years. Furthermore bikes sales have been slowing over the last few years. (pers com.)

So to conclude, what evidence I have seen and heard would suggest there are few young buying harleys, some near middle age buying them too but the vast majority are older, and appear to reflect the current average age of our club.

Perhaps trying to encourage the young then is a waste of time, and not the answer, the current growth in our club numbers is simply a relatively recent blip that will in due course slowly over the next decade or so start to diminish. Does that also mean that Harley davidson motorcycles days are also numbered?



(Note this is a public section on our Forum)
Click to expand...

Stick a poll up on the national facebook group asking what age range owners fall into, and see what the results look like. Much more traffic on there (both club members and non club members) Probably need to leave the poll to run for about a week to get a decent sample size.
 
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Just waiting for it to be approved.

Its difficult to get the question right, as some would tick the box they feel is the age group rather than their own age.

So simply ask member of the group to select their age for the purpose of research; we will have to assume they all own a Harley.

Could one of the National FB group Admin pin it to the top please?
 
michael_dinwiddy said:
Just waiting for it to be approved.

Its difficult to get the question right, as some would tick the box they feel is the age group rather than their own age.

So simply ask member of the group to select their age for the purpose of research; we will have to assume they all own a Harley.

Could one of the National FB group Admin pin it to the top please?
Click to expand...
Amend the post to say “please could you help Region 14 with a bit of research to understand the age of Harley owners. Please only answer if you actually own a Harley” Owning a Harley is a prerequisite of being able to join the National Facebook group, there is no way of monitoring if group members have subsequently sold their Harley, but if you amend the post to say only answer if you own a Harley, that should filter out any non owner responses.
 
Mark Hammond said:
Amend the post to say “please could you help Region 14 with a bit of research to understand the age of Harley owners. Please only answer if you actually own a Harley” Owning a Harley is a prerequisite of being able to join the National Facebook group, there is no way of monitoring if group members have subsequently sold their Harley, but if you amend the post to say only answer if you own a Harley, that should filter out any non owner responses.
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It wont let me edit.



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Should trying to recruit youngsters to join the club be a priority if youngsters are not buying Harleys ? A post above states people buy Harleys later in life with retirement lump sums, or they slow down their sportsbike aspirations for a gentler life or if younger they use PCP/HP. So it would seem some of these youngsters will revert to Harley later in life so keeping a healthy membership number as we currently have, assuming Harleys build bikes to attract them. Maybe people see bike clubs as a "one fits all" meaning they lump MC, Owners Club, Riders Club etc all in one basket and think with the rules and expectations and some negative press of MC clubs that club membership is not for them. Those that have been there know this not to be the case. Getting our name out there with flyers, business cards left on bike seats whenever you see a parked Harley, leaving flyers, cards at weekly/monthly meets so getting our name out there infront of HOG. A tough ask being as dealerships push HOG. Personally whenever I visit a dealership I wear some visible HDRCGB insignia, hoody, sweatshirt, waistcoat etc. and people have asked about the club. Many don't see past HOG. Just my 2p's worth for what it's worth.
 
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Mark Hammond said:
Stick a poll up on the national facebook group asking what age range owners fall into, and see what the results look like. Much more traffic on there (both club members and non club members) Probably need to leave the poll to run for about a week to get a decent sample size.
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I have attempted to join the club facebook group twice but my request remained pending for weeks so I gave up. Just tried again to see what happens...

IMG_4384.jpeg
 
Not all dealerships are pushing HOG, nor are their members. I call into Gateshead HD fairly regularly for a mooch. The Geordie HOG lot are often there but other than a 'Y'alreet' in passing, or the ladies of HOG trying to flog raffle tickets I don't think any of them has sparked a conversation. Non hoggies will often have a chat though. When buying a bike HOG wasn't mentioned at all.
 
Todays youth are soft and only interested in fluff. never mind motorcycles of any type look at the cars they drive or in most cases dont, front wheel drive shopping trollys. when i was 20 and you pulled up in a car like that poeple would say why you driving your grandma car. they dont like being cold , wet or uncomfortable or feeling like their in danger. they been wrapped in cotton wool from day 1. in 20yrs biking will be gone or a very very watered down image. forget the young their lost , just make the most of your riding days and friends around you for as long as YOU can
 
Single8Twin said:
Todays youth are soft and only interested in fluff. never mind motorcycles of any type look at the cars they drive or in most cases dont, front wheel drive shopping trollys. when i was 20 and you pulled up in a car like that poeple would say why you driving your grandma car. they dont like being cold , wet or uncomfortable or feeling like their in danger. they been wrapped in cotton wool from day 1. in 20yrs biking will be gone or a very very watered down image. forget the young their lost , just make the most of your riding days and friends around you for as long as YOU can
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I disagree… the point is.. if they don’t ride Harleys then they are not a target for membership.
 
M&M said:
When any of us were young would you want to knock about with a load of old folk?, let alone join a club full of them?, I know I wouldn't.
I imagine the ones out there will do their own thing.
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i did because thats where the knowledge and experience was
 
michael_dinwiddy said:
Our club is has more members now than at any time in the past. Well over 2000 I believe. So we can safely say we are growing. But it is interesting to note that the average age of the members appears to continue to get older. Moreover in a recent post in this Forum the future the club was touched upon and a suggestion was made that we need to attract more young people. But is this really a feasible proposition?

To answer this question we need to know what age group are buying Harleys. It is hard to find the raw data on the internet, partly due to our country being such a small market, but also because when buying a bike the customer age is not required. This is more of an issue with the second hand market. In the USA 🇺🇸 the average age given is over 50, and on some web sites it is higher. There is also quite a few websites that suggest millennials are not buying Harley Davidsons, but it is all quite vague and speculative with little real hard data.

So what do the dealers here say? In personal conversations I have found they are very reluctant to discuss the matter initially, suggesting all age groups buy and they are very busy with sales, however after a bit of pressure I was told that the largest proportion of bikes are purchased by those who retire early and use a bit of their ‘lump sum’ to buy the bike they always wanted. So 50 years plus. The second group are s

So to conclude, what evidence I have seen and heard would suggest there are few young buying harleys, some near middle age buying them too but the vast majority are older, and appear to reflect the current average age of our club.

Perhaps trying to encourage the young then is a waste of time, and not the answer, the current growth in our club numbers is simply a relatively recent blip that will in due course slowly over the next decade or so start to diminish. Does that also mean that Harley davidson motorcycles days are also numbered?



(Note this is a public section
Click to expand...
You are talking very specifically about guys with new or near new Harley's that visit Dealers

I know loads of guys under 50 years old, and some under 40 that ride older Harley's....Pans, Shovels, etc. They see HDRCGB as very similar to HOG...."old gits on modern bikes, that like to press the start button and arrive in luxury at this week's rugby club to get pissed and air guitar to AC/DC whilst wearing club style cut covered in sewons "

These guys have mostly rigid frames, foot clutch, tiny gas tank, yet ride more miles than most Street Glide owning bro's, including international tours...Trip Out, Happening, Pre Evo parties, etc. Theses events tend to be elitist...no baggers, no billet, F@#£ the Factory, etc.
 
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