Changes in Rider Demographics
You Must Target the Correct Audience
The demographics of riders have changed. In our article on the history of bikers, we discuss some reasons for this. Noteworthy is that the biker’s mystique has influenced the demographic of riders. One reason is that it has increased the number of riders.
Harley Mystique & Demographics
Another reason for the change in rider demographics is the movie Easyriders. The movie, which came out in 1969, romanticized the biker life and popularized the chopper. These things helped HD’s sales. For many riders, including myself, it made Harley the only brand to own.
Fast forward 50 years, and many diehard Harley riders no longer ride. Often, this is because they have passed or have age-related challenges that make them stop riding. Understanding this will help you identify your target audience and write quality on-page SEO content.
Harley Becoming Mainstream
Next, Harleys became mainstream, and the rider demographics show this. Just think about the “average” Harley rider in 1973. Then, think of the “average” Harley rider in 2023. They are very different. I’m not saying it’s better or worse, but they are different.
The 1973 riders were more old-school bikers. While in 2023, there were more white-collar motorcycle enthusiasts. Now, there is nothing wrong with enthusiasts. But having more white-collar workers who ride on some weekends means your targeting needs to change, too.
In addition, older riders often choose baggers. What your prospects ride changes the riders’ demographics and keywords you target.
Also, in 2022, the number of diehard Harley riders declined. Many of the younger riders were not around during the Harley buyback, which was a critical factor in creating loyalty to the brand with those who rode in the 1970s and 80s.
Again, I’m not saying this is a bad thing, and I know a lot of non-Harley riders. But this does mean that your website and search services are different for them. As more diehard HD riders age out, the more new customers you will need to find.
Reasons for Demographic Changes
One question I ask people I know who ride is why they don’t ride a Harley. It is often noted that the performance is lower than that of other makes of bikes. In addition, riders cite that HD’s are too expensive and not as reliable. Then I ask them about their riding habits. Very few ride more than a couple of days a week, only when the weather is good.
Compared to 20 years ago, non-HD riders aren’t nearly as interested in rallies. This impacts both event attendance and vendor sales. Notably, many are not interested in camping for the entire weekend. Plus, they say they are just not interested in rallies and events.
Or they note they don’t have time in general. Many people aged 25 to 45 have kids, so they have other priorities that take up their free time. So, the rallies these people go to are just day trips. They are only the larger rallies (Sturgis Rally, Bike Week, Laconia Motorcycle Week, Leesburg Bikefest, and Lone Star Galveston) they will ride to and stay at.
Examples of Targeting Bikers
Next, one place to advertise with many targeting options is Facebook ads. So, how do the changes in the demographic change ad targeting? Here are some of the many targeting options that can differ by your demographic:
- Harley or Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, and BMW?
- Is their age under 45 or from 45 to 75 the best?
- Do they like biker rallies or motorcycle shows?
- Do they like baggers or not?
- Choppers are an interesting subject. Yes, a massive number of people show an affinity for choppers. Yes, this is a generalization, but it has proven true. The love of choppers is different for diehard and non-diehard Harley riders. And there is a difference. Diehard bikers want one, want to ride one and romanticize choppers. However, many non-diehard Harley riders often only want to look at them.
The following are only a handful of the numerous demographic options in the biker world. First, you must understand how to market your motorcycle company. Also, the better your Facebook ad marketer, the better your results. Because of their knowledge, you will find it better to have riders than passengers market.
The changes in rider demographics also mean your target audience must change, and it must change to get the best bottom-line results. Your keywords and website content must also change when your target audience changes.
Accurate Targeting Benefits
In addition, the difference between good and excellent targeting is huge. And your motorcycle company will see these changes:
- Change of engagement with your company’s ads on Facebook. By this, I’m talking about the time spent viewing the ad and the number of likes, comments, and shares.
- The cost of converting visitors into customers is lower.
- Your conversion rate will increase.
- There are a lot of other sales metrics that change.
Notably, Revolution’s marketing skills & biker background can help. Finally, you can read more about marketing biker sites on our Marketing Academy.
