Wild and Free and Off to Work

They may hint at a life lived on the edge but motorbikes are also practical, economic and fun.

Report: Dan Hall

One of the world's biggest brands has made a lot of money out of youthful rebellion - or, in many cases, nostalgia for it. 'Who doesn't have a little something to rebel against in their life?' Harley-Davidson's global chief marketing officer, Mark Hans-Richer, says about the raw attraction of the big, high-powered motorcycles. Blame Peter Fonda and the late Dennis Hopper in the 1969 classic film Easy Rider for producing instant, iconic images of freedom, rebellion and the desire to push back.
The appeal of rugged individualism is occasionally tarnished by association with outlaw biker crime, as was the case in Sydney last year when a violent brawl between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs at Sydney airport resulted in a death.
But Australians are signing up to the ranks of motorcycle owners in droves, whether it is for the pure exhilaration of riding or the convenience and low cost of commuting on a motorcycle. Motorcycle registrations have risen by almost 1 O per cent a year since 2004, with more than 620,000 now registered across the country. This is 57.4 per cent more motorcycles On the road than in 2004.
It isn't just leather-clad members of bikie gangs who are buying motorcycles. For people who have to commute to work, choosing two wheels can lessen the travel time in a fun and economical way. Motorcycles come in all shapes and sizes, from wasp-sounding scooters to giant, gurgling monsters adorned with polished chrome and accessories, and not one stereotype defines the average motorcycle rider.

---

---

In fact, everyone, whether they have flirted with the idea of riding or not, has it in them to be a motorcycle rider, Harley-Davidson global president and chief operating. officer Matt Levatich says. He calls this 'the Harley gene' and says everyone has it. It's just that for some, the Harley gene is dormant and waiting to be roused by the roar of a turbo-charged engine. 'Ten years ago, Harley-Davidson did some research and the research agency came up with the idea of the Harley gene,' Levatich says.
'A big part of the company's strategy is to encourage people with a dormant interest in motorcycles to bring their Harley gene to life, because typically, when you get someone on a Harley-Davidson, they don't get off.'
Activating this interest is a big part of Harley-Davidson's marketing strategy: turning dreams and latent interest into a full-blown motorcycle addiction. 'Really subtle things push someone that is generally curious about motorcycles to act on that curiosity,' Levatich says. 'First-time riders are usually engaged through an experience with a dealership; they feel welcome, it gets demystified for them and they do a test ride.' The feeling, so riders say, is liberating.
'[A Harley-Davidson motorcycle] is not a like a soft drink. This is not a commodity product. This is an experiential product,' Hans-Richer says. 'I have ridden all over the world and the people you meet all have the same joy of life. They come from all walks of life and yet they will form an immediate bond; it's a cool leveller.'

---

---

But not all motorcycle owners are on the straight and narrow - and Harley as a brand has to deal with association with the wilder fringes of the motorcycling world. The image of outlaw motorcycle gangs is the same all over the world, Hans-Richer says.
The fact that the image of bike riders is quite rugged and includes elements of risk is part of what attracts people to motorcycles and this naturally attracts a fair number of risk-takers.
'Harley-Davidson is a little more rebellious than your average everyday brand,' Hans-Richer says. 'You can push that way to the edge and become an outlaw, but the motorcycle doesn't make you do that; that's just who [outlaw bikers] are and it just happens a motorcycle might be part of that.' Sales to outlaw motorcycle gang members make up about 1 or 2 per cent of the company's business, Harley-Davidson's Australian managing directorPetecNochar says.
'While outlaw gangs are in the headlines quite a bit, they are actually a small proportion of the business,' Nochar says. 'These are the folks that define the outer edge of the biker identity.'