The Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® (IMS), the industry leader for connecting powersports’ top brands with enthusiasts and buyers, today announced data gathered from survey feedback provided by participants of IMS’ Discover The Ride initiative, which found that 81 percent of currently non-motorcycle-licensed consumers who experienced the thrill of two-wheels on the program’s New Rider Course plan to get their motorcycle license. Of those non-licensed riders, 64 percent were under the age of 35. The combined findings suggest there is a high percentage of youth interested in joining the motorcycle industry.
Discover the Ride, which launched during the 2018/2019 IMS tour and has since hit seven major cities throughout the nation as well as the 2019 Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Auto Show, is the only approachable motorcycling experience designed to give non-motorcycle-licensed consumers the experience of riding in a safe and controlled environment. The interactive program, which includes the New Rider Course, The Kids Zone, educational seminars within New To 2, and a dyno and wheelie experience, was specifically designed to introduce riding motorcycles to consumers of all ages in an effort to counteract the industry’s high barriers of entry.
“It is important for the motorcycle industry to recognize there is a deep pool of potential riders, especially within the younger generation, as Discover the Ride’s data suggests,” said Tracy Harris, Senior Vice President, Powersports, Informa. “Discover the Ride does a fantastic job providing a quick and accessible opportunity for non-riders to experience the rush of two wheels. The program additionally takes the next step in converting non-riders by providing continued education and resources to those interested through New to 2, a series of online videos and live presentations educating new riders on the world of motorcycling, and guidance from Total Control Training who provides tailored information on where one can pursue obtaining their motorcycle license.”
The Discover the Ride feedback, provided by non-motorcycle-licensed participants, was contributed by over 2,000 consumers spanning Long Beach, New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., and Chicago. In addition to its presence at each stop of the 2018/2019 IMS tour, Discover the Ride’s feature at the DFW Auto Show resulted in a comprehensive dataset pulling from both industry and non-industry consumers.
Additional key highlights from the Discover the Ride survey feedback are as follows:
- Across the seven IMS tour stops throughout the nation and the DFW Auto Show, over 6,800 consumers participated in Discover the Ride.
- 47 percent of all non-motorcycle-licensed Discover the Ride and New Rider Course participants were female.
- More than 2,340 kids rode StaCyc bikes in The Kids Zone.
“The motorcycle industry has struggled with Millennials and Gen X’ers not entering the market at the same rate as baby boomers are aging out,” said Robert Pandya, Team Manager, Discover the Ride. “Thus, it is critical for the future of motorcycling that current industry leaders come together to bring approachable opportunities for the next generation, as well as underserved demographics, to experience and get on board with riding. As the nation’s largest consumer motorcycle tour, IMS is currently leading that effort with Discover the Ride.”
IMS is dedicated to increasing new ridership; as a follow-up to the onsite Discover the Ride initiative, IMS will be reaching out to the non-motorcycle-licensed riders interested in obtaining their license to further provide the tools they need to start their journey.
To learn more about Discover The Ride, please visit: motorcycleshows.com/content/discover-ride.
To learn more about the Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® Tour, please visit: motorcycleshows.com.
