TLD & Chad McQueen Form McQueen Racing

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Robb Beams Joins Carmichael University Staff

MotoE founder, Robb Beams, has joined the staff at the Ricky Carmichael University.

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Las Vegas MiniMotoSX Track Gets New Dirt

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MIC Launches "Stop the Ban" Campaign at Indy

The Motorcycle Industry Council will launch a multi-media campaign at the Indy Dealer Expo against the lead ban on youth ATVs and motorcycles.

'Hogettes' make mark to boost Harley-Davidson sales
Article from: The Courier-Mail


Mark Solomons

January 29, 2010 12:00am

FEMALE riders are boosting the flagging fortunes of Harley-Davidson in Queensland as increasing numbers of women buy the luxury machines in a quest for independence and self-expression.

Harley-Davidson dealers say the number of sales and inquiries from women is up and owners' groups report rising female membership.

"We sell one in three of our bikes to females," said Geoff Trewin, owner of Rocky Harley-Davidson in Rockhampton.

"A lot of husbands are buying them for their wives. And divorced females is a big market for Harley."

Customers would spend an average of $27,000 on a bike, another $3000 or $4000 on accessories and $2000 on clothing, he said.

Last year was a dismal one for Harley globally, with sales 40 per cent lower in the December quarter giving the company its first quarterly loss since 1993. In Australia, sales in Queensland fell by an estimated 20 or 30 per cent last year, making it the worst-performing state.

But dealers report that sales have improved in January and an established trend of rising female interest has continued. "Sales to women are fabulous," said Phil Beaumont, sales manager at Morgan & Wacker in Brisbane.

Cathy Barry, 44, a Rockhampton nurse, spent $38,000 on a Harley in 2007 following an initial contact with the local Harley Owners Group through its charity work.

"I had breast cancer in 2003 and the Harley chapter took me on a ride and they were so warm and welcoming and I loved being on the bike so much," she said. "I decided that once the chemotherapy was over I would get my own bike."

Ms Barry is now the head of Ladies of Harley in Rockhampton, the female branch of the Harley Owners Group. She says women – mostly in their 30s and older and including a number of divorcees – account for about a quarter of the local HOG membership of 110.

Myrtle Beach may expand its famed motorcycle rallies
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By Claudia Lauer

Residents worried about a proposed motorcycle rally in North Myrtle Beach extending the spring rally season to three weeks won't have to worry if the plan moves forward with newly proposed changes.

The five-day convention, which had previously been billed as a free-standing event, would coincide with the Harley-Davidson Cruisin' the Coast Spring Rally after organizers agreed to move the dates of the new event earlier in the month of May.

Organizers of the Harley-Davidson spring rally said the Main Street event would likely be the official space for Harley-Davidson corporate and the Harley Owners Group events and be part of the larger rally - which has also been trimmed down to five days.

"The majority of what they would do is having Harley-Davidson there for demo rides and maybe some additional vendors. Basically it would be another location where there was something at Barefoot, Murrells Inlet and then stuff on Main Street. ... That would be kind of like the home base of Bike week," said Mike Shank, marketing director for Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson. "Generally when corporate brings the demo rides, the Harley Owners Group attends and does an event pin."

Mark Lazarus, who is spearheading the North Myrtle Beach event with Horry County Councilman Harold Worley, said it will bring as many as 10,000 additional bikers to North Myrtle Beach through the HOG group. The two businessmen filed a special events permit application with North Myrtle Beach to be able to house about 40 vendors from May 11 through May 15 at their shared business venture, the O.D. Pavilion Amusement Park at Ocean Boulevard and Main Street. The original application called for later dates in May.

"What we're doing is strictly vending at the Pavilion site. The HOG Group generally holds pinning events at the corporate [sponsored booths]. We're looking at potentially 10,000 HOG members coming through to stop at that pinning event and bringing their business to Main Street," he said. "Would it be out of the question that other motorcyclists will come up to the corporate vending area? No. But, we won't have anything but vending from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. if we can get the city's approval." Read this story on TheSunNews.com