INSIGHTS
- What attracts people to the Harley brand are the Harley lifestyle and rider community.
- The culture among Harley riders is characterized by the riders' commitment to the community or brotherhood, the celebration of freedom and masculinity, and the acceptance of eccentricity.
- Though an article indicates that motorcycle owners tend to replace their original equipment (OE) tires with the exact same ones, the case of Honda Valkyrie suggests that it is possible for a non-OE tire to be preferred over an OE tire.
The Harley lifestyle and the tight-knit Harley rider community are the things that attract people to the Harley brand. In the Harley rider community, it is typical for freedom, eccentricity, masculinity, and brotherhood to be celebrated. While there is no indication in the public domain of how and where Harley riders buy motorcycle parts or accessories, a few articles suggest that motorcycle owners are inclined and advised to stick with their original equipment (OE) tire brands. It is possible, however, for a non-OE tire to be chosen over an OE tire given the case of Honda Valkyrie.
METHODOLOGY
While we were able to find the answers to some parts of this request, determining how Harley riders purchase tires or accessories proved difficult. To find this specific information, we tried several strategies, including searches for surveys of Harley, cruiser, or motorcycle owners, buying guides for motorcycle tires, parts, or accessories, and articles and reports on Harley riders' culture, loyalty, and purchasing habits. As the information we found from recently published sources is very limited, we expanded our search to older sources to look for supplemental information. Two of the ten sources we included below (Consumer Reports's survey and Rezvilla's article) were released more than two years ago. We included them here as they provide details that further support the findings we have gathered from more recent sources.
There is very little information on the purchasing habits of Harley riders, but as can be seen below, we were able to pull together a number of helpful insights from the cultural aspects of the Harley rider community and the recommendations of motorcycle-focused sites such as Rezvilla and Motorcycle Cruiser.
THE APPEAL OF THE HARLEY BRAND
What attracts people to the Harley brand are the Harley lifestyle and rider community. Harley-Davidson sells not only motorcycles but a lifestyle as well. The company promotes a lifestyle that evokes images of rebelliousness, strength, freedom, quality, and the American culture. This lifestyle extends well beyond owning a Harley motorcycle to wearing a Harley jacket, t-shirt, hat, or tattoo. According to an article recently published by the Business Insider, "Harley-Davidson has been able to attract fiercely loyal, lifelong customers through its promotion of the Harley lifestyle and its cultivation of its rider community."
The company cultivates its rider community in many ways, foremost of which is its Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). The group, which hosts events such as rides and rallies and has approximately 1 million members worldwide, is the motorcycle industry's biggest enthusiast organization that is sponsored by a motorcycle manufacturer. And apart from this group, the company also has the following initiatives: the Harley Davidson Museum, the Harley Davidson Authorized Tours, and the Harley Davidson Riding Academy, which provides rider education experiences. Harley's expansive dealer network helps significantly in engaging the local rider community. Dealers sometimes host events such as garage nights and poker tournaments. CEO Matt Levatich explains: "The dealership is the clubhouse. The epicenter of the community of Harley riders. That doesn't exist anywhere else in the industry."
As more and more riders join the community, the value of the community grows, and the community becomes more attractive and valuable. This is what makes Harley-Davidson unique compared to other premium brands. While increased ownership typically lowers the value of a premium brand, the reverse is true with Harley-Davidson.
CULTURAL NORMS AMONG HARLEY RIDERS
Among Harley riders, the following cultural norms exist: "commitment to the “brotherhood” of riders, celebration of masculinity (even hypermasculinity), and identification with an ethics of personal freedom and tolerance of eccentricity." This is according to an article published in a 2017 issue of the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies.
Personal freedom is typically expressed through customization or personalization. Harley riders do not keep their bikes exactly as they were bought; they take advantage of the customization options that are available to them. They usually change the exhaust part to make the motorcycle louder and more noticeable. As Harley-Davidson points out in its recent YouTube video, "blending in is not an option."
Harley-Davidson has long been known for its extremely loyal customers. As indicated in a recent article about loyalty strategy, "Harley owners aren’t merely customers – they’re a tribe, with shared customs and experiences that unite disparate Harley owners around the globe." In 2015, it was reported that 72% of Harley owners "would definitely buy the same bike if they were to do it all over again.” Comfort, acceleration, and styling and fun were key to owner satisfaction. The company's core demographic, white men over 35, is aging out, however.
TIRE OR ACCESSORY BUYING HABITS OF HARLEY RIDERS
A few articles suggest that it will not be easy to convince Harley riders to switch to a new tire brand. For example, according to a motorcycle lifestyle article published last April, statistics indicate that "many users are likely to replace their current tires with the exact same ones." Most people will not switch to another tire brand; they will most likely stick with the original equipment (OE) tire. We were unable to determine, however, what these statistics are and where these statistics came from. We could not locate them anywhere in the public domain.
Rezvilla, an online motorcycle parts and accessories store, also suggests that tires be replaced by the manufacturer's recommended front and rear tires. The store also does not recommend mixing tire brands as it may cause the motorcycle to behave in an unsafe or unpredictable manner.
It is possible, however, for a non-OE tire to beat an OE tire. In the case of the Honda Valkyrie, the Motorcycle Cruiser news site finds that the aftermarket Bridgestone tire for the Valkyrie performs better and sometimes costs lower than the OE tire. With this, it appears that if there is anything that would make Harley riders switch tire brands, it will be better performance coupled with lower cost.
As customization or personalization is a norm among Harley riders and "blending in is not an option," it does not seem likely that there is a follow-the-leader mentality when it comes to purchasing tires or accessories. Harley riders often congregate at dealerships for events, however, and most of these dealerships are exclusive distributors of Harley products, so the odds that they will buy brands recommended by Harley are high.
CONCLUSION
It is the Harley lifestyle and the Harley rider community that people find attractive in the Harley brand. People see the Harley rider community as a venue for them to celebrate freedom, eccentricity, masculinity, and brotherhood. How and where Harley riders buy motorcycle parts or accessories could not be reliably determined with the limited information that is available, but there are a few indications that motorcycle owners tend to replace their original equipment (OE) tire brands with the exact same ones. The case of Honda Valkyrie, however suggests that a non-OE tire can become the preferred brand. It appears that the Bridgestone tire for Valkyrie outperforms the Valkyrie's OE tire.