17-04-2011, 08:02 PM
Hi,
Thanks for reading and for your kind comments. Re Squires, yes, I've been there out of curiosity, and never quite saw the attraction, but the place was truly thronged with thousands of bikes. There's a village 25 miles north of us on the Wolds called Fridaythorpe, which has a cafe that's a mecca for bikers. They have their own separate room called the 'bike shed'. My wife and I are in a walking club and we were at Fridaythrope a couple of Sundays ago at 8.30am to start a walk to a medieval abandoned village - Wharram Percy, and we were a bit early for the walk so called in the cafe or a bacon butty. Even at that time in the morning there were forty or so bikes, and I guess by lunchtime, there'd be maybe 250.
On the south bank over the Humber Bridge, in July each year at Barton on Humber they have an event known as 'Barton Bike Night'. Basically, the whole town comes to a standstill in every respect except for bikers riding into the town. There’s no hassle, little police presence, the residents don’t mind and help with marshalling. It's very well organised - they direct scooters to this street, Harleys to that, vintage bikes to another, custom bikes to another street, then BMWs etc. The result is that anyone interested in particular makes can walk down a while street of them, then another street and so on. They have food stalls, trader stands, and so on. If it's a fine night some 10,000 or so bikes turn up - many from far afield.
Some info here for anyone interested:
http://www.bartonbikenight.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S-i1WPuqLI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNji_K38Dsw
Marketing bikes is a tricky business- a lot of it about image and branding. Harley D have something of a problem in getting younger people to ride and own them - not simply that they're expensive, but they're seen as something that fat old blokes who are vertically challenged ride. Harey are acutely aware of this and reaslie that to survive into the future, they must attract younger bikers. I read a write up about Harley's marketing guys mingling with the crowns at the Sturgis Rally as the bikes paraded past, and they were quizzing onlookers about the bikes. They asked questions t which h answers were anything but reassuring: "Do you think those guys look cool?" 'Erm, no - I just think they look old. I think they were those bandana things on their heads and grow beards because basically, they're bald'. "Wouldn't you like to own a Harley?" - 'No, but my dad would except my mum won't let him'.
Harleys bang on about the 'open road' but really, America's 'open roads' are a bit of a boring place to ride a motorbike - long freeways, not many undulating roads or bends. Harley do some excellent 'viral' advertising - promo vidoes to hone the 'live the dream' malarky - ride to live - live to ride. The one that's loosely moddled on the Lord's Prayer is acknowledged to be one of the best image building viral branding ads going. Well worth a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyocDeGh7Qs
Biker's should always bear in mind the motto: "Never ride faster than your angel can fly"!
David.
Thanks for reading and for your kind comments. Re Squires, yes, I've been there out of curiosity, and never quite saw the attraction, but the place was truly thronged with thousands of bikes. There's a village 25 miles north of us on the Wolds called Fridaythorpe, which has a cafe that's a mecca for bikers. They have their own separate room called the 'bike shed'. My wife and I are in a walking club and we were at Fridaythrope a couple of Sundays ago at 8.30am to start a walk to a medieval abandoned village - Wharram Percy, and we were a bit early for the walk so called in the cafe or a bacon butty. Even at that time in the morning there were forty or so bikes, and I guess by lunchtime, there'd be maybe 250.
On the south bank over the Humber Bridge, in July each year at Barton on Humber they have an event known as 'Barton Bike Night'. Basically, the whole town comes to a standstill in every respect except for bikers riding into the town. There’s no hassle, little police presence, the residents don’t mind and help with marshalling. It's very well organised - they direct scooters to this street, Harleys to that, vintage bikes to another, custom bikes to another street, then BMWs etc. The result is that anyone interested in particular makes can walk down a while street of them, then another street and so on. They have food stalls, trader stands, and so on. If it's a fine night some 10,000 or so bikes turn up - many from far afield.
Some info here for anyone interested:
http://www.bartonbikenight.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S-i1WPuqLI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNji_K38Dsw
Marketing bikes is a tricky business- a lot of it about image and branding. Harley D have something of a problem in getting younger people to ride and own them - not simply that they're expensive, but they're seen as something that fat old blokes who are vertically challenged ride. Harey are acutely aware of this and reaslie that to survive into the future, they must attract younger bikers. I read a write up about Harley's marketing guys mingling with the crowns at the Sturgis Rally as the bikes paraded past, and they were quizzing onlookers about the bikes. They asked questions t which h answers were anything but reassuring: "Do you think those guys look cool?" 'Erm, no - I just think they look old. I think they were those bandana things on their heads and grow beards because basically, they're bald'. "Wouldn't you like to own a Harley?" - 'No, but my dad would except my mum won't let him'.
Harleys bang on about the 'open road' but really, America's 'open roads' are a bit of a boring place to ride a motorbike - long freeways, not many undulating roads or bends. Harley do some excellent 'viral' advertising - promo vidoes to hone the 'live the dream' malarky - ride to live - live to ride. The one that's loosely moddled on the Lord's Prayer is acknowledged to be one of the best image building viral branding ads going. Well worth a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyocDeGh7Qs
Biker's should always bear in mind the motto: "Never ride faster than your angel can fly"!
David.
