More women than ever are choosing to ride motorcycles as their main leisure activity. This bit of trivia is according to a recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates, where 12 out of every 100 motorcycles are sold to women – a 20 percent increase since 2003.
However, that’s just not enough women buyers for Harley or they aren’t getting a disproportionate share of those women buyers because the company marketers have spun up another promotion targeted exclusively for women.
The deal is that every women who graduates from a Rider’s Edge course AND purchases a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle now through October 1, 2008 will receive a diamond ring.
This comes as no surprise from a highly male marketing team. Motorcycling is a male dominated sport and there is very little information out there that speaks directly to woman’s interest in riding or getting her own bike…call me crazy, but today’s woman rider is college-educated earning $50,000 or more and is a role model in her community…do “diamond ring” stereotype’s really work and influence women to make a purchase decision?
This is so yesterday’s news. The Harley marketing staff needs to get a clue and bring on a few dozen female college interns to regain perspective.
Ring and Woman advertisement photo courtesy of HD
Northwest Harley Blog 
I don’t think female college interns are your best bet for identifying woman who are interested in a Harley. Try someone who has lived and worked in the real world….now that’s who Harley should be talking to.
@ Kitty: my point exactly…in trying to market to the “new” demographic (20 somethings) which Harley states they need, it seems they have hired the same brilliant (male) marketing minds at Vanity Fair Lingerie — they are the ones that thought it would be a great idea to add a special promo tag on some of their bras that says:
AGE DEFYING LIFT!
With the exclamation point! I’m not a woman, but if I were to pretend for 10 minutes…it’s one thing to be told that ladies need a moisturizer to keep our face ageless, but geez, how cruel a blow to tell them that the “girls” need some age-defiance.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment…I’m now back to being just a guy and I’d love to be an “age-defiance” visual inspector!! 🙂
I would think the 30 something women is the group you want. They are more independent and are over needing a man to ride behind. For them it is now a need to ride. How is that for a marketing concept?!
I had to laugh at the comments regarding “age defiance”. I have flown in the wind for many yearsand when it comes to “age defiance” ius women need moisturizer and a pair of big glasses!