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You Are What You Ride
Yahoo Financial News ^ | 30MAR05 | Progressive Insurance

Posted on 03/30/2005 3:01:07 AM PST by Melas

You Are What You Ride: Progressive Survey Finds Differences Between Harley and Sport Bike Riders Go Beyond Bike Type

Wednesday March 9, 1:33 pm ET

Both Dig Body Art But Harley Riders More Likely to Wear What They Ride, Says America's Top Motorcycle Insurer

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2005-- What can you tell about a person by the kind of motorcycle they ride? Plenty, according to a recent countrywide online survey conducted by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the number one seller of motorcycle insurance in the U.S. The survey finds interesting differences - and similarities - between Harley-Davidson riders and those who ride sport bikes.

For example, everyone knows that Harley riders wear their passion for biking on their sleeve... literally. The survey finds Harley riders are three times more likely than those who ride sport bikes to own clothing or artwork that displays the brand of motorcycle they ride (93 percent versus 30 percent, respectively). Harley riders are also more likely to have body art such as tattoos and piercings (52 percent versus 40 percent).

The survey also finds that Harley riders are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to plan rides around where they'll eat (32 percent versus 23 percent).

Sport bike riders are three times more likely to eat at fast-food restaurants (18 percent versus six percent), while riders of Harleys are nearly four times more likely to pick restaurants with the nicest looking waiters/waitresses (11 percent versus three percent).

The survey confirms that both rider groups have much in common, too. For example, both say "freedom" is the number one reason they ride. And though sport bikes are commonly known as "crotch-rockets" or "road-rippers," only six percent of those who ride them say they do so for "speed" while fewer than one percent of Harley riders say the same. Both groups listed the same top excuses for justifying a quick ride: running errands, testing the engine and visiting friends.

Progressive's survey also finds that ninety-five (95) percent of all riders acknowledge their fellow bikers while riding. Waving is the preferred method of acknowledgement (37 percent), although Harley riders are nearly twice as likely to acknowledge other riders by pointing two fingers down (29 percent versus 16 percent).

Harley riders are six times more likely to only acknowledge those riding the same style bike (18 percent versus three percent).

Additional survey results include:

An overwhelming majority of riders (88 percent) donate time or money to charities. Two-thirds of Harley riders (67 percent) and one-third of those who ride sport bikes (33 percent) participate in at least one charity ride each year.

Sixty-nine (69) percent of all riders daydream at work each day about riding their bike.

Eighteen (18) percent of all riders call in sick to work at least once a year to go riding.

Women prefer to ride with their significant other (58 percent), while men choose to ride with their friends (63 percent).

Adding custom parts that enhance the look of their bikes was the number one choice for Harley riders (73 percent), while adding performance equipment was the top choice for those who ride sport bikes (44 percent).


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: biker; harley; motorcycle; rider; sportbike; squid
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To: MarkL

That is a hot ride. I ride a '99 Suzuki SV650. My first bike. Only dropped once. Gotta love NYC taxis.


181 posted on 03/30/2005 10:14:29 AM PST by thefactor
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To: JoeSixPack1

LOL! True enough!


182 posted on 03/30/2005 10:14:34 AM PST by gimme1ibertee
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To: Cogadh na Sith

some of you Ninja folks seem to be under the misguided notion that getting there faster is getting there better?

Like when the young bull and the old bull on the top of the hill surveying the fetching herd of cows down at the bottom, the young bull in his exuberence shouted "lets run down and boink a few" to which the sage bull replied...."Lets walk down and boink them all"

but is you need to rank out V twin, cruiser manics, I am not afraid of a little heat.....so whats the difference between a Harley and a Hoover???.....why the position of the dirt bag.....

there you go....happy motoring....


183 posted on 03/30/2005 10:16:18 AM PST by Vaquero ("There is nothing lower than the human race - except the french." (Mark Twain))
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To: tacticalogic

Hey! - I rode a 3 cylinder Yamaha 750 for 6 years and it was the best bike I ever owned. Shaft drive, with a Windjammer and highway bars - that bike was reliable, and fun! Had to get rid of it in 1990 when I started dragging kids to school on my way to work.

If anyone knows of a good, reasonably priced 750 or 850 cruiser (eg - Honda Magna) in the Houston area, please let me know.

I started with a Yamanah 50 2 cycle scrambler in West Germany in 1970, went to a 1969 Yamaha 200 2 cycle street twin in 1972, a 1973 Honda CD 450 in 1973, back to Yamaha in 1976 with a 360 Enduro, to a very fast, 2 cycle Suzuki T500 twin in 1977.


184 posted on 03/30/2005 10:23:17 AM PST by sbrogden (Test ALL things, hold on to that which is True)
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To: sbrogden
Hey! - I rode a 3 cylinder Yamaha 750 for 6 years and it was the best bike I ever owned. Shaft drive, with a Windjammer and highway bars - that bike was reliable, and fun! Had to get rid of it in 1990 when I started dragging kids to school on my way to work.

You must've gotten the good one. All of them I crossed paths with had a habit of frying the center cylinder, and a voracious appetite for camshafts.

185 posted on 03/30/2005 10:32:59 AM PST by tacticalogic ("Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: martin_fierro; blackie; BraveMan; Melas
Sometime this fall I'm looking to bolt together one of these...

With this
El Bruto™ Series 127 ci 4.25" bore Engines

And probably this

If all that fails to come about, I'll just buy a new TV and rocking chair, cancel my phone and ISP, and rot.

Good plan??

186 posted on 03/30/2005 10:33:09 AM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: Melas
You are what you ride.

What a misleading title, I was going to talk about a really fine sorrel Quarter horse ...............

187 posted on 03/30/2005 10:42:15 AM PST by HoustonCurmudgeon (Redneck from a red city, in a red county, in a red state, and a former Army Red Leg.)
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To: JoeSixPack1
I'll just buy a new TV and rocking chair, cancel my phone and ISP, and rot.

Why do all that when you can just buy a full-dresser Road King and accomplish the same goal?

(I couldn't resist....)

188 posted on 03/30/2005 10:47:57 AM PST by Cogadh na Sith (Steel Bonnets Over the Border)
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon; Melas
was going to talk about a really fine sorrel Quarter horse

Go ahead--it's smoother, more reliable, faster, and of course, costs less than a Harley....

189 posted on 03/30/2005 10:50:06 AM PST by Cogadh na Sith (Steel Bonnets Over the Border)
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To: gimme1ibertee
The only time it's been down, is when I was dumb enough to leave it parked on the street one night...some punks tipped it over. It cost me $238 for a new accelerator assembly ( my deductable on insurance was $250! ) out of my pocket.

Hell of a bike. Never had a problem with it mechanically...and it's comfortable for cross country riding, too.

190 posted on 03/30/2005 10:54:02 AM PST by beowolf
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To: Melas
riders of Harleys are nearly four times more likely to pick restaurants with the nicest looking waiters/waitresses...

Stocks just went up!
191 posted on 03/30/2005 10:59:03 AM PST by philman_36
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To: JoeSixPack1

Go for it Joe ~ whatever blows yer skirt up. :):):)


192 posted on 03/30/2005 11:00:21 AM PST by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: Loud Mime

Yes, I was just about to bring this up. If you are concidering a 'Tour Style' of motorcycle, I would suggest the Touring bike of the year for 2004 and 2005. The BMW K 1200 LT. If this is your style of riding you might as well go with the best!!


193 posted on 03/30/2005 11:01:59 AM PST by PushinTin
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To: Cogadh na Sith
"I ride a 1983 Honda CB1000 Custom."

That explains things . . .

194 posted on 03/30/2005 11:14:33 AM PST by BraveMan
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To: Cogadh na Sith

Too late. Already have the full dress Electraglide Classic. With close to 90K on the odometer and still doing wheelies!

Just looking for a new project. :-)


195 posted on 03/30/2005 11:15:03 AM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: blackie

Hey,leave my sexual preference out o' this!! ROFL!! :-)


196 posted on 03/30/2005 11:20:16 AM PST by JoeSixPack1
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To: R. Scott

My dad rode his Harley across country and back in 1958, he was 20 at the time. He ran out of money in the state of Indiana and had to get back to western PA. Thank goodness people were nice back then. They took IOU's and he sent them money, some people were just nice and didn't want anything. He still talks about a beautiful indian girl he saw somewhere out west.


197 posted on 03/30/2005 11:28:54 AM PST by WV Mountain Mama (Christ the Lord is Risen! He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!)
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To: JoeSixPack1
Good plan??

Roger that!! Prolly be a nice contrast to the Dresser and an excellent addition to your stable.

I've been leaning towards that '49 Pan knockoff kit from RoadRat Roberts. Two BIG boxes delivered to your driveway. Just add water; makes it's own sauce . . .


198 posted on 03/30/2005 11:51:13 AM PST by BraveMan
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To: rabidralph
crotch-rockets

Get a Harley. There is no other type. You want a fast one that looks like one of the ricers? Get the newer model VRod (although I've got some questions about that one personally)

199 posted on 03/30/2005 11:56:03 AM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: rabidralph

Go with the harley. Sure the "crotch rocket" is faster and quicker, but the harley is a lot more stable of a ride. I had a cousin killed on a "crotch rocket" about ten years ago.


200 posted on 03/30/2005 11:58:03 AM PST by timtoews5292004
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