Influencing Factors in the Motorcycle Market and Consumers Trends

Since motorcycles are notorious for being more dangerous than passenger cars, safety isn't usually the number one criteria on a person's list when they buy, repair, or build their own motorcycle. Rather, speed, comfort, fuel economy and style are a few more common criteria.

With fuel prices climbing higher and higher, more consumers are interested in motorcycles for their fuel economy. The size and shape of your bike will have a huge impact on its gas mileage though. For the highest number of miles per gallon, buy a smaller bike with an aerodynamic frame. College students and young adult with no children are probably the best candidates for motorcycle use. Many gas pumps are designed with cars rather than motorcycles in mind though. This can make re-fueling somewhat difficult. Motorcycle owners consider the inconvenience a low price to pay for the money they save on gas though.

The design and brand of motorcycle that you choose will largely depend on the way you plan to use it. For example, stunt bikes and dirt bikes are usually light-weight while touring bikes, which travel longer distances and higher speeds, are often heavier to support a larger engine. Geographic location also makes a difference. For example, in a Southeast Asian country, where lane splitting is a common practice, small motorcycles and scooters allow motorists to utilize the space between cars and move through congested traffic quickly.

Although many Japanese brands, like Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, dominate the motorcycle industry today, Harley-Davidson is still a popular motorcycle brand in America. Harleys are pretty much heavy weight motorcycles that have at least 750cc engines. They are usually designed for highway cruising and they are also very customized and showy. One of the big selling points for Harley-Davison is their American-made and historic quality, but many of the motorcycle parts are actually made in other countries. This outsourcing increases the quality and decreases the price of the parts.

Buying vs. Building
Buying a motorcycle facilitates immediate use and requires no mechanical expertise. And, if your new ride comes with a warranty, you can rest assured that everything will run smoothly or be covered for the first couple years. On the other hand, if you build your own bike, you can make your ride exactly the way you want it and you will always be able to make your own repairs. It can also be more affordable to build your own bike because consumers can buy custom Harley parts for less than wholesale price if they know where to shop.