This year’s eighteenth commuting demonstration event, to be held on Monday June 15th, is expected to double the number of riders on the road, according to Ride to Work, a non-profit advocacy organization.

According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride To Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a larger number of America’s 8,000,000 cycles and scooters are ridden to work.

“Riding to work on this day shows the positive value of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. For several hundred thousand commuters, riding is an economical, efficient and socially responsible form of mobility that saves energy, helps the environment and provides a broad range of other public benefits,” states Andy Goldfine, the event organizer. Motorcycle and scooter clubs and organizations in many countries encourage their members to ride to work on this day.

Ride to Work Day shows how riding makes parking easier and help traffic flow better. Motorcycles and scooters consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and they take up less space in parking areas and on roads. Riders seek employer support for this form of transportation, and increased government and public awareness about riding’s many benefits.

For more information, please visit http://www.ridetowork.org

Northwest Cycle Report is 4 years old this week. Originally a text-only email newsletter, NWCR has grown into an online magazine for riders in the Northwest.

In celebration of this anniversary, I have added some new features to the site. I have added the Google Friend Connect system to allow you to join the site community. In addition, Google Friend Connect now powers the site’s commenting and polling systems.

Please let me know what you think of these new features.

No anniversary would be complete without thanking those who have contributed to the site: Steve Johann, Michael Pierce, Rob Green, and Ian Stacconi have all been generous in their contributions to the site. A special thanks to Michael Pierce for providing some of the outstanding photographs featured throughout the site.

As the site has grown it has taken more and more time and effort to maintain. As a labor of love I don’t mind either. I do still need some help in the form of advertising sales. If you or anyone you know would be interested in helping advertisers connect with motorcyclists, please contact me. Commission is paid.

Finally I want to thank all of you who read and subscribe to NWCR. Please keep the comments and feedback coming.

Washington State’s Department of Licensing has established a YouTube channel to share videos of motorcycle endorsement skills tests.

“These videos do more than just show the skills test required for getting a motorcycle endorsement,” explained motorcycle safety program manager Steve Stewart. “They explain why you need those skills and how they translate to riding out on the open road.”

For more information, visit www.youtube.com/WALicensing. Here’s a sample.

Faithful readers of Northwest Cycle Report will remember Brady Wright, aka Kickstart (article archive). A long-time rider and contributor to Northwest Cycle Report, Brady is embarking on a new adventure: building homes in Zambia with Habitat for Humanity.

Here’s a note from Brady about his trip:

As you may remember from November, I sent out a notice of my opportunity to make a difference by taking this trip and building houses for those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to own one. I’m stepping up and traveling to Zambia in March and April, as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program. I’ll be working side-by-side with people who need a decent place to live, helping to build simple, affordable houses.

If you visit my Habitat Web page, you can learn the latest details about my trip:

https://www.habitat.org/cd/gv/participant/participant.aspx?pid=93124701

Now that the preparations are nearly done, and the planning complete, we’re getting down to the last bit of fund-raising time. As you know, I’m raising money to support my team’s work, and I’d be grateful if you would consider making an online donation. Any amount is a great help, even $5. Habitat for Humanity is a charitable donation, and you’ll get a receipt for your taxes. You can even donate on line!

I want to thank all of those who have donated, so far, and urge those who have not to consider even a small amount. I appreciate whatever you can spare, even if it’s just good wishes for a safe trip.

Thanks for helping me build houses and hope in Zambia!

If you are so inclined, I encourage you to donate and support Brady’s efforts.

A majority of new-motorcycle buyers reject a motorcycle brand because of dealer-related issues, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Motorcycle Escaped Shopper Study(SM).

The inaugural study, which analyzes the reasons shoppers consider a particular motorcycle brand but ultimately purchase a different brand, finds that 51 percent of new-motorcycle shoppers cite dealer-related issues as a reason for rejecting a motorcycle brand. One of the primary dealer-related issues for rejecting a brand is the inability to test ride a bike, which was mentioned by one-fourth of shoppers as a reason for rejection, while 7 percent of shoppers indicate that the inability to test ride was the most influential reason for not purchasing a particular motorcycle brand. In addition, 18 percent of shoppers rejected a motorcycle because it was not available at the dealership, while the perception of being able to receive better service at another dealership is mentioned by 15 percent of shoppers as a reason for rejection.

“To avoid losing customers due to dealer-related issues, it’s important for dealers to better manage customer expectations,” said Tim Fox, research manager of the powersports practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “For example, making customers aware before they arrive at the dealership why they can or cannot test ride a particular motorcycle may help brands convert more shopper visits into sales. Since dealer-related issues can be controlled to a certain extent by dealerships and brands, focusing on meeting customer expectations in this regard can result in improved customer perception of a brand as well as lower rejection rates.”
The study also finds that price and financing are cited most often as the reason for rejecting a motorcycle brand, with 57 percent of shoppers mentioning price-related issues as a reason for rejection. Overall, price is cited by 41 percent of shoppers as a reason for rejection, and 28 percent name price as the most influential reason for rejection. Similarly, 16 percent of shoppers mention the lack of low-interest financing, rebates or other incentives as a rejection reason, while 23 percent of shoppers mention high maintenance costs.

“It is important for dealers to understand that for many of these lost sales, there was a legitimate chance of closing the sale during the shopping process,” said Fox. “Eighty-four percent of shoppers indicate they ’seriously’ considered the brand they rejected, and 41 percent indicate they ‘very seriously’ considered the brand. While price is often a major reason for rejection, 51 percent of shoppers end up spending the same or more on the brand they purchased compared with the brand they considered but rejected.”

A vast majority of customers (81%) report having used the Internet to research motorcycles when shopping, 73 percent say they read magazine reviews, and 28 percent say they attended a trade show or motorcycle event, according to the study. Seventy-eight percent of motorcycle buyers indicated they contacted or visited a dealership for information before purchasing.

“More than three-fourths of customers report interacting with a dealership to find more information on a particular motorcycle, so manufacturers have a great opportunity to win or lose customers at this point in the shopping process,” said Fox.

The study, which also examines the impact of gas prices on motorcycle riding habits, finds that 29 percent of motorcycle riders report that they changed their driving habits during late September and early October 2008 when gas prices averaged $3.42 per gallon. Among those riders who changed their habits, 75 percent report using their motorcycle more often for commuting to work or school, and 41 percent say they use their motorcycle more often when driving around town. Additionally, 31 percent report doing less cruising, and 30 percent say they did less extended traveling.

The 2008 Motorcycle Escaped Shopper Study is based on responses from 3,022 new-motorcycle buyers. The study was fielded in September and October 2008.