Typical motorcyclist is middle-class, rides to work and prefers a Honda!

 

The traditional stereotype of bikers being free-spirited, leather clad hooligan is thing of the past, according to research by Bennetts. The UK’s number one for bike insurance* has revealed the profile of the ‘average biker’ in 21st Century Britain, a seemingly upstanding, 40-something middle-class citizen who is a married, professional, family man.

 

The study reveals the average motorcyclist in the UK is a world away from common perceptions, with him being a six-foot tall, brown haired biker who almost certainly owns a car and rides no more than twice a week. Although seemingly conventional, the average biker does seem to have a wild side too, with 50% of the British bikers questioned having a tattoo and a third sporting a beard.

 

Challenging the old perceptions of bikers even further, only 7% sport either long hair or a pony tail. This is probably because nearly 60% of those surveyed hold down a professional senior/management job, taking home an average wage of £30,000 a year, up 25% on the national average (£24,000)**

 

Despite an immediate association with Harley Davidson’s and other such loud bikes, the average biker actually prefers to ride on a Honda and manages just 7,500 miles a year, with 80% of bikers surveyed owning a car as well as a motorbike. Biking seems to still be very much associated with a mid-life crisis as the average biker has only been riding for two years, despite his age.

 

Name: Ben
Sex: Male (96.8%)
Age: 41- 50 (31.6%)
Hair Colour: Brown (66.2%)
Glasses: No (62.3%)
Additional features: Tattoos (53.3%) and Beard (32.6%)
Height: 6ft (33.3%)
Occupation: Professional (29.0%)
Motorbike: Honda (30.1%)
How often do you ride: Twice a week (42.8%)
Do you use the bike to commute to work: Yes (54.9%)
Average annual mileage: 5,001 – 10,000 (43.0%)
Favourite genre of music: Rock/Heavy Metal (48.8%)
How long have you been riding: 1-3 years (22.9%)
How many motorbikes have you owned: 6 (47.9%)
Do you own a car: Yes (80.0%)
Favourite sport: Superbikes (52.8%)
Annual income: £20,000 – 39,999 (44.4%)

 

 

 

*Based on brand tracking research in April 2008
**Based on National Online Statistics (statistics.gov.uk)