Our Customers Speak about their Harley Ride Experience

It never ceases to amaze us to see the reaction we get from people as we take them out for a Harley Davidson Ride experience. All that most people know about motorcycles are the horror stories portrayed to them by the media, and Road Safety agencies like the TAC. But, the reality is far from the myths espoused by these sources. And we frequently change people's perceptions about the Motorcycle Experience and Motorcycle safety.

Take this customer, when we took her and her partner on a 5 hour winery tour to the Yarra Valley:

Or these two girls, who had no idea that Lane Splitting isn't actually dangerous and that motorcycles are designed to fit into the gaps between stationary traffic:

We have nothing but the highest reviews from all our customers who have posted Trip Advisor Reviews.

Perception vs Reality

Its the constant challenge we face. Its the one thing which stops many people choosing to take the Harley Davidson Ride Experience.

The Harley Ride Experience is an Orientation Activity - that  enables anyone to see more in a very short period of time. During this orientation passengers seated on a Harley Davidson will be shown places to which they would not have otherwise ventured - like Williamstown, St Kilda, the F1 GP track, or if they chose one of the longer options - the Dandenong Ranges, and places like Rickett's Point and the beach front along Beach Road....all places you can't easily get to in anything other than a hire car, expensive taxi trip or on time wasing public transport.....other than by on a Harley Ride - as the method of transport!

The greatest challenge we face in attracting Harley Ride Bookings is to make people understand what the experience is really all about and why it is something that everyone visiting Melbourne should do. It is NOT just for Harley Davidson enthusiasts. Weather is NOT a factor - we provide all the warm and protective clothing. Safety - something which stops many people because of the "motorcycle reputation" is also NOT a factor because we have a perfect safety record and are very qualified etc.

All we hope is that others will share this article with anyone planning a trip to Melbourne, anyone who has never had a motorcycle experience. We know that even when our customers tell their friends what a great experience they had, that their friends still don't believe them......

Valentine's Day Gift

Have you remembered that Valentine's Day is fast approaching? Do you have any idea what to get your valentine in 2013? A Harley Ride is something that never fails to impress people, who have undergone the experience.

Maybe, you have a girlfriend who is not into bikes, but you are, and you would really love to have her understand why you love motorcycles as much as you do? Give us just one hour with her and we guarantee she will come back demanding that you get one, and take her for a ride. She may even come back wanting to get her own motorbike licence (we have seen it happen - believe it or not!).

Just recently, a guy booked a ride for the love in his life, the excitement on her face and the reaction she had during the ride just had to be seen to be believed : )

It doesn't matter what age they are, in our experience the result is always the same. At the end of the ride they always just want to keep going, and "Its never long enough".

We have plenty of bikes available for rides on Valentines Day this year. And you can come along too - on another bike - and join in the experience with your valentine. Maybe you are planning to take them out for dinner - get picked up and use us instead of a taxi.

The best thing to do is call us and get some technical advice - we can offer many ideas and suggestions. That is what we are here for. Our phone number is Freecall 1800 182 282 (inside Australia only). 

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Groupon Discounts - the truth behind their facade

Just over a year ago, I was getting calls a couple of times a week from Groupon, Living Social and their "coupon clones". Their claim was that they could bring my company, "heaps of new work, and that there were thousands of customers queuing up to buy my product that I was supposedly missing out on.

The problem is, as I pointed out to them, that volume sales doesn't match the service I provide. One of my competitors in the Harley Rides industry had already been burned getting involved with several of these discounters, and I didn't want to suffer the same fate.

My focus is on providing a Quality Experience for my customers. Providing Quality requires that the Harley Davidson motorcycles I use to transport my customers, are maintained and serviced to the highest standards. This means that their safety is guaranteed - that no short cuts are taken.

To achieve this goal I never service or repair my motorcycle - I'm not qualified to do that. I pay a qualified Harley Davidson mechanic $100 per hour plus the cost of parts to perform that task. This means that my bike and all the bikes I use are in tip top condition.

But, some of my competitors in the Harley Rides industry here in Melbourne, don't take my approach. They cut corners and maintain very old machines that are more prone to breakdowns. One of those uses Red Balloon and Adrenalin Tours as agents for their Harley Rides business and has fallen foul of Groupon and Living Social and lived to regret that experience.

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/consumer-watchdog-targets-website-product-reviews-and-discounts-20121214-2bf7b.html#ixzz2FFodeWK2

Why book through a multinational holiday or "experience" promotional website?

To book accommodation, restaurants, holidays, Harley Rides etc go direct to the person who owns and operates the business he/she does not have to pay large commissions. Visit our website here at Harley Rides in Melbourne or call us direct on Freecall 1800 182 282 - our technical advice is free - you don't get that at Groupon etc. And as for Red Balloon and Adrenalin - they don't even conduct quality checks on the products they supply. All they are interested in, is getting their 25% Agents commission. At Groupon, after factoring in a 50% discount or something similar, and after they take their cut - that leaves the supplier with almost nothing. In my case not enough to cover my costs. And I'm not prepared to cut corners to get more business at the expense of scarificing my customers safety

Mr Rob Sims, ACCC ''People are buying a voucher and the circumstances are such that they cannot actually redeem it, and therefore they just lose their money. Many do get a discount, but some just lose their money,'' Mr Sims said. ''That is unfair on the small- business person who either breaks his or her back to try and meet them, or just suffers the reputational damage. And it is unfair to consumers.''

The owner of a Sydney driving school told the Herald his business was damaged by a group deal. He made no profit and had to put his own customers aside while fulfilling vouchers.

''It is not worth it [because] I made no profit at all and the price they advertise my business is too cheap for me. I cannot afford it [and] they take too much [commission].'

Before you do book something online - do your research. We have many good reviews on Trip Advisor - Harley Rides in Melbourne and are recommended by Tourism Australia . After reading many reviews, its pretty easy to tell which ones are fake.

Where have all the tourists gone?

Things are very quiet in Melbourne right now. Maybe its the economic climate, or that people aren't travelling from the USA or Europe in as greater numbers as in the past. I wish I knew why more people aren't coming out for a Harley Ride with us.

The most common question I get asked when someone is sitting on the back of my Harley Davidson (a 2012 Heritage Softail BTW) is, "How many time a week do you take people for a ride John?" My answer is, "Not that often actually. If I was in this business for the money, then  I would have quit years ago." Interestingly, one of my peers in the Harley Rides industry just quit and stopped doing rides because he wasn't making any money doing it......

My situation differs a little from most. I have no debts and as a retired Army Officer I have a military pension that gives me more flexibility than most. For me riding a motorcycle is my passion. There is just nothing else that I would rather do - so taking people out for motorcycle joyrides is it : )

Maybe, its the cost of the ride. I'm the first to admit that its not cheap to come out for a ride with us. But, interestingly its been almost 3 years since we last raised our prices. If anything we have stayed a little behind inflation prices or the cost of living increases. Maintaining a Harley Davidson motorcycle is not cheap - and I am a stickler for keeping my bike in great condition (so it doesn't let me down at the most embarrassing time, like in the middle of a ride). Some of my peers in the Harley Rides industry service their own bikes to save money. Several own very old bikes to save money. So competing on price is not easy.

Or is it the Public Perception of the Motorcycle? According to certain Government Agencies, like the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), riding on a motorcycle is a very risky business. According to them if you get on a motorcycle you are guaranteed to have a accident. I haven't had an accident for over 30 years on my motorcycle. In fact I am highly aware of what to avoid and how to stay out of trouble whenever I am on my bike. In fact I am paranoid about making a mistake that will result in getting my bike scratched. If anything, sitting on the back of my motorcycle as a passenger is far safer that being in a bus or taxi or hire car in my biased opinion.

Is a fear of motorcycles stopping people from coming out for a ride with us? Many rides are a surprise for the person we are taking out. These rides are often booked as a surprise gift for their birthday, anniversary, fathers day or mothers day, even on their wedding day. The responses we get are diverse, and the frequent response is immediate apprehension - usually goaded by their friends with silly remarks like, "Now, don't fall off", said with a big smile and accompanying laughter.

After a person has been been sitting on the bike and have moved off, their apprehension quickly evaporates. I make a point of explaining why the bike stays upright when we are in motion, and demonstrate the physics that make it difficult to fall off the bike - unless we are stationary - or something hits us (which is very unlikely as long as I am in control).

By the end of the ride, our passengers have a new perspective as to why I ride a motorcycle - which as someone I know declares, "Is the most fun thing you can ever do." It is an addiction. I know the risks and I know how to manage them - I just wish people understood that fact.

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Down the Great Ocean Road on a Harley Davidson

What many people don't recognise is the fact that the Great Ocean Road needs to be experienced, and the best way to experience the Great ocean Road is by riding as a passenger on a Harley Davidson on a Harley Ride.

"But, I don't think I could take sitting on the back of a bike all day," I hear you say? Well, we don't actually ride continuously for hours at a time. we actually ride for an hour, stop relax, ride for another hour, stop relax have lunch etc. The experience comes from sitting on the back of the bike as a passenger and taking in all the views - which you wouldn't see from inside a tourist bus. Get it? You see everything, and we don't need to stop. Add the feeling you get from being on a Harley Davidson, the feel of the wind in your face, the looks of envy from other road users and you should soon understand why this is something that need's to be taken off one's Bucket List : )

Tanya's Harley Davidson Ride

As a reward for good work, Tanya was given a Harley Ride by her employer. The ride was for two people, so she took her partner out for the ride with us. This is but one of the many types of ride that we do. Staff rewards in the form of a Harley Ride are something that always goes down well.

On this occasion the ride started and finished in Williamstown. Lasting for an hour we went over the West gate Bridge to St Kilda and back.

Great Ocean Harley Tour

What does it look like from seated on a Harley Davidson motorcycle as we cruise down the Great Ocean Road here in Victoria Australia? This Youtube clip was taken on a recent ride when we took one of our customers down the coast as a pillion passenger recently.

You Tube Video - The Great Ocean Road

Sit back and watch, get a taste for what its like to sit on the back of a Harley davidson and ride the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Apollo Bay. This is an experience which you will only appreciate fully - after you have done it!

BTW - this video has been sped up (we don't actually ride at this speed), but it does give you the nearest I can give you to the way it feels - less the wind in your face.

For most people this is something they will never do. You can explain it to them - but they just won't get it. So, here is my best attempt to persuade you - who may never have thought about taking a Harley Ride to take that big step and actually decide to "just do it".

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You Tube - Ride The Yarra Boulevard with us

One of the great things about Melbourne is its parklands. The Yarra Boulevard is just one such location and its very close to the city. And what a Harley Ride it makes!

We quite often integrate this route into our Harley Rides when we takes someone out for one of our motorcycle joyrides. Its the only place I know where you are actually in the middle of a city like Melbourne, but you feel like you are right out in the Australian countryside. Just another experience we offer.

Staff Bonding Christmas Party

What do you do when you get to the end of the year for the annual Staff Christmas Party? Why, take them on a Harley Ride of course. And, that is exactly what we did with Visual Thing last Friday, we took 11 of them in 4 sidecars for a 1 hr tour from their vase in Richmond and dropped them off at Waterfront City in the Docklands.

In the hour we managed to get all the way down to St Kilda, across the Westgate Bridge, out to Williamstown and then back to the Docklands where we stopped for photos before they all jumped on a boat to spend the rest of the day cruising the Yarra River.

Tourism Victoria Video Vault - Discover Melbourne by Harley Davidson

Click Here to view the Video Vault

 

Tourism Victoria recently launched their Video Vault and we are featured as part of one of their video promotions for tourists visiting Melbourne.

This video includes an interview with John giving an explanation of what a Harley Ride is all about and explains why - if you are visiting Melbourne - then this is a must do!

Big Stick Movie Experience 12th January 2008

Large corporate activities are things that we often get involved in. This month we were called upon by Big Stick Adventures to be part of an activity which invovled a Corprate Incentive Reward activity, the theme for the day which was a "movie experience". The day involved filming us and other forms of transport chasing a "bad guy" around Melbourne with the corporates who captured the bad guy in the end. Prior to the day some pre filming was done, so that when the final product was edited at the end of the day it looked like a genuine "action movie". Things you can do on a Harley Ride - the options are endless.

The Great Ocean Ride

The Great Ocean Road is probably one of my personal favourite Harley Rides. Anyone who books this tour with us never fails to come away feeling that they have just completed one of the all time great experiences of their life.

Recently, a Rider Safety DVD was produced by the Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council (VMAC) aimed at riders taking on the Great Ocean Road Challenge. VMAC is the body which advises the Victorian State Government on motorcycle issues. It is made up of members representing various motorcycle bodies and Victorian Government Angencies. I currently represent the Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia (MRAA) at VMAC meetings which are held quarterly.

If you want to get a good idea as to what the Great Ocean Road is really like and why it is my favourite ride, I sugest that you have a look at the Great Ocean Ride video here (note it is in two parts and includes some great footage of the Great Ocean Road):

Qantas Phantom Opera New Zealand Visit

New Zealand represents by far and away the largest source of Harley Ride tourist customers here in Melbourne.

Last weekend, a group of New Zealand Travel Agents visited Melbourne as part of a trip sponsored by Australia's own airline Qantas. The trip coincided with the opening of the "Phantom of the Opera" which had its opening night last week.

As part of their visit, we were called upon by Tourism Victoria to take the Kiwis for a "familiarization tour" of Melbourne. Before we took off, two of the girls demanded to have their photo taken with John. They now understand what a Harley Ride is all about, and why it is an integral element of any visit to Melbourne - not only for the excitement/pleasure, but also for the way it helps to enhance any tourist's visit to Melbourne.

Fathers' Day

The weather in Melbourne has been perfect over the last week and the demand for Harley Rides on Father's Day for this year, 3rd September 2006, as a consequence was high. But, then as Sunday dawned the weather deteriorated and it looked like it was going to be a wet day.

Our first customers took it all in their stride as we kitted them out in "head to toe" protective gear that included the obligatory windproof/waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers. We did strike a couple of showers along the way, but at the end of the hour they were dry and had hardly noticed the rain.

The next booking saw Melbourne's weather change for the better - the sun came out! Good old Melbourne - four seasons in one day. It stayed like this for much of the rest of the day. Quite enjoyable really.

But, as fate would have it Melbourne's weather had a sting in its tail. The last booking fort the day, pick up at 5.15pm - weather still looking OK. As we headed towards the Westgate Bridge I could see a band of dark clouds off to the southwest. Then as we rode up onto the bridge, the rain set in. Thankfully, I had remembered to fit a screen to my bike as I left home at 8am, as now it was providing excellent protection from the rain - which is something like having someone throw gravel at you as you ride into it.

I turned to mention the weather to my passenger, and to my surprise he exclaimed that he couldn't care less and was enjoying the experience. Anyway, I was dropping him back home and he could change clothes there.... Hmm, I think to myself, before the ride they panic about the rain, but when we get hit by the rain in the middle of the ride it just doesn't bother them.

Rain can cost a lost booking when it threatens, but strangely when it hits without warning the customer doesn't notice it. People - its why I love what I do....

Too Cold to go for a Ride? You must be joking!

For some bizarre reason, winter is the time when things go quiet and I start to question my sanity as to why I operate a Harley Rides business. But, then along comes someone who isn't afraid of the cold, someone who wants to have an experience. That one person and I ventured down the Great Ocean Road together last Wednesday.

When I arrived to pick up Michele at 8.30am, the clouds to the west of Melbourne were looking pretty black. I quickly thought to myself, make sure she will be warm and keep her dry. I suggested she wear an extra jumper, pulled out the waterproof/windproof jacket and made sure she put on the pair of waterproof trousers I carry - just for such an occasion.

And I was right. No sooner had we set off than down came the rain. Not too much to be painful, but certainly enough to get one wet if they weren't properly dressed.

Fortunately, by the time we got out of Melbourne and were half way down the freeway to Geelong, the rain had stopped. The sun came out and reminded us that the experience was going to be worth the effort.

After we stopped for coffee and a relaxing leg stretch in Torquay, the Great Ocean Road demonstrated its splendor. We cruised past a crowd of tourists climbing out of a cramped bus at the Archway that marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road. I turned to Michele and remarked, "That's the boring way to see the Great Ocean Road." She responded in enthusiastic agreement. Those poor people were just missing out on seeing so much. From our vantage point on the bike, we didn't need to stop and look. Our view wasn't cramped by windows like in their bus. We could take it all in just by looking around. Needless to say, I was concentrating on where the bike was going.

The road on the other side of Lorne is my favorite part of the Great Ocean Road. Midweek, in the winter there are few cars to hold us up. No sooner have I set the bike up for one corner than the engine screams out loud as I accelerate out, ready to get set for the next. It goes on like this for the next 45mins, change down, set the speed as we go in, lean, roll through the corner, then as soon as I see a clear line out of the corner roll on the throttle, accelerate up through the gears and seconds later repeat the whole sequence over again. I am in heaven - this is why I ride.

There is a spot called "Shrapnel Gully" about half way from Lorne to Apollo Bay. There is a colony of Koalas here. We stop for a minute or two and I show Michele some Koalas in their natural habitat.

About 20 minutes later, we roll into Apollo Bay. The pub is surprisingly busy as we walk in. A guy walking down the street greets us and engages us in enthusiastic/envious conversation about what it was like to be out on the Harley that day.

Over a relaxing luck, Michele enthuses as to how lucky she has been to be able to come down the Great Oocean Road on the Harley. "I'm going to tell all my friends about this when I get back to the UK," she exclaims.

I quietly sit back and have an internal laugh. Even I enjoyed the ride. The best reward was to see the excitement in my passengers eyes.

SEEing Life Differently



Our customers are a pretty diverse bunch. Whenever I tell people about what we do, they immediately assume that only motorcycle enthusiasts would want to go for a Harley Ride. The truth is - anyone who has a motorcycle licence isn't actually in our "target market".

Take a look at this accompanying photo. Notice the number of people wearing "suits"? Would you believe that most of the people in this photo (not the tough looking ones in leather) have actually never even thought about riding or even owning a motorcycle before this photo was taken.

What we did here was to take these people outside their comfort zone. We showed them that everything they thought they knew about motorcycles up until now was wrong.

The company for who we did this job (actually for who we do many jobs) is called SEE Life Differently .

I'm constantly amazed by what People say before we take them out on one of our Harley Rides. Here are just a few classic lines (guaranteed to offend guys who have more kms and experience that you can imagine):

1. "Do I need to hang on? I think I'm going to fall off. I'm scared." Lesson one - it is impossible to fall off a motorcycle when it is in motion. The bike leans over to counteract the effect of gravity and centrifugal force.
2. "Are you going to kill me?" Somehow people have a strong association between motorcycles and imminent death. My answer is that I care more about scratching my bike and I don't plan to do anything that will bring me anywhere near such an experience.
3. "How fast have you ridden this?" Actually, Harleys are designed to be ridden at legal speeds. Riding too fast means you get less attention. Personally, speed isn't something that interest me, but I can make them think I am going fast by accelerationg hard at the lights and then when I reach 60 kph I turn to them and say is that fast enough. They usually get the point by then. I really don't know how fast my bike can go - because I have never tried to push it outside what I consider to be the safe limit.
4. "Cars must be a real problem." Well, no really. the cars are a threat that I can see - beacuase I don't have any "blindspots". I can see more than them - so I can see the danger long before its going to cause me a problem.
5. Friends of people about to go for a ride often tell me "I know someone who died/was injured in a bike accident. I would never get on a bike." I ask them if they know someone who has had a serious car accident and ask them if they apply the same rule to car driving.

Yes, we try our hardest to make people See their lives differently. They certainly understand the significance of going for a Harley Ride, by the time we have finished with them.

You can go for a tour in a car or a bus. But you have to get out of the car or bus to see the sights. But, on a Harley Ride you don't need to stop - you can see everything. Think about it!