Here's What Your Motorcycle Brand Says About You

You can tell a lot about a person by the bike they ride

According to PRNewswire.com, approximately eight-percent of Americans know how to ride a motorcycle. At first glance, that doesn't really sound like a lot. But if you look at the actual numbers, that means that out of 331.9 million people, approximately 26 million Americans are out tearing it up. There are riders out embarking on cross-country road trips, speeding down racetracks, ripping it up through dirt trails, and enjoying a warm summer afternoon cruise. Because the world of motorcycling is so diverse and multi-layered with different categories of motorcycles, styles of riding, environments where certain motorcycles will thrive more than others, and brands, it truly is a unique culture in that of itself.

Of course, one's choice in motorcycle brand can say a lot about the rider themselves. After all, many riders will choose a brand that best represents their personal style, and will serve as a physical representation of their personality. Are you a fan of Harley-Davidson? What about Honda? Is BMW more your vibe? Or is Ducati your top choice? Sometimes a rider chooses a brand based on their on personal values. But then again, some will just pick whatever is available (and affordable). So let's take a look at ten popular motorcycle brands and see what each one says of their customer base.

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The top dog. When the word "motorcycle" pops into your head, chances are "Harley-Davidson" pops up too. The Harley brand has been an American institution for 120 years with a very diverse selection of motorcycles ranging from throttle-hungry sportsters, to laid-back cruisers, to highway-dominating touring bikes. But the running joke about the Harley-Davidson community is that they are for people approaching their mid-life crisis and need to start showing off their new "badass biker" personality.

Like most stereotypes, they are rooted in truth. If you ride a Harley-Davidson, and this doesn't apply to you, fret not. Because you have to admit, there is something funny about a white-collar yuppie walking into a Harley-Davidson dealership after binge-watching Sons of Anarchy over the weekend. For some, a Harley is part of an image they try to uphold. But for real bikers, they don't have to prove anything to anybody, mainly because they don't care what people think about them.

Indian motorcycles have been Harley-Davidson's arch rival for as long as both all-American brands have existed. They are like the Crips and Bloods of the motorcycling world, and there probably won't be any peace between these brands anytime soon. Those that ride Indians tend to view Harley-Davidsons as inferior and far too common. But to Harley riders, an Indian is just for people that can't afford a Harley-Davidson.

Then to everyone else, they are two sides of the same bickering coin. But as we all know, this does not apply to every Indian rider. While some feel the need to take part in a pointless war of brand loyalty, others simply do not care. If they like their Indian as much as Harley riders like their Harleys, then that's that. Motorcycling should be about the fun and thrill of the ride, not about getting into arguments with strangers on Facebook.

Honda boasts an impressive lineup of motorcycles to choose from, though its selection of sport bikes (especially the CBR) are very popular among young adults. Why? Because they are light, fast, flashy, and cheap. What else does a biker ask for? Of course since young adults are the target demographic, the running gag is that they view themselves as the ultimate high-value male.

The message they are putting out is almost something you'd see in a Fast and Furious movie. After all, they like to live their lives one quarter-mile at a time. The downside to this joke is that they put out the same energy as a guy with a tuned Dodge Charger who drinks Monster energy, has poor credit, a GED, and still lives with his parents. Obviously, this doesn't apply to every Honda rider, but we all know at least one person that fits this description. And for some reason, their name is always "Kyle" or "Josh."

BMW has built itself a reputation of having the pinnacle of German engineering in its line of cars and motorcycles. Some of the most brilliant minds in the world have helped produce some of the most powerful motorcycles on the planet. Can this same kind of caliber be found in your typical BMW motorcycle rider? Based on the stereotype, not really. The gag with BMW riders is that they love to go fast, plain and simple. In their minds, they are donning the full protective suit while Tokyo drifting on the racetrack. But in reality, they are just in a big rush to get to the nightclub. However, this isn't the case for every BMW rider as most will tend to be very responsible and cautious of how they ride just like anybody else.

You have probably noticed by now that every biker views their brand of bike as the best, and everyone else is either a dinosaur, an idiot, or a poser. As you will soon find out, many other brands will have these kinds of riders all cut from the same cloth.

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Suzuki is one of Japan's top motorcycle manufacturers with millions of happy customers all over the world. Much like Honda and BMW riders, Suzuki also boasts an impressive lineup of models, though its selection of sport bikes are the top choices for many prospective customers. And, much like BMW and Honda riders, Suzuki riders believe that speed and performance is what makes their bikes superior over all others. That, and many of its riders see their motorcycles as the ultimate chick magnet. But many Suzuki riders will admit that they experience the same phenomena as many bodybuilders. Rather than attract highly-desired women, instead they only get chatted up by more male Suzuki riders. A tragically ironic outcome if you think about it. Whether this is true in your case, depends entirely on you.

Probably one of the most popular motorcycle manufacturers in the world, Kawasaki is probably the first brand you can think of when it comes to sport bikes. The Kawasaki Ninja, to be exact, has been the motorcycle of choice for many first-time riders, and for people that like to play Grand Theft Auto. Kawasaki riders like to view themselves as renegades, and charming bad boys the same way Marlon Brando was the ultimate, cool-guy rebel in The Wild One. But to everyone else, they are seen as obnoxious and disrespectful to other people on the road by splitting lanes and doing at least 20 miles over the speed limit. Why else would the Harley-Davidson and Indian crowd call these bikers "organ donors"? Obviously this stereotype doesn't apply to everyone that rides a Kawasaki, but they can think of at least one that it does resonate with.

What Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Honda motorcycles are to Japan, Ducati is to Italy. Full of power and attitude, the Ducati is aimed to be the motorcycle equivalent of a Ferrari because it too holds a noticeable presence on European racetracks. Because many Ducati riders also align their motorcycles with high-powered supercars, they too can become biker snobs by viewing other brands as Japanese, German, or American trash. Realistically, a Ducati doesn't make you a better rider any more than a Kawasaki, Suzuki, or Honda. Many newer riders will find this out the hard way. But many more experienced riders have acquired enough wisdom to not make rookie mistakes, like letting your bike fuel your ego. Because in reality, all you're really using it for is to ride to Starbucks anyway.

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Not many people are familiar with Royal Enfield. But for those that are, they will usually hear them riding past their house. Though not much bigger than your standard Sportster, Royal Enfield riders pride themselves on choosing a motorcycle outside the norm that takes quality and performance very seriously. Consider it like a café racer for hipsters. But if you were to try and discuss these bikes with other motorcycle riders, chances are they have no idea what a Royal Enfield is or what one would look like. If anything, they might confuse it with a Triumph instead. Ouch.

When choosing a motorcycle brand, you must take pride in it. For Triumph riders, they take pride in that their motorcycles that are based on a classic designs that are outfitted with the latest in modern riding technology, while still holding onto the "retro" feel. That is a very noble concept to take pride in. Unfortunately, this is a concept that many mainstream motorcycle brands follow as well. To most bikers, a Triumph is just an easily-affordable option for a new rider picking their first bike, but will grow out of it and sell it after a couple of years, concluding their short-lived motorcycling journey. But then again, there are plenty of long-term Triumph riders that remain loyal to the brand over the course of decades. Many confused bikers may ask why, but it's really none of their business.

KTM motorcycles lean more towards producing bikes ideal for racing, running through the dirt, as well as dual-sport bikes that are more ambidextrous for on-road and off-road adventures. KTM riders like to view themselves as operators of the ultimate toy, being able to produce large amounts of power on a small bike. To them, every time they jump on their KTM is like an audition for the X Games. But to other riders, a KTM is just the express lane to the hospital. Sure, they look cool while flying through the air after they hit the dirt ramp. But you better hope your ego is still intact if you fail to stick the landing while attempting a Kiss of Death Backflip. But then again, chicks dig guys with scars, right?

Anthony has been a longtime motorcycle enthusiast for ten years where he doubled as one of the top sales associates for Harley-Davidson in New England. Aside from motorcycles, Anthony moonlights as a stand-up comedian and amateur bodybuilder. A Swiss Army Knife of a human being.