According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, the number of American households that own motorcycles jumped 26% between 2003 and 2008. This trend is global, evidenced in a recent Harley Owners Group (HOG) in Beirut. But no rider group is growing faster than women, which increased from about 9% of the total in 2003, to more than 12% in 2008. Hollywood has taken notice.

Harley-Davidson, well aware of the trend, has partnered with celebrities like star fitness trainer Jillian Michaels and singer-songwriter Jewel in a recent advertising spread in upscale glossy mag Vanity Fair. The move accents Harley's dedicated resources such as its Women Riders web presence.Continue reading...

We already know that Volvo is furthering its involvement with the Twilight franchise, with its "What Drives Edward" website. But one other auto brand is also benefitting by vamping it up in the series.

Jeep may not be the main character's ride, like the Volvo, but as heartthrob (and good vampire!) Emmett Cullen's hooptie, its roots go back to the original novel:

I stopped dead on the porch. There, behind my truck, was a monster Jeep. Its tires were higher than my waist. There were metal guards over the headlights and tail-lights, and four large spotlights attached to the crash bar. The hardtop was shiny red.Continue reading...

Sports bike line Buell is a brand with many fans. Too bad for them, Harley-Davidson is closing it down. The MV Agusta brand might live, if a buyer can be found. But not with Harley.

The bottom finally fell out for Harley-Davidson (the company's year-over-year third quarter income nose-dived by 84%) after more than a year of declining sales. The "good" news at Harley is that the 21% decline in quarterly sales of its core Harley motorbikes was not as bad as the industry average.

So the Buell decision is not surprising. But the brand’s move to get rid of MV Agusta is perplexing, since Harley bought the Italian sport-bike maker less than two years ago.Continue reading...