Bikers dream of coast to coast ride
Added on Thursday, March 17th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
Bikers dream of coast to coast ride
A coast to coast ride of the USA is the dream motorcycle trip for most UK motorcycle riders, according to a survey by the Motorcycle Industry Association.
In an attempt to find the perfect biking holiday, the MCI found that 45% of bikers would love to go on a ‘Coast to Coast’ adventure, with just over a quarter of those asked preferring a ‘Mediterranean tour”.
Around 20% of those asked were a little more adventurous, preferring to journey along ‘The Silk Road’ – London to Beijing.
A British adventure, despite the country’s breathtaking beauty and scenery, came in last place with just 4% of riders considering ‘Lands End to John O Groats ‘ as their ideal ride. This was just beaten by a ‘Sahara Desert’ trip chosen by 5% of the riders.
The MCI claims that motorcycle-related tourism contributes around £569million every year to the British economy, around £17m of that from the estimated 23,000 international riders that visit the UK, supporting 13,250 jobs.
UK based tours are typically focused on the more rural and scenic areas of the country, including Cornwall, the Lake District, Wales and particularly Scotland. Most overseas tours have traditionally focused on destinations in Europe and the US, although there has been significant recent growth in tours to Northern Africa, South America, Asia and Australasia.
“There is a great opportunity for home businesses to tap into the UK market as well as benefiting from the 23,000 international riders that visit the UK annually,” claimed Steve Kenward of the MCI.
“The average motorcyclist currently spends around £380 per annum taking into account food, drink accommodation and other services, but with the right promotion and tailor-made services there is plenty of room for growth to entice both UK and overseas travellers to get on their bikes and enjoy our open roads.”
Anyone who is interested in getting onto two wheels can get started with the motorcycle industry’s Get On campaign. It is easy to sign up for a one-hour free ride with a local trainer by going to the website www.geton.co.uk . You’ll get an hour riding a scooter or geared motorbike on a safe area away from the road, with a qualified motorcycle instructor, as well as access to a helmet and other safety kit.
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