Ratio of Moto Guzzi to Harleys?

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Does anyone have a guesstimate of what the ratio of Moto Guzzis is to Harleys out on the road?

Don’t know if current sales figures would reflect that ratio? Just wondering… Is it 1:500, 1:1,000, 1:5,000, 1:10,000?

[Dirk_S]

In the world or US?

[Ncdan]

Since it’s probably less than 1% MG, Dusty is near correct. However I admit, I do not know the actual statistical count.

[bad Chad]

I think we went through this before.  Intel recently, and I say that, because I suspect Guzzi sells somewhat more percentage wise here than the use too, Guzzi sold about 10 percent of their production in the US.  Over the last 30 years, being optimistic, it would average out to 7000 bikes, and the US getting 700.  Thus we can make a very non scientific guess that Guzzi has sold 21,000 bikes here over the last 30 years.

How many does HD sell?  A bunch more, but, from my stand point, they suck, so I don't care.

[Huzo]

from my stand point, they suck, so I don't care.

I’d be keen to ride one of these though..


Is there really that much difference ?

[Swedemoto]

Well if a cruise through Lake George Americade is any indication, it's hundreds, or maybe thousands to one!

[stubbie]

Same here in Oz. Seems when you hit 50 you need to buy a Harley and a leather vest with tassles. I would say 1 Guzzi -5,000 Harleys.

[twowheeladdict]

I think we went through this before.  Intel recently, and I say that, because I suspect Guzzi sells somewhat more percentage wise here than the use too, Guzzi sold about 10 percent of their production in the US.  Over the last 30 years, being optimistic, it would average out to 7000 bikes, and the US getting 700.  Thus we can make a very non scientific guess that Guzzi has sold 21,000 bikes here over the last 30 years.

How many does HD sell?  A bunch more, but, from my stand point, they suck, so I don't care.

And what do you base so strong an opinion on?

I know I can’t bring myself to buy a Chrysler product because my Dad complained about them so much when I was a kid. Just stuck with me. You have to already have a love for certain products to put up with their imperfections.

[Scud]

I just did some research. The ratio is exactly 3:0 in favor of Moto Guzzi. My research was conducting in the garage and I did a 100% sample, so there is no margin of error.

[Moparnut72]

And what do you base so strong an opinion on?

I know I can’t bring myself to buy a Chrysler product because my Dad complained about them so much when I was a kid. Just stuck with me. You have to already have a love for certain products to put up with their imperfections.

Once you have a Chrysler product you will never go back. Sound familiar?   
kk

[wavedog]

Coincidental that this should come up now. Today I rode 250 miles to see the grandkids and just for kicks I thought I would count the Harley’s. I wasn’t going out of my way to look for them, just if I happened to see them. I quit counting at 50, including the one in the ditch. I counted 12 gold wings, a few other various Japan inc bikes and two BMW. A bunch of three wheelers. No Guzzi sighted. I rode from Covington, Ga to Madison Alabama. Riding back to Covington tomorrow and I won’t be counting bikes.

[bad Chad]

I’d be keen to ride one of these though..


Is there really that much difference ?

Great, go ride one. But do you really want one in your garage?   I don’t.   There are many reasons I chose to ride Guzzi, one is it’s exclusivity.   I’m truly tired of seeing over half of all motorcycles on the road being one brand, I will never own one.

[Scout63]

Pretty much every bike I see around here is HD.  I like them but not my style.  What really gets me is how many people ask me if I ride one. Motorcycles for the most part are a discretionary purchase, so if so many people are buying Harley’s, then there’s your answer.  Plus it keeps everyone away from those choice MG barn finds.

[Kev m]

"Exclusivity" is a super funny term. It means that is limited to a few in some way. But what few and why?

In many instances it's meant as wealth, plain and simple. X is better because only people who are special enough to have this amount of wealth can afford it.

In other instances it means some amorphous quality that only a true aficionado can recognize, and in doing so proves himself "better" then his peers who don't choose the same as him.

In some instances it means a human achievement that was accomplished only by some extreme feat that few can hope to match.

But mostly, if it's not the last, it means absolutely nothing..

Yes it's fun that Guzzis aren't seen everywhere. But it's a shallow part of the experience. Sorry, but your things don't make you a special snowflake. See above.

I like, what I like and that matters not at all to any but me and maybe a little too my loved ones.

[Murray]

Does anyone have a guesstimate of what the ratio of Moto Guzzis is to Harleys out on the road?

Don’t know if current sales figures would reflect that ratio? Just wondering… Is it 1:500, 1:1,000, 1:5,000, 1:10,000?

Well its pretty simple Hardley makes 2-300 000 bikes a year so we'll say an average of 250 000, Guzzi down hill with a tail wind makes 10 000 bikes a year although its probably much closer to 6000 bikes a year. If we stick with the easy maths that gives 25 to 1, although this is world wide Harleys main market is the USA Guzzi's main market is continental Europe. Without some importation numbers if we said Guzzi USA was 10% of Guzzi's production so that gives you around 250:1. Which is not probably as spectacular as you would expect, if we compare to someone like Honda which makes something like 4 000 000 bikes a year the numbers would get silly fast.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Theres lots of Harleys on the road, the Guzzi's usually make it home.

[mechanicsavant]

As far as ratio goes it’s probably dang near incalculable. I’m usually asked ,”when did they stop building those” when I stop @ a place w/a significant number of bikes . Not their fault , most “typical”riders seem (to me anyway) to be following the herd . And H-D does make one hell of a TT bike /tavern to tavern ! Low, easy to handle @ reasonable speeds , quite stylish some say & you’ll usually fit right in @ the watering hole.Heck Ya might even “get lucky” !
I find riders of niche bikes & cars for that matter have different reason for participating in their chosen pastime .
So it goes . Oh , don’t forget to wave !

[twowheeladdict]

Theres lots of Harleys on the road, the Guzzi's usually make it home.

I noticed you added "usually " to that statement.   Many do not. 

One thing about owning a Harley touring bike is that there is no shortage of folks to ride with.  Met up with a group of 8 riders in Maggie Valley this summer all on Road Glides or Batwing Glides and spent a week riding the curves in the mountains.

Met up with a group of 9 Road Glides this 4 day weekend and rode around the Land Between the Lakes region. 

With both groups riders came from as far as 10 hours away to meet up and ride and even though we came together as internet acquaintances from different backgrounds, many of us left as friends.

I understand good natured ribbing, but true disdain for what someone else rides is usually a sign of insecurity. 

[Moparnut72]

All the Harleys are in Reno Nv this weekend, Street Vibrations.   
kk

[Buckturgidson]

All the Harleys are in Reno Nv this weekend, Street Vibrations.   
kk

For sure. So what is the ratio of stupid throttle blips per rider? Probably 1,000/1.

[Dirk_S]

For sure. So what is the ratio of stupid throttle blips per rider? Probably 1,000/1.

I almost spit coffee on that one.

Does seem to be a Harley trait, aye? Never owned one myself, but from the sound of ‘em as they sit at the traffic light by my house, those fuel-injected throttle bodies sure do need some valve adjustment when idle.

[chuck peterson]

Theres lots of Harleys on the road, the Guzzi's usually make it home.

ZING! Lol I’m seeing a road covered w tipped over harleys..and a loop put putting thru it all

[rocker59]

With both groups riders came from as far as 10 hours away to meet up and ride and even though we came together as internet acquaintances from different backgrounds, many of us left as friends.

A bunch of locals, huh? 

[moto]

2020 was a down year for The MoCo and they still sold 103,000 motorbikes in the US alone , so if Guzzi sold 700 here last year the percentage of Guzzis to Harleys is .007 , as I said , approaching zero .

 Dusty

That's the proportion. The percentage you arrived at is 0.7. So you might say, looking on the brighter side, "approaching one!"

Moto

[PhilB]

I'd guess that simply using the ratio of sales would be fairly good, since (hate the idea or not) they are similar in lots of ways.  Relatively large, unstressed, durable bikes, made of real metal, sort of old-fashioned, and ridden mostly sanely.

So, about 250:1 or so, or about 0.4% might be a good guess.

Guzzis might be a little over-represented, in the sense that most Guzzisti are dedicated riders, while dedicated riders among the Harley owners is a subset, and is accompanied by an awful lot of posers.  I don't see as many posers on Guzzis.

But then that also depends on how the question is interpreted.    "Ratio of Moto Guzzi to Harleys" in existence?  On the road?  At rallies?  What's the criteria?

I have a particular interest in high-mileage bikes, over 100K miles and beyond, and of those that I have encountered, Hondas, Harleys, and BMWs are the majority.  Moto Guzzis are over represented for how uncommon they are to start with, which has a lot to do with why I'm here in the first place.

PhilB

[bmc5733946]

The exclusivity of the brand never occurred to me until about 2002. I dropped my girlfriend of at work (Jacobsens an up scale department store), while riding my Jackal, one of her employees observed the dropping off and asked what kind of bike I rode, Kim told her it was a Moto Guzzi, she responded that Kim was a very lucky woman to ride on such a prestigious motorcycle "That's the Rolls Royce of motorcycles!" . Kim was quite impressed. The woman was of European heritage and her father was a rider who had explained the motorcycle world to her.

Brian

[Guzzished]

I just did some research. The ratio is exactly 3:0 in favor of Moto Guzzi. My research was conducting in the garage and I did a 100% sample, so there is no margin of error.

Got to disagree I'm afraid, just did a survey employing the same methodology and the result was 5:0 in Guzzi's favour.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Does the fact that many Guzzi riders own multiple Guzzis affect this ratio of Guzzis vs Harleys on the road?

[twowheeladdict]

Where did everyone park their tow vehicles and trailers?

Next to yours.

[bad Chad]

"Exclusivity" is a super funny term. It means that is limited to a few in some way. But what few and why?

In many instances it's meant as wealth, plain and simple. X is better because only people who are special enough to have this amount of wealth can afford it.

In other instances it means some amorphous quality that only a true aficionado can recognize, and in doing so proves himself "better" then his peers who don't choose the same as him.

In some instances it means a human achievement that was accomplished only by some extreme feat that few can hope to match.

But mostly, if it's not the last, it means absolutely nothing..

Yes it's fun that Guzzis aren't seen everywhere. But it's a shallow part of the experience. Sorry, but your things don't make you a special snowflake. See above.

I like, what I like and that matters not at all to any but me and maybe a little too my loved ones.

Oh Kev, I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers, but I can see how I did.     Perhaps I should have said rarity instead of exclusivity, but snowflake would imply singularity, which I did not say. 

Kev said, "I like, what I like and that matters not at all to any but me and maybe a little too my loved ones."
People, love to say words to this effect, if I had $20 for each time I heard someone say, "I don't give a shit what other people think",  I would have a pretty substantial pile of cash.   We all like to say, and we try to convince ourselves it's true, but in large part, it is not.   We all care far more about what other people think than we let on.  It's a manifestation of being social beings living as members of an incredibly structured society.