A survey of characteristics and behaviours of Wellington motorcyclists

Abstract

This research thesis describes some characteristics motorcyclists, the manner and frequency in which they use their motorcycles and looks at the relationship between these characteristics and the types of motorcycles people own. In doing so a broader understanding is developed of the central question: is using a motorcycle merely a utilitarian act or is there evidence of a more widespread involvement with motorcycling as a pastime? The research is based primarily on data from a postal survey of Wellington This area is defined as including Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt and Wellington city. It excludes Porirua and settlements beyond the Rimutaka mountain range and beyond Plimmmerton on the Kapiti Coast. motorcyclists undertaken in late 2002. This data is analysed and compared with qualitative and quantitative data from a mix of academic and non-academic literature. Quantitative estimates of the true population parameters of observed characteristics are made on the basis of some of the data presented Academic investigations around the topic area are examined but the wider research in this topic area is predominately focused on questions surrounding motorcycle safety and safety behaviour and so use of non-academic sources is made. The research was to include data from group interviews with motorcyclists but this method proved to be too difficult to organise. Some discussion nevertheless is made of the potential benefits of such a method to answer the research questions laid out in this thesis. The evidence gathered fails to confirm the hypothesis that utility is the only purpose behind motorcycling. Other uses, such as entertainment, appear to be equally weighted. In fact the quantitative and qualitative evidence suggests that motorcyclists are involved with the technology of the motorcycle well beyond merely riding and extending into a lifestyle attachment and social connection to their pastime See Associated motorcycling behaviour, p89. Though motorcyclists appear cognitively and behaviorally indistinguishable from others the research concludes that the motorcyclist is a more passionate and a more emotional being, seeking sensual reward as part of their motorcycling experience. A model of the relationship between motorcyclist, machine and environment is also presented to show how motorcyclists are embedded as part of the environmental context around them rather than separated See Conclusion about why people ride, p88 and Section four: Respondents' self-description and other evidence, p92. The suggestion is made that this embedding is part of the reward of motorcycling rather than an obstacle to be overcome. Finally, based on the quantitative data the research concludes that within the motorcycling population there appears to be a surprisingly strong identification with particular concepts of what it means to be a motorcyclist though there is differentiation along experience and frequency of use ibid.