Effects of motorcycle group membership on the ride experience and travel motivators: A comparison between the USA, the UK, and Turkey

Mehmet Ertaş; Diane Sykes; Carl Cater

doi:10.1515/tw-2022-0012

Article

Effects of motorcycle group membership on the ride experience and travel motivators: A comparison between the USA, the UK, and Turkey

Mehmet Ertaş
Dr. Mehmet received an undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management; MS and Ph.D. in Tourism Management. He currently works at the Pamukkale University, Faculty of Tourism, Department of Recreation, Turkey. His main research interests focus on tourism recreation, tourism management, and motorcycle groups.
, Diane Sykes
Diane Sykes, MBA, MSIDT is one of the founders and owners of Steel Steeds Motorcycle Campground. She teaches in the fields of Hospitality/Tourism, Marketing, and Business. Her research interests are e-learning, tourism – especially motorcycle tourism, as well as niche marketing and marketing to subcultures. She has published several articles and written a book chapter in the field of motorcycle tourism, and made numerous conference presentations on motorcycle tourism.
and Carl Cater
Dr. Carl Cater’s research centers on the experiential turn in tourism and the growth of special interest sectors, particularly adventure tourism and ecotourism, and their contribution to development. He has written over fifty papers and book chapters, and is editor of the Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Tourism (CABI, 2015) and the forthcoming Handbook of Adventure Tourism (Routledge, 2023). Dr. Cater is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and maintains an interest in both the practice and pursuit of sustainable outdoor tourism activity.

Published/Copyright: November 19, 2022

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From the journal Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft Volume 14 Issue 3

Abstract

Due to the global prevalence of motorcycle tourism, this study considers the travel motivators among riders from Turkey, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom. This study adds the previously unexplored factor of group membership and its influence on travel motivators. The study used quantitative analysis of a survey that was disseminated via Google forms. The primary factors are: sense of pleasure, passion for adrenaline, and ease of riding and travel activities. Group membership was used to examine the difference among the factors. All motorcyclists ranked the factors as high as travel motivators. There were some differences among riders from different countries. Turkish riders ranked their participation in group activities higher than did the US and UK. While the US and UK and Turkey had significant differences on the sense of pleasure. This study has importance to governments, travel agencies, and businesses that serve motorcyclists.

Keywords: motorcycle tourism; international motorcyclist comparison; motorcycle group membership; motorcycle travel motivators

About the authors

Mehmet Ertaş Ph.D.

Dr. Mehmet received an undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management; MS and Ph.D. in Tourism Management. He currently works at the Pamukkale University, Faculty of Tourism, Department of Recreation, Turkey. His main research interests focus on tourism recreation, tourism management, and motorcycle groups.

Diane Sykes MBA, MSIDT

Diane Sykes, MBA, MSIDT is one of the founders and owners of Steel Steeds Motorcycle Campground. She teaches in the fields of Hospitality/Tourism, Marketing, and Business. Her research interests are e-learning, tourism – especially motorcycle tourism, as well as niche marketing and marketing to subcultures. She has published several articles and written a book chapter in the field of motorcycle tourism, and made numerous conference presentations on motorcycle tourism.

Carl Cater Ph.D.

Dr. Carl Cater’s research centers on the experiential turn in tourism and the growth of special interest sectors, particularly adventure tourism and ecotourism, and their contribution to development. He has written over fifty papers and book chapters, and is editor of the Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Tourism (CABI, 2015) and the forthcoming Handbook of Adventure Tourism (Routledge, 2023). Dr. Cater is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and maintains an interest in both the practice and pursuit of sustainable outdoor tourism activity.

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Published Online: 2022-11-19

Published in Print: 2022-12-16

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0012

Keywords for this article

motorcycle tourism; international motorcyclist comparison; motorcycle group membership; motorcycle travel motivators