Discover the Ride expanding audience of non-riders at DFW Auto Show

The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) today announced its immersive show feature, Discover the Ride, is expanding to reach a broader audience of non-riders, joining the 2019 Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Auto Show.

Introduced to a community of motorcycle enthusiasts at the previous 2018/2019 IMS tour, Discover the Ride became the industry’s first and foremost program breaking down the high barriers to entry. An exciting addition to the DFW Auto Show, the program will feature four experiential attractions including The Dyno Experience, New To 2, The Kids Zone in collaboration with StaCyc, and The New Rider Course in partnership with Zero Motorcycles and Yamaha Power Assisted Bicycles.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with custom and rare, restored vintage motorcycles hailing from the Dallas metro area, as well as new models on display for novice and experienced riders from leading global manufacturers, Confederate Motorcycles, Harley-Davidson, and Yamaha Motorcycles.

Catching the DFW Auto Show’s attention is a major milestone, not only for Discover the Ride, but for the overarching industry. Through a safe, fun and quick introduction to riding, Discover the Ride is paving the way for the larger motorcycle industry by initiating educational conversations and addressing hesitations, that will in turn, encourage consumers to take the first step toward becoming a motorcyclist. In the midst of industry-wide ridership concerns, Discover the Ride successfully took the industry’s first stride toward bridging the gap for non-riders to experience the thrill of two wheels. In fact, in its first year alone, nearly 8,000 attendees of all ages participated in Discover the Ride over the course of seven shows, with more than a quarter of adults being new to motorcycling.

“Following the tremendous success during the 2018 -2019 IMS tour, we’re thrilled to bring Discover the Ride to the DFW Auto Show, reaching an even wider audience of potential new riders,” said Tracy Harris, Senior Vice President, Powersports, UBM. “The DFW Auto Show is a natural extension for Discover the Ride, branching out from a motorcycle-specific audience and helping more people experience what it is like to ride on two wheels. We are truly excited to continue the momentum we’ve built throughout the tour.”

Key highlights from Discover the Ride’s seven-show tour:

• Nearly 8,000 attendees participated in Discover the Ride across the seven-show tour throughout the nation (Long Beach, New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Washington D.C. and Chicago).
• Over 4,500 consumers rode a Yamaha Power Assist Electric Bicycle and Zero Motorcycle as a part of The New Rider Course. Thirty-two percent were non-riders, with 84 percent planning to start riding.
• Discover the Ride is appealing to a more diverse, younger demographic, with 63 percent of non-riders being under 35; over 50 percent of non-riders within Discover the Ride were female.
• Almost 2,000 kids rode StaCyc bikes in The Kid’s Zone.

For those interested in the very best of vintage, classic and retro-style motorcycles, IMS Vintage presented by Progressive will be on display at the DFW Auto Show, giving attendees the chance to experience the history of motorcycling right from the beginning through a display of decades-old vintage bikes. Also exhibiting will be handcrafted, custom motorcycles that are truly works of art and a growing part of the motorcycling community.