For Immediate Release

Contact: Kathy Bell/Jericho Communications/212.645.6900 ext. 117
YOU ARE WHAT YOU RIDE:
SURVEY FINDS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HARLEY
AND SPORT BIKE RIDERS GO BEYOND BIKE TYPE

Both Dig Body Art But Harley Riders More Likely to Wear What They Ride, Says America’s Top Motorcycle Insurer

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio (February 16, 2005) – What can you tell about a person by the kind of motorcycle they ride? Plenty, according to a recent countrywide online survey conducted by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the number one seller of motorcycle insurance in the U.S. The survey finds interesting differences – and similarities – between Harley-Davidson riders and those who ride sport bikes.

For example, everyone knows that Harley riders wear their passion for biking on their sleeve… literally. The survey finds Harley riders are three times more likely than those who ride sport bikes to own clothing or artwork that displays the brand of motorcycle they ride (93 percent versus 30 percent, respectively). Harley riders are also more likely to have body art such as tattoos and piercings (52 percent versus 40 percent).

The survey also finds that Harley riders are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to plan rides around where they’ll eat (32 percent versus 23 percent). Sport bike riders are three times more likely to eat at fast-food restaurants (18 percent versus six percent), while riders of Harleys are nearly four times more likely to pick restaurants with the nicest looking waiters/waitresses (11 percent versus three percent).

“At Progressive, many of us involved in our motorcycle business are riders, too, and this survey was a fun, tongue-in-cheek way of getting to know more about our fellow bikers,” says Rick Stern, a rider for more than 15 years and one of Progressive’s motorcycle product managers. “Motorcycle insurance is a very specialized product, and you never know what bit of information may lead to the next insurance innovation.”

The survey confirms that both rider groups have much in common, too. For example, both say “freedom” is the number one reason they ride. And though sport bikes are commonly known as “crotch-rockets” or “road-rippers,” only six percent of those who ride them say they do so for “speed” while fewer than one percent of Harley riders say the same. Both groups listed the same top excuses for justifying a quick ride: running errands, testing the engine and visiting friends.

Progressive’s survey also finds that ninety-five (95) percent of all riders acknowledge their fellow bikers while riding. Waving is the preferred method of acknowledgement (37 percent), although Harley riders are nearly twice as likely to acknowledge other riders by pointing two fingers down (29 percent versus 16 percent). Harley riders are six times more likely to only acknowledge those riding the same style bike (18 percent versus three percent).

Additional survey results include:

* An overwhelming majority of riders (88 percent) donate time or money to charities. Two-thirds of Harley riders (67 percent) and one-third of those who ride sport bikes (33 percent) participate in at least one charity ride each year.
* Sixty-nine (69) percent of all riders daydream at work each day about riding their bike.
* Eighteen (18) percent of all riders call in sick to work at least once a year to go riding.
* Women prefer to ride with their significant other (58 percent), while men choose to ride with their friends (63 percent).
* Adding custom parts that enhance the look of their bikes was the number one choice for Harley riders (73 percent), while adding performance equipment was the top choice for those who ride sport bikes (44 percent).

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, in business since 1937, ranks third in the nation for auto insurance based on premiums written and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person and online service. The products and services of the Progressive Direct Group of Insurance Companies are marketed directly to consumers by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE and online at progressivedirect.com through the Progressive DirectSM brand. The Drive Group of Progressive Insurance Companies offers insurance through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies that market their products and services through the Drive Insurance from ProgressiveSM brand. For more information, go to driveinsurance.com. The Common Shares of the Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, are publicly traded at NYSE:PGR. More information can be found at progressive.com.

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Rick Stern, motorcycle product manager, Progressive, is available for interview.

Additional survey results and breakdowns available upon request.

Did You Know…
According to a survey by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies…

Daydreaming At Work
Sixty-nine (69) percent of all bikers daydream at work each day about riding their bike. Harley-Davidson riders are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to spend over an hour daydreaming (13 percent versus eight percent, respectively).

Unmarried riders are nearly twice as likely as married riders to spend more than an hour a day at work daydreaming about riding their bike, (17 percent versus nine percent).

Time In The Saddle
Harley riders are more likely than sport bikers to ride four or more hours a week (62 percent versus 41 percent).

The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance
Harley riders are more likely than sport bike riders to spend more than five hours a week maintaining and cleaning their bikes (seven percent versus three percent).

Who Needs The House When I Have My Harley?
Those who ride Harleys are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to say their motorcycle is their most valuable possession (five percent versus one percent).

Spending Extra Cash
Harley riders are more likely than riders of sport bikes to spend their disposable income on something for their motorcycles (32 percent versus 22 percent, respectively). On the other hand, sport bike riders are more likely to use disposable income to buy something for their significant others (46 percent versus 39 percent).

The first thing women riders will do with disposable income is buy a gift for their kids (40 percent), while men will first buy something for their significant other (43 percent).

Street Saluting
Ninety-five (95) percent of all riders acknowledge other bikers while riding. Waving is the preferred method of acknowledgement (37 percent), although Harley riders are nearly twice as likely to acknowledge other riders by pointing two fingers down (29 percent versus 16 percent).

Harley riders are six times more likely to only acknowledge those riding the same style bike (18 percent versus three percent), while sport bike riders are four times more likely than Harley riders to not acknowledge other riders at all (nine percent versus two percent).

Live to Ride, Ride to Give
Eighty-eight (88) percent of all riders donate time or money to charities. However, riders of sport bikes are nearly twice as likely as Harley riders not to give to charity in any way (17 percent versus nine percent).

Two-thirds of Harley riders (67 percent) and one-third of those who ride sport bikes (33 percent) participate in at least one charity ride each year.

Time Well Spent
Of all sport bike riders, men are slightly more likely than women to donate money to charity (56 percent versus 53 percent), while women are more likely than men to donate their time (22 percent versus 37 percent).

Customizing… Their Bodies
Harley riders are also more likely than those who ride sport bikes to have body art such as tattoos and piercings (52 percent versus 40 percent)

Wearing What You Ride
Harley riders are three times more likely than riders of sport bikes to own clothing or artwork that displays the brand of motorcycle they ride (93 percent versus 30 percent).

Live To Ride, Ride To Eat
Harley riders are more likely than those who ride sport bikes to plan rides around where they’ll eat (32 percent versus 23 percent)

Sport bike riders are three times more likely to eat at fast-food restaurants (18 percent versus six percent), while Harley riders are nearly four times more likely to pick restaurants with the nicest looking waiters/waitresses (11 percent versus three percent).

Shop-aholics
When asked what they like to do besides ride, Harley riders are more likely than riders of sport bikes to say “cook” (40 percent versus 35 percent); sport bike riders are more likely to say “shop” (30 percent versus 24 percent).

Couch Potato Potato Potato
When asked what they like to do in their spare time besides ride, 70 percent of Harley riders and 69 percent of those who ride sport bikes say watch television. Sport bike riders are slightly more likely than Harley riders to work out at a gym (29 percent versus 23 percent).

The Extreme Sport Of…. Bowling???????
When asked which sports they like to watch on television, sport bike riders are twice as likely as Harley riders to watch extreme sports (31 percent versus 15 percent, respectively). They are also nearly two times more likely to watch bowling (nine percent versus five percent).

“Motorcycle Time” Rides Over “Kid Time”
Harley riders are twice as likely to spend one to five hours a week taking care of their bike than they are to spend the same amount of time with their kids (58 percent versus 24 percent).

Forty-nine (49) percent of sport bike riders spend one to five hours a week riding – more than three times the percentage of those who spend that much time with their kids (14 percent).

Gender Says A Lot
Women prefer to ride with their significant other most often (58 percent), while men prefer riding with their friends (63 percent).

It’s A Group Thang
Women are more likely than men to ride in a group (35 percent versus 25 percent).

When asked with whom they ride most often, 55 percent of sport bike riders say their friends, compared to 44 percent of Harley riders. Thirty-nine (39) percent of Harley riders say they ride most often with their significant other, compared to 33 percent of those who ride sport bikes.

Style Over Performance
Most riders buy extras for their bike (86 percent). Harley riders are twice as likely to spend more than $1,000 a year on extras for their bike (24 percent versus 12 percent).

Adding custom parts that enhance the look of their bikes was the number one choice for Harley riders (73 percent), while adding performance equipment was the top choice for those who ride sport bikes (44 percent).

Top 3 Reasons Riders Like To Ride
Harley Riders Sport Bike Riders
1. Freedom (83 percent) 1. Freedom (81 percent)
2. Feel wind in hair/on face (10 percent) 2. Feel wind in hair/on face (nine percent)
3. Travel (four percent) 3. Speed (six percent)

Top 5 Excuses Used To Go Riding
Harley and Sport Bike Riders
1. Run an errand
2. Test the engine
3. Visit a friend
4. Get something to eat
5. Dry their hair

Best Flick An “Easy” Choice
Both Harley and sport bike riders say “Easy Rider” is their favorite motorcycle movie (51 percent and 27 percent).

Born To Ride, Not To Watch
The motorcycle movie least liked by Harley riders is “On Any Sunday,” while the movies least liked by those who ride sport bikes are “Born to Ride” and “The Wild One” (tie).