Understanding The Competition

This design approach started with a competitive analysis phase that provided valuable insights into prevailing industry trends and best practices employed by key players in the motorcycle marketplace.

By reviewing established platforms like MotorHunt and CycleTrader I discovered they offer robust marketplaces for motorcycle enthusiasts that facilitate the realization of their dream rides. However, a discerning assessment underscored a notable oversight – a lack of emphasis on the luxury segment.

With this in mind I further explored revered brands such as Ducati and Harley-Davidson in an attempt to understand what luxury looks like in the motorsports relm. From this competitor analysis I deduced the following about the industry:

• Luxury is a concept best expressed through branding and the market positioning of a company.
• Branding appeals to the users emotions.
• The success of a marketing strategy relies on the platforms chosen to showcase the products

From here I decided to delve into the user's thoughts on the platforms they had encountered. My research goal was gaining clarity on the initial target user, their preferences and their experiences with other platforms.

What The Users Are Saying

Engaging and observing motorcycle-centered communities on digial platforms yeilded reliable information. However, this was a difficult task as these communities are not as many as I assumed they were. Regardless, this cemented the idea of having female identifying persons as the main target user for the rest of the design process.

Target Users

1. New female riders in the motorcycle community.
2. Female riders in the felt that they were not adequately represented by existing brands.

User Pain Points

The following user painpoints assertained the need to focus on women in the community as the target audience.

• New female riders often find the motorcycle industry uninviting due to a lack of female representation in marketing and dealerships. This can make them feel unwelcome and unsure of where to start.
• The absence of a central platform for female riders makes it difficult for them to find resources and support tailored specifically to address their unique needs and interests. This can leave them feeling isolated and without the guidance of others who understand their perspective on motorcycling.
• Luxury motorcycles often appear to cater primarily to a male audience, emphasis on luxury within this segment can be intimidating, making it difficult for these riders to assess whether the motorcycles are even suitable for their skill level and practical needs.

How Might I Questions

Using data from the preliminary research I came up with how might we questions that would guide how I intepreted the research points and ideated a potential solution.

• How might I guide users on a seamless journey from brand discovery to loyal customers, creating a positive brand experience at every touchpoint?
• How might I create a unified and engaging platform that attracts and connects our target users, fostering a sense of community and belonging?
• How might I integrate elements of luxury into our solution in a way that feels genuine and addresses the core needs and aspirations of our target users?

With a clearer view on the research findings I created a clear problem statement to guide the rest of the design process.

Problem Statement
New female riders feel excluded by a lack of female representation and intimidated by the focus on luxury motorcycles. The buying process is overwhelming, lacking beginner-friendly resources. This creates a barrier to entry.