Business consultant Alfred So (right) and general manager James Yeung of Techno Harley Davidson, Hong Kong, say Harley owners in the SAR are not looking for speed but a way of enjoying life

There isn't much chance to head out on the American-style open highway in Hong Kong, but that has not inhibited the popularity of the famous American motorcycle, Harley-Davidson.

The motorycles, with their stylish looks, throaty-sounding engine and low-slung riding position, have long been popular among discerning, well-heeled bikers of Hong Kong, who generally use the machines for weekend tours of the countryside, rather than for commuting. Riders have even organised trips further afield, along the Silk Road in China, or through the southern provinces of the nation to the city of Shanghai.

Now, in addition to selling motorcycles, a local company has opened two showrooms that specialise in selling Harley-Davidson accessories. Locals and visitors can buy everything from a key ring to a full set of Harley-Davidson leathers; other items include caps, mugs, t-shirts, helmets and boots. Pretty much everything a Harley-Davidson aficionado could ever want, in fact.

Techno Harley-Davidson of Hong Kong, run by Raymond Leung and Terry Leung (no relation) now has two retail outlets, in the popular Ocean Terminal shopping mall, close to the Star Ferry in Tsim Sha Tsui, and at the western side of Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island, a short stroll from the shopping zone of Causeway Bay.

The pair is hoping to tap into the local and tourist markets and, to that end, is working with Alfred So, a business consultant who has a long-standing association with the motorcycle manufacturer. They are also looking towards business opportunities in China.
 
"The Ocean Centre store should be very popular with tourists as it offers easy access - and also with local people," says Mr So. "There is something to suit every price range - from HK$80 up to HK$8,000. We probably have 1,000 items in total."

Locals can, of course, order one of the hulking motorcycles for cruising Hong Kong city streets in style, at prices ranging from $79,000 up to $220,000. Currently, So estimates there are 500 people who own Harley-Davidsons, around a third of them members of the Harley Owners Group or HOG.

"Many of them are professionals - bankers, financial investors and CEOs," says So. "It offers a platform to do something different. The majority of them are not looking for speed - it is more of a lifestyle, a way of enjoying life.

"We also usually organise one major ride a year, either to the United States, Southeast Asia or to Europe. Last year we went to the north of China - including inner Mongolia - and this year we will go to Chengdu in Sichuan province and then on to Tibet."

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Alfred So can be contacted at soalfred@netvigator.com, or tel: (852) 63330248.
Harley Davison Hong Kong