Oculus lets motorcycle enthusiasts take a virtual trip to Sturgis

By T.L. Stanley2015-03-13 09:37:02 UTC

Are you suffering from garage fever, biker dudes? Itching to hit the open road on a throaty American-made motorcycle, hug the curves, catch some scenery, feel the horsepower?

Subzero temperatures and record snowfall have made that impossible in most of the country this endless winter. Whats a gearhead to do, except wait for the thaw?

Thats where virtual reality steps in, with executives from Minnesota-based Victory Motorcycles hatching a promotion that uses Oculus Rift to give motorcycle enthusiasts a trip to Sturgis without leaving a trade show floor.

The simulated ride through the Badlands comes complete with 3D, 360-degree images of Needles Highway, a famous stretch of desert road in South Dakota, throttle control, sound effects and a tactile transducer to recreate the vibrations of a speeding bike.

The project, produced by digital agency space150, means to put butts on seats at high-traffic trade shows, which executives say is one of the best ways to move product. It rolled out at the recent Chicago International Motorcycle Show and will repeat, with additions and tweaks, at future events. It may also become part of a museum exhibit in New York.

If you sit for a ride, youre more likely to own one of our motorcycles, according to internal studies, said Lisa Grimm, director of public relations and emerging media at space150. So we wanted to use technology to create something immersive and solve a business challenge.

Victory Motorcycles joins a handful of companies using the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift and its VR competitors as a marketing tactic. HBO may have been the first to do so, with its Ascend the Wall experience for Game of Thrones at last years SXSW that reviewers called mind blowing.

More recently, Toyota created a simulation to warn teens about the dangers of distracted driving, and Mountain Dew showed what it would be like to glide along next to a pro skateboarder. Marriott took consumers to Maui and central London via its #GetTeleported Oculus Rift promotion, and Elle magazine has captured behind-the-scenes fashion shoots in recent months for virtual reality streaming.

The trend will likely continue and intensify, Grimm said, with some brands doing a better job than others in using the sexy, emerging technology.

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Oculus lets motorcycle enthusiasts take a virtual trip to Sturgis