Motorcycle Marketing

A review of 2024: A year of growth and achievement

2024-12 A Review of 2024 A Year of Growth and Achievement 2

A review of 2024: A year of growth and achievement

As we wrap up 2024, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the growth, challenges, and successes of what has been an extraordinary year for Motorcycle Marketing. This year was marked by record-breaking achievements, exciting collaborations, and personal and professional growth for our team. Our founder, Thalassa van Beek, and two of our key team members—Joseph Beale and Haley Rae Shoning—share their insights into the year behind us and what’s ahead for 2025.

2024: A Year of milestones

This year, we had the privilege of working with incredible clients across the motorcycle industry, from global brands to emerging innovators. “It’s been a fantastic year,” Thalassa says. “We’ve created content for KTM, supported Yamaha Motor Europe with the Ténéré Spirit Experience, and had our second year with Peak Design, where we strengthened their ambassador program and helped showcase their brand at major events like ABR Festival, MaxlRIDE, and EICMA.”

Joseph Beale, our Marketing Strategist & Copywriter, highlights the Yamaha Ténéré Spirit Experience as a personal favorite: “Helping to deliver high-quality content and great results for our clients, in particular on our Ténéré Spirit Experience account, has been a real buzz to work on and an exciting project which we’ve played a solid part in helping to grow.”

While big names like these are thrilling, it’s the growth of smaller clients like HAMMERLEDS that brings just as much satisfaction. “Seeing brand awareness increase for companies like HAMMERLEDS is such a joy for the whole team,” Thalassa adds.

Overcoming challenges and growing stronger

For Thalassa, 2024 marked a turning point in how the agency operates. “My personal goal this year was to strengthen the team so I could step away from my laptop from time to time, with the dream of one day exploring Iceland on my motorcycle,” she shares. Delegating more responsibilities wasn’t easy, but the team rose to the challenge. “I had to learn to let go, but my team made it so easy. They’re all excellent in their fields and amazing with clients,” she says.

Social Media Manager Haley Rae Shoning reflects on how her role has evolved alongside the agency’s growth: “As we expand our client base, I am given every opportunity to take on more responsibility where I can. Thalassa does an incredible job of mentoring and encouraging me, and also trusting in my knowledge and experience. I have never been a part of a team where I feel as trusted, valued, and supported.”

This year also brought challenges in managing cash flow with a growing team. “Paying a growing team before paying myself was tough at times, especially when clients were paying late,” Thalassa admits, “but by year-end, we’ve built a healthy buffer again, and clients have become more timely with payments.”

Projects that defined 2024

Two standout projects this year showcased what Motorcycle Marketing does best.

The Ténéré Spirit Experience was a thrilling collaboration. “We worked closely with their French team to create newsletters, social media content, blogs, and website copy,” Thalassa explains. Watching the community of fans and clients grow has been incredibly rewarding.

Then there’s Peak Design, a brand we’ve worked with for two years now. “In 2023, we introduced their motorcycle mounts to European riders. In 2024, we built on that foundation,” she says. From ambassador marketing to launching their new charging mounts and supporting them at major events, the team’s efforts helped establish Peak Design as a recognized name among motorcyclists.

Staying focused in a changing industry

As we know, the motorcycle industry faced economic challenges in 2024. “2024 was a tough year for the motorcycle industry, including in the US where I am based,’ Haley Rae says. “Powersports businesses were riding a high during the pandemic, but sales slowed down significantly after that. A lot of businesses took this time to really evaluate what is important to their teams and to their customers and have made changes that I think will set them up for success in the new year. Many companies needed the reminder that community is what the industry is all about, and they are turning their gaze to that. I think 2025 will see many motorcycle companies focusing their energy on authenticity and connection.”

Despite these hurdles, Motorcycle Marketing’s niche expertise proved to be a strength. “When you’re an industry specialist, opportunities will find you,” Thalassa explains. Joseph adds, “The quality and consistency of work, the credibility, and the niche knowledge in varied areas of the motorcycle industry, from street, to adventure, to electric, and to professional racing, really set Motorcycle Marketing apart in 2024.”

Gearing up for 2025

The year ahead is already shaping up to be another exceptional one. Thalassa’s top priority is keeping the team happy and excited. “My #1 goal is to secure contracts with brands that align with each team member’s skills and passions,” she says. ‘It’s the best way to ensure we can continue overdelivering for our clients.” In addition, she plans to enjoy what she worked on this year: "I recently signed up to join the Ténéré Travel Trophy in June 2025, so for the first time since starting the agency, I will take a week off."

Haley Rae, who recently got a new dirt bike, shares her personal goal: “My goal for the next year is to play a more active role in connecting Motorcycle Marketing with companies here in the US, so the business and my position within it can continue to grow as much as possible. I also have made it a goal to ride my dirt bike in all 50 states, so I’m hoping to start checking those off the list this next year.”

Joseph is also focused on delivering even more for the agency’s clients. “My goal is to help win, retain, and over-deliver on projects with the biggest bike brands in the world,” he says.

With exciting new collaborations and events like De MOTORbeurs, ABR Festival, EICMA, and Wheels & Waves already on the calendar, the team is eager to make its mark in 2025.

A heartfelt thank you

As we look back on 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for the brands, clients, and community that make this journey possible. “I’m so thankful to work with brands I already admired years ago and to help new companies grow,” Thalassa reflects. “This isn’t just a job; it’s a passion—and I couldn’t do it without my amazing team of fellow bikers.”

As we head into 2025, there’s no better time to gear up for new opportunities in the motorcycle industry, and we’re ready to help brands like yours make the most of it. Whether you’re looking to grow your audience, enhance your brand presence, or tackle new marketing challenges, the Motorcycle Marketing team is here to support you. Let’s make 2025 your best year yet—contact us today to schedule a free consultancy session and start planning your next big success!

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A review of 2023 with Motorcycle Marketing founder Thalassa

2023-12.4 A review of 2023 with Motorcycle Marketing founder Thalassa

A review of 2023 with Motorcycle Marketing founder Thalassa

After another busy year for Motorcycle Marketing in 2023 founder Thalassa van Beek reflects on the progress made by the agency’s growing team of specialist motorbike industry marketers.

Summarising the year as whole, Thalassa explains that she is most pleased with being able to increase the skill set and numbers in the agency’s close group of collaborators. She comments, “The point I’m most excited about this year, just because it’s so important as the base of the company, is that I’m so proud of the team.”

“We have a couple of new people onboard that I’m really pleased about as they are so talented, creative, motivated and just bad-ass bikers. So I think the way we’ve grown together, the way we’re working together, that’s the best part of what happened this year.” 

Thalassa continues, “In addition to that, we signed more high-profile clients this year. At the same time there are some smaller clients we’ve met right at the beginning of their journeys, in their start-up phase, where we see the potential and where both parties are in it for the long-term. It’s rewarding to grow together with this type of client.”

Staying in touch with key industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, brands, suppliers and most importantly, riders themselves, is something that Thalassa and the team here at Motorcycle Marketing always prioritise. Getting to as many industry shows, festivals and gatherings as possible is a must as far as Thalassa is concerned.

“We went to a lot of events in 2023 and it was fantastic to connect with the community, whether that’s with existing clients, potential clients or riders themselves, people like us, and just talk motorbikes all day,” she states.

“We went to Skog in Sweden, Motorbeurs Utrecht in the Netherlands, ABR Festival in the UK, MaxlRIDE in Germany, EICMA in Italy and Motorcycle Live in the UK, plus some of the other team members went to Salon de 2 Roues, Wheels & Waves and Salon Moto Légende in France. There were also members of our team working on World Championship level road and rally-raid races.”

“Every niche has its own events and it’s good to be at those different events, to really be able to get into what’s going on at them.” 

“That is how we differentiate ourselves at Motorcycle Marketing. For a generic agency motorbikes are motorbikes, as long as they have two wheels and an engine that’s it. Whereas we completely specialise and we understand the differences within the motorcycle industry, between the various segments. It’s good for us to not only attend the big shows but also be at niche events to really understand the trends and the feeling amongst the manufacturers and the specific riding community.”

With regard to the growing presence and innovation from the Far East in the European motorcycle market, Thalassa notes, “At EICMA there was a big presence of Chinese brands and it is interesting to see some of those companies seriously upping their game. As a bike lover you have to enjoy that. The more manufacturers that make cool things the better it is.”

As a keen rider herself, Thalassa took her laptop on the road in the spring-summer months, working remotely along the way as she rode north from her base near Barcelona.

“For years it was a dream of mine to ride my bike through Norway, so I took the Ténéré 700 there and it proved to be just the perfect bike for that trip.”

“I went to the south of Sweden for the Skog event and then I did some of the Trans-European Trail and made my way up to North Cape which was fantastic. When I went along the Norwegian coast back south there were some interesting weather challenges! In the south of Norway it was so beautiful, the mountains, the views, the landscapes, it was fantastic. Then I rode back through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, home to Spain.”

“I did some weekend trips into the Pyrenees, into France and around here in Catalunya. Earlier in the year I also went to Tenerife for a week, riding with one of our team members Leonoor Fischer, where we were invited by Canary Ride. That was a really nice trip.”

In terms of the plans for Motorcycle Marketing in 2024, Thalassa concludes, “The ambition is to keep growing. There’s a lot which is just about to happen. The fact that globally recognised companies are finding us and taking us seriously, with conversations already reaching an advanced stage, is very promising.”

“As for the team, I want to make sure that I keep helping people learn and grow, so that together we get them to places where they can take on more responsibility, with them working on bigger accounts. That’s something I’m really looking forward to in 2024.”

It promises to be another exciting year ahead. If you would like the dynamic Motorcycle Marketing team to help your motorcycle industry brand with reaching your objectives in 2024 feel free to book in a free consultancy session with us.

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Founder Thalassa van Beek on Running Motorcycle Marketing

Motorcycle Marketing 2023-04.2 Founder Thalassa Van Beek on driving Motorcycle Marketing forward

Founder Thalassa van Beek on Running Motorcycle Marketing

With more than a decade of experience in the motorcycle industry, Thalassa van Beek is the founder of Motorcycle Marketing and a keen bike rider herself.

Having worked with several major clients including Yamaha Motor Europe, Touratech, PETRONAS Motorsports and Peak Design, Thalassa has a broad digital skillset, with specialist knowledge in social media, content and marketing trends in the motorcycle industry.

Her role as the leader of Motorcycle Marketing now also includes sales, business development, client liaison and management of a group of marketers and content creators.

Explaining what prompted her to establish Motorcycle Marketing, bringing together some of the best freelance marketing talent in Europe, Thalassa explains, “There were several reasons for doing that, all of which are practical. There was more work than can be handled by one person and I could see that our clients needed a lot more than just social media marketing, which is my specialty.”

“It made sense to offer more so I brought together a group of marketing experts from the motorcycle industry to do that. Together we can offer a wide range of services to companies in the motorcycle world, including content marketing, copy writing, audiovisual production, SEM, SEO and influencer marketing.”

“In addition to that, after seven years of previously freelancing on my own I liked the idea of working more with other people, having more people around me to talk motorbikes and marketing with. I really like to see other people being successful, so with Motorcycle Marketing I can help other marketers who are motorcycle riders to be successful at what they do.”

Something of a Yamaha addict, Thalassa admits to having five bikes from the Japanese manufacturer in her garage – a Ténéré 700, a YZF-R6, a WR 250F, an XT 660R and an XMax 250. She has been totally in love with bikes ever since she was just 17.

Riding as much as she can and traveling to bike events across Europe, it’s vital for Thalassa to counter-balance hard work with spending several hours on two wheels each week.

She has found a way to work effectively as a marketer and agency leader whilst on the road and says, “There are a few key elements to being able to work like this. It’s important to have self-discipline. It would be a dream to go out and ride all day, every day, but of course you wouldn’t get any work done like that!”

“So I make sure that I stay on top of my work when I’m on the road and if that means less riding during the day then that’s how it is. Recently on a riding trip to Tenerife I started working at 6 or 7 each morning until 2 in the afternoon, before going riding for a few hours. Then I finished my work off in the evening. That worked very well.”

“It’s also crucial to have the correct equipment, with the right laptop, a good phone, everything synchronised. All my work is secured safely in the cloud and it is easily accessible, from wherever I am. I also have a very lightweight laptop stand, along with my wireless keyboard and mouse so that I can be comfortably set up when I’m working remotely.”

“I make sure I have the discipline that I continue to stay 100% reliable for my clients, that if I tell them things are going to get done, they always get done.”

In terms of coordinating the delivery of work for clients and managing the rest of the Motorcycle Marketing team who are spread out across various European locations, Thalassa has specifically defined processes to ensure consistently strong results.

“I work with to-do lists in Trello and they are my bible,” she states. “That’s how I stay focussed and organised, making sure that nothing is missed. I read a lot of books and listen to a lot of podcasts about productivity and organisation and I feel that I have a system that really works well for me. It is based on the Getting Things Done method, with different lists for different things and that works very efficiently for me.”

Thalassa and her Motorcycle Marketing colleagues firmly believe that travelling and adventure riding adds value to the output delivered for the brands the agency works with.

“Being able to ride frequently and travel often inspires me and really keeps me excited about being a motorcycle rider, which I think really shows when I am writing and creating content for our clients,” she comments.

“It also means I’m part of the motorbike scene in general as well as part of specific scenes. I go to different types of events and I speak to bikers from various countries. Because of that I have a lot of on-the-ground knowledge which really comes in handy. Being at events really helps with growing the network and means that I can connect clients and other people in my network with each other and that’s pretty cool. As a rider I’m also a potential customer of my clients so I truly understand what they are looking for.”

If you’d like Thalassa and the Motorcycle Marketing team to work with your brand, contact us to set up an initial consultation. You can also follow Thalassa’s riding adventures on the @NoHighways Instagram account. 

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