Lock on Ducati

	Ducati CEO Michael Lock

Michael Lock is not your typical CEO.

Of course, winding your way past beautiful beaches and through the hilly, golden terrain of northern California on a 1000cc motorcycle isn't exactly your typical way to get to work, either.

A native of London, Lock is the CEO of Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati (DMH Quote), and his preferred mode of commuting is in the saddle of a Ducati Monster S4R S Testastretta.

TheStreet.com had a chance this week to sit down and talk with Lock about trends in the motorcycle market and the unveiling of two new Ducati designs, as well as the "House of Ducati" booth at the upcoming Cycle World International Motorcycle Show, Jan. 19-21 in New York City.

Emotional Decision

My first question for Lock concerns consumer choice: When a rider decides to purchase a motorcycle, why would he or she go to a Ducati dealer when it's possible to find an inexpensive, mass-produced Japanese motorcycle that has -- on the surface, at least -- similar specs?

His response is hard to refute. "People don't buy motorcycles for rational reasons. You can take the subway, it's probably quicker to get uptown ... and probably safer than a motorcycle. But actually, the safest thing of all would be to stay at home, and then no one has a life," Lock reasons.

It's Lock's belief that his company's motorcycles offer an emotional pull on riders, something unique to European motorcycles and Ducati in particular that competitors simply cannot match. ...