Sport Bike Deaths and 40+ riders

[Condor]

I found this posted to another board, and found it a very interesting read, even if it is a little outdated. Especially the last few paragraphs, and how the percentages pertain to a majority of the members on this board. The over 40 statement makes one think. Something to take into consideration when looking at bike industry and where it's going in the next few years.

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Wall Street Journal

September 18, 2007

 

Bigger, faster, more-powerful machines are helping to make 2007 the deadliest year yet for motorcycle riders, say safety officials and a new insurance-industry study.

 

In the past few years a horsepower battle in the cycle industry has produced bikes that have the power of a car but often weigh less than ever. Sophisticated suspension and braking systems and other electronics make them easy for inexperienced riders to handle -- up to a point. But the bikes' potential speed and violent acceleration can quickly overwhelm all but the most skilled riders.

 

The new Ducati 1098's 160-horsepower engine makes it the Italian company's most powerful regular production model.

These high-performance machines, often called "superbikes" or "supersports," accounted for less than 10% of motorcycle registrations in 2005 but accounted for more than 25% of rider fatalities, according to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analyzed in a study released last week by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

 

The total number of rider deaths has more than doubled since 1997. At the current rate, some safety experts say, fatalities in 2007 could surpass the previous peak of 4,955 set in 1980.

 

Superbike riders suffer much higher death rates than riders of other kinds of bikes. And while superbikes still aren't as popular as the larger, more laid-back cruiser-style bikes made by Harley-Davidson Motor Co., such bikes have been one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry. They represented 9% of the market in 2005, compared with 47% for cruisers. But superbike registrations jumped 83% between 2000 and 2005.

 

In addition to more-powerful machines, an influx of inexperienced riders is also helping to drive accident rates higher. And as more middle-age consumers return to motorcycling -- often after not having ridden for 20 years or more -- more older riders are being killed in crashes. Another contributing factor: a trend toward more-liberal helmet laws.

 

"These guys start riding again in their 50s and don't realize that they aren't the same physical specimens they were in their 20s," says David Livingston, director of the New Jersey Trauma Center at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., who has recently seen an increase in motorcycle-related injuries. "During June, July and August, about one in four patients hurt in traffic accidents have been motorcycle riders," he says.

 

SUPERBIKES

 

Motorcycles, much like cars, have gradually become more powerful and nimble over time. But the more-rapid run-up in engine size and performance has occurred in only the past few years, as overall sales of motorcycles have boomed. New construction techniques and the widening availability of lightweight materials like carbon fiber and titanium "have made it easier to reduce weight and increase power cost-effectively," says Ted Miller, director of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a research group. "The stoked sport bike," he says, is a fairly new development.

 

Bike makers across the industry are conspicuously boosting power. Italian manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding earlier this year began selling the 1098, a superbike with 160 horsepower -- a big jump from the 112 horsepower the company's racy 996 model put out 10 years ago. The bike has about as much power as a Honda Accord EX sedan. BMW AG's motorcycle unit had a reputation for building sedate bikes with less than 100 horsepower until it rolled out the 167-horsepower K1200S about three years ago. Even Harley-Davidson, long known for its slow cruising and touring models, recently released the Night Rod Special, a fast, low-slung bike with a 125-horsepower engine developed with sports-car maker Porsche AG.

 

In the late 1970s and early 1980s -- the last time motorcycle fatalities were this high -- the hottest bikes included machines like Kawasaki Motors Corp.'s Z1000. A fearsome bike at the time, its 90-or-so horsepower and total weight approaching 600 pounds seem benign compared with the nearly 200 horsepower generated by the company's new ZX-14 or rival bike maker Suzuki Motor Corp.'s GSX-R1000.

 

The Suzuki weighs barely 400 pounds with a full fuel tank, and can accelerate to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds. It even comes with a switch so the rider can select low, medium or high power settings. Other bikes have adopted electronically controlled brakes, transmissions and traction control to keep the rear wheel from spinning out of control under acceleration.

 

Many supersport bikes are actually built for racing. In popular racing events like the American Motorcyclist Association superbike series, riders use bikes that are modified versions of those available to the public at dealerships. In order to compete in the races, cycle manufacturers have to build hundreds of the bikes for sale to consumers.

 

The process, called "homologation," is meant to guarantee that the bikes found on the track are roughly the same as those widely available to the public. The bikes sold this way are sometimes touted as "race replicas" or "homologation specials."

 

Although a tripling of motorcycle sales over the past decade accounts for some of the rising death rate, fatal motorcycle accidents have also risen proportionally.

 

Over the time period of the IIHS study, from 2000 to 2005, the death rate for motorcyclists rose to 7.5 deaths per 10,000 registered motorcycles from 7.1. In the same period, the percentage of motorcycle deaths among all highway fatalities rose to 10% from 7%. Superbike riders had a death rate of 22.5 for every 10,000 registered motorcycles.

 

In 2005, riders 40 or older accounted for 47% of motorcycle fatalities, compared with 24% 10 years earlier. In the same period, the fatality percentage for riders younger than 30 years of age fell to 32% from 41%. Safety officials attribute this in part to a tendency of "returning" riders to overestimate their ability to handle the latest powerful bikes.

 

"You have a lot of people saying, 'I'm in my 40s and I want to start riding motorcycles again,'" says Daniel Lonsdorf, director of the Wisconsin Bureau of Transportation Safety. "But these aren't the same motorcycles they remember from 20 years ago."

 

Write to Jonathan Welsh at jonathan.welsh@wsj.com2

[SaltyDawg]

I don't know what category most here fit into, but I am over 40 and not a returning rider. I myself have been riding 31 years with no more than 1.5 years going between bikes.

 

I can see where people give it up to raise a family and then decide to start riding again and the size and power of bikes has increased a lot since my early days.

[Redneck]

I guess thats why so many second gens have been going down. Some of us just can't handle that super bike power.

[juggler]

Hmmm... These numbers look like numbers I've read before. Check out my blog at http://www.wilgeno.com/index.cfm/2007/11/4/Motorcycle-Deaths-by-the-Numbers

 

I post links to the actual studies. Many of the numbers in articles like this one are reported out of context. And they ignore other numbers that don't jive with their message. Such as more motorcyclist that wear helmets die that those that don't. They also don't mention that their numbers are most likely from the report of single vehicle motorcycle crashes. When you get into the multi-vehicle crashes you find more motorcyclist are killed here by passenger car drivers that 'just didn't see you'.

[Snarley Bill]

try 65 years old on a hopped up zx 14. she sure does make ya feel young again. i love it. it ain't one for a beginner. need lots of good sense to ride one of these. they can bite you real quick.

[GeorgeS]

As to the statements regarding

" New Riders Over 40 "----

 

This has been in my estimation something that has been ignored over the years, in discussions about motorcycle safty in general.

 

My take on this, is that the New, "Over 40" ( I would modify this to 30 to 60 ) has a particular problem, in dealing with becomeing a Safe Biker.

 

After driveing a Car or Truck for many years he has learned to deal with safty Issues from the standpoint of being in a 4 wheeled vehical. ( this is good )

 

However, there are many driveing techniqes that are Right to use when in a Car, But WRONG to use when on a 2 wheeled vehical.

 

Example: If you tailgate, when in a CAR. you might end up in a Wreck, or be involved in a few thousand dollars of damage, or maby just a few hundred.

 

----- If you tailgate cars when rideing your motorcycle, if the driver ahead of you decides to slam on his brakes !! YOU ARE PROBABLY DEAD !! and the amout of dollar damage really won't matter to you !!

 

I could go on and on. This is just my best example.

[Snarley Bill]

As to the statements regarding

" New Riders Over 40 "----

 

This has been in my estimation something that has been ignored over the years, in discussions about motorcycle safty in general.

 

My take on this, is that the New, "Over 40" ( I would modify this to 30 to 60 ) has a particular problem, in dealing with becomeing a Safe Biker.

 

After driveing a Car or Truck for many years he has learned to deal with safty Issues from the standpoint of being in a 4 wheeled vehical. ( this is good )

 

However, there are many driveing techniqes that are Right to use when in a Car, But WRONG to use when on a 2 wheeled vehical.

 

Example: If you tailgate, when in a CAR. you might end up in a Wreck, or be involved in a few thousand dollars of damage, or maby just a few hundred.

 

----- If you tailgate cars when rideing your motorcycle, if the driver ahead of you decides to slam on his brakes !! YOU ARE PROBABLY DEAD !! and the amout of dollar damage really won't matter to you !!

 

I could go on and on. This is just my best example.

you are so right. this is a rough time for new riders of any age. with all the traffic and people living their whole life in the fast lane. a rider course is a real must. i started riding in the 50's on motorbikes and scooters and got my first motorcycle in the 60's. traffic was not a problem back then for me back then . lack of good sense was my problem. most of the wrecks i had were self inflicted. if i ride into town in a very populated area i usually take my majesty scooter. much easier to ride in traffic.

[Mariner Fan]

It's been a good 20 years since my last bike.

 

Now, my riding style has changed dramatically since I was a knucklehead kid.

 

I didn't want a race bike and have no desire to drag my knee around corners anymore.

 

I think the the article doesn't take into account the fact that older riders tend to be more cautious.

 

I wonder what the stats are on young men and accidents with high powered sports bikes?

[GeorgeS]

Maintain, MAXIMUM SEPERATION, from all other vehicals on the road.

 

If you are not there, he ( or she ) cant't get you !!!

[Guest KitCarson]

I think all this stuff is written and put together by non-riding modern day computer yuppies that do not have any sense!!! Quite simply there are more people in the world now, the population is many times bigger than before. Bikes are bigger, better.....lots of fun!!! More people.....more bikes.....the so called statistics go up.......personally it does not matter if I am on a moped or my new Wing....I operate them the same. It is the rider not the machine that makes it safe or not. I do not think the people who write this stuff have any experience in what they are trying to convey to the public. They are just like our politicians....blowing hot air.

[Dano]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s -- the last time motorcycle fatalities were this high -- the hottest bikes included machines like Kawasaki Motors Corp.'s Z1000. A fearsome bike at the time, its 90-or-so horsepower and total weight approaching 600 pounds seem benign compared with the nearly 200 horsepower generated by the company's new ZX-14 or rival bike maker Suzuki Motor Corp.'s GSX-R1000.

 

Hottest bike in the 70's???? Did they forget about the H2750 Kawasaki that would rip yer head off at just the hint of a throttle twist? That was the first bike I bought and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. If you rode it too easy, you'd foul plugs (2 stroke triple cylinder). Never had a KZ1000 that could keep up. Weighed less than the others, too.

 

JMO

 

Dan

[tazmocycle]

70? i was ridng a 71 truimph tiger 650 and a yamaha 650, i rode a friend's 500 kaw and 750 kaw, now them was some fast bikes. i broke the chain on the 750 doing burnouts while racing it against a bored and stroked 750/4 honda. the guy on it weighted 240 and had to jump with all his weight to crank it up. the kaw still walked off from it. look at it [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qROwMqCLAw]YouTube - Kawasaki H2 750 dragbike[/ame]

[Dano]

Are those billet aluminum heads on there? Bike looks great!!!!

 

Dan

[Guest gregs02]

wow !!! the text was right on,,but also what about all of the crusier riders who on a weekends, go drinking . I live in NY and in the summer ,all the time i see bikes parked outside bars,,,your right, older drivers have accidents too ,either they drink and drive or they have'nt enough experience.Which rider die's the most,,sport bike or crusiers riders,,the answer is cruisers ,,because they are the majority in urban areas,,but crusiers and tours and everywhere,,more so in the west,,and just like the major bike makers ,they make there money off of crusiers and tourers,why do you think harley davidson is still around ,what,, the price of a harley full dresser you can get what 3 sport bikes,,i've road to maine and to NC and i did'nt see one sport bike on the highway ,why?? to me all bikes are great,,they do what there suppose to do,,and yes they are dangerous,,i was allways told that there are 2 types of riders ,,those that have been down and those that have'nt been down yet !!

[Snarley Bill]

i never met a bike i did'nt like and almost always had a very fast bike. my first fast bike was a new 1970 mach III, kaw. a real pooch by todays standards. but a handful back then. i look for the goverment to put some severe legislation on crotch rockets in the near future. hate to see it happen. just glad i got mine before it happens. my zx 14 is probably the safest bike i ever had.it has one finger front brakes. excellent seating position, tremendous handling, when riding it me and the bike become one. the bad point is that in the hands of an inexperienced rider that hasn't mastered perfect throttle control it can become a killer. i don't know which side of the fence i am on when it comes to overpowered street bikes. in the right hands they are wonderful. in the wrong hands they can be suicide. maybe there should be certain standards that a buyer should have to fullfill before the dealer can turn a rider loose with one. i don't know. it is the rider ,not the bike that makes the reputation. thats my educated 2 cents worth.

[Condor]

my zx 14 is probably the safest bike i ever had.it has one finger front brakes. excellent seating position, tremendous handling, when riding it me and the bike become one. the bad point is that in the hands of an inexperienced rider that hasn't mastered perfect throttle control it can become a killer.

 

I respect your opinion Bill, and it's a good one, but..... let me play devil's advocate a bit here. I think all super bike riders are susceptible to catastrophic injury when speed is thrown into the mix. Ride a ZX-14 at realistic speeds, and they are no more dangerous, and probably a lot safer, than a Venture would be under the same circumstances. I would say that professional super bike riders are some of the most experienced and talented riders on the planet, but it seems like every year a death occurs. Here's a link to the deaths since 1980. So in my opinion any experienced street super bike rider, no matter how tallented...or not, will push the envelope, and when they do the odds of dieing are increased beyond acceptable limits. The old saying 'speed kills' couldn't be more appropriate here.

[Snarley Bill]

I respect your opinion Bill, and it's a good one, but..... let me play devil's advocate a bit here. I think all super bike riders are susceptible to catastrophic injury when speed is thrown into the mix. Ride a ZX-14 at realistic speeds, and they are no more dangerous, and probably a lot safer, than a Venture would be under the same circumstances. I would say that professional super bike riders are some of the most experienced and talented riders on the planet, but it seems like every year a death occurs. Here's a link to the deaths since 1980. So in my opinion any experienced street super bike rider, no matter how tallented...or not, will push the envelope, and when they do the odds of dieing are increased beyond acceptable limits. The old saying 'speed kills' couldn't more appropriate here.

you are right one must maintain some kind of control. so far i haven't done anything stupid on mine. reaming one of these things out takes alot of skill and practice. it is like living on the edge. i highly respect it. as soon as i get to where i have mastered the acceleration. i may turbo charge it. it's on my list of things to do. i know that is overkill but this is one of my many bike builds that i have done where price and doing what i want to do are no object. i always wanted a turbo. my ultimate goal is maybe running the texas mile next year. just to say i been there done that. got several things i want to do while i am still able.not going to let old age cramp my style till i have to. when the main man wants me, he's gonna come get me. whether i'm sittin on my patio barbequeing, or on my bike. can't worry about it.

[Condor]

when the main man wants me, he's gonna come get me. whether i'm sittin on my patio barbequeing, or on my bike. can't worry about it.

 

Yep, I just don't want to be waving my hand around yelling 'Here I am.....'

[Snarley Bill]

Yep, I just don't want to be waving my hand around yelling 'Here I am.....'

i think he's got a pretty good idea when and where to find me. no where to hide.

[Condor]

i think he's got a pretty good idea when and where to find me. no where to hide.

 

If you need to look at it that way I guess it's a difference between 'the will of God', and 'freewill' and which one you choose......

[GigaWhiskey]

Nice Vid Taz! I had an H2 and that thing would climb up on its back wheel on its own!

[hig4s]

This is just an updated version of the same flawed study IIHS did in the 70s where they classify motorcycles "superbikes" not by their performance but by their accident rate.. They classify the V-twin Suzuki SV650 and the Ninja 250 superbikes because they have a high accident rate. They happen to be popular starter bikes and have high accident rates because of the large number of inexperienced riders that have them.

 

Fact is, from police studies, 50% of all motorcycle fatalities there was alcohol involved. And most over 40 new riders are not on "Superbikes" but large cruisers, and they make up as many fatalities as the younger "Superbike" crowd.

 

 

And on another note,, why did the motorcycle fatalities in Virgina go up 73% from 06 to 07 and in Nebraska they went down 25% from 06 to 07?

[Condor]

Fact is, from police studies, 50% of all motorcycle fatalities there was alcohol involved. And most over 40 new riders are not on "Superbikes" but large cruisers, and they make up as many fatalities as the younger "Superbike" crowd.

 

And on another note,, why did the motorcycle fatalities in Virgina go up 73% from 06 to 07 and in Nebraska they went down 25% from 06 to 07?

 

Interesting facts Al. Can you post a few links where we can find this information?

[Squeeze]

...

And on another note,, why did the motorcycle fatalities in Virgina go up 73% from 06 to 07 and in Nebraska they went down 25% from 06 to 07?

 

very good Weather in Virginia and bad Weather in Nebraska ??

[Condor]

very good Weather in Virginia and bad Weather in Nebraska ??

 

You can get big swings in percentages when dealing with smaller isolated numbers. As an example, a 73% increase in 4 deaths is close to 7, and a 25% decrease from 10 deaths is around 7. Percents don't give you a true picture unless your dealing with larger amounts on a nationwide basis. Using a percentage based on small numbers usually is done for sensationalism, and when someone is trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill when trying to prove a point.......