Motorcycle death rates doubled; supersport bikes the most dangerous

Riding motorcycles is commonly considered a dangerous recreational pursuit. Just how risky? Motorcyclist fatalities have more than doubled in 10 years and reached 4,810 in 2006, accounting for 11 percent of total highway fatalities, according to recent analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). In addition, 88,000 riders were injured last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Motorcycle deaths are on the rise, while automotive fatalities are decreasing accoding to reports from IIHS, NHTSA, and other safety agencies. The trends do reflect an increasing number of younger motorcyclists piloting performance bikes, as well as continued improvement in car safety. However, averaged across all registered motorcycles for 2005, 99.9 percent of riders did not meet an untimely demise.

What motorcycles show the greatest risks?
Supersport bike riders have death rates that are four times greater than average for all motorcycle types, says the IIHS. These so-called rockets are essentially racing bikes modified for highway use. Engineered for speed, they typically have more horsepower per pound than other bikes. A 2006 model Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, for example, produces 111 horsepower and weighs 404 pounds. In contrast, the 2006 model Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide, a touring motorcycle, produces 65 horsepower and weighs 788 pounds.

"Supersport motorcycles are indeed nimble and quick, but they also can be deadly," says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research. "These bikes made up less than 10 percent of registered motorcycles in 2005 but accounted for over 25 percent of rider deaths."

The fatality rates for cruiser and "standard" riders rank the lowest, at 5.7 deaths per 10,000 registered motorcycles. Touring bikes, such as the Harley example, averaged 6.5 deaths, with sport bikes totaling 10.7 deaths per 10,000.

Why the increased fatalities?
There are a growing number of motorcycles on the road, with total registrations climbing 51 percent between 2000 and 2005. While cruisers and standard motorcycles made up the bulk of registrations, supersport bikes see registrations up 83 percent in 2005 compared with 2000. In 2005 supersport bikes accounted for 9 percent of registrations, cruisers made up 47 percent, and standards 4 percent.

"Supersport motorcycles have such elevated crash death rates and insurance losses because many people ride them as if they were on a racetrack," McCartt says. "Data show that speed is a big factor in their crashes."

Speeding and driver error were bigger factors in fatal crashes of supersport, sport, and unclad sport bikes compared with other motorcycle classes. In contrast, speed was cited in 57 percent of supersport riders' fatal crashes in 2005, compared to 27 percent of fatal crashes among riders on cruisers and standards and 22 percent on touring motorcycles.

Alcohol was a factor in the fatal crashes of 19 percent of supersport riders and 23 percent of sport and unclad sport riders. Alcohol impairment was an even bigger factor in the fatal crashes of cruisers and standard bikes and touring motorcycles, particularly among riders 30-49 years old.

"With more motorcyclists on the road and fewer of them wearing helmets, the result is bound to be an increase in deaths and injuries," says McCartt. "Motorcycles are inherently risky, and when crashes occur head injury is a leading cause of death. The most effective way we know to reduce head injury risk is to wear helmets that meet federal safety standards. Wearing a helmet would have saved at least 700 motorcyclists' lives in 2005, an Institute analysis shows."

Certain bike types may invite dangerous behavior, but ultimately it is the driver that takes the risks.  Whatever is your vehicle of choice, obey the law and drive responsibly for all our sakes.

—Jeff Bartlett

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Comments

[Michael LaBorde]

The Sunday New York Times also had an article about this a couple of months ago. They also cited the number of older riders with slower reflexes as a possible contributing factor to the rise in motorcycle fatalities. Bikes have been very popular with a lot of "boomers". Though, I would think that group would go more for the cruiser-type machines.

[David]

If an Ariel Atom type car were offered in the $10k-$20k range (price range of superbikes), I wonder how many bikers would switch to the car. Despite lacking airbags of any kind, certainly a four wheeled car with Nascar like harness and seats would be safer than a bike.

[Bob Doherty]

Having been a long term biker(since 1963 off and on) I agree with your concerns. Just to learn "counter steering" and proper lock up braking at higher speeds can be beyond the attention level of many cyclists, let alone when they are drunk. Motorcycles are FAR MORE DIFFICULT machines to properly operate than cars. Training(MANDATORY) and necessary protection(yes-mandatory Snell or even DOT helmets, despite the limiting of some freedoms)should reflect this difficulty before licensing.

[Alan]

Adrenaline junkies (like myself) often don't use good judgement when operating a machine that can do 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. To avoid becoming "a statistic" I recently sold my motorcycles.

[Oolan Zimmer]

As a motorcyclist, I agree that operating a motorcycle is much more difficult than driving a car. Proper training is a must: the difference in crash rates between riders who've passed a safety course and those who haven't is significant. Many of those fatalities were riders who didn't even have a motorcycle license.

Just like you wouldn't hand the keys to a Dodge Viper to a 16-year-old with a fresh license, inexperienced riders should think twice or more before getting a 1000+cc sport bike. Besides, just like driving a race car on the street, riding a supersport on the street is usually an exercise in restraint. A slower bike can actually be more fun to ride.

Also, proper gear (not just helmet, but gloves, jacket, pants, and boots) really is important. It can make the difference between walking away from a crash and being carried away from a crash. Or, it can make the difference between being released from the emergency room and spending a while getting put back together.

[Sam]

The higher instances of fatalities is lamentable. Who will shoulder the responsibility? Ultimately the rider. There is not a concern for life when high performance motorcycles are being sold to novice riders. It is sheer insanity to sell a "supersport" to a novice rider. But keep in mind, the goal is the sale not rider safety during the transaction. Indeed one would expect common sense from the buyer, be that as it may; the industry targets the consumer with commercials that tell of intoxicating power and agility that no novice can appreciate much less utilize in real world traffic conditions.
The reporting of motorcycle fatalities should also include ALL the aspects of why the statistics are being driven up. Is is a solution to the problem? I grant it isn't but the readers would understand that as much responsibility the motorcycle rider/buyer bears, other factors are contributing to the increase in fatalities. The rider's experience level should be a factor when a purchase is occuring, but the bottom line prevails and always will in our society and in this instance (as many others), lives will be lost because of our "bottom line" mentality.

[Don Mei]

Jeff is is unfortunately a bit uninformed about the real problem. I have been riding for 30 years, including about 20 years spent roadracing. (on tracks like Pocono and Daytona) I was a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor. All I can say is that we are experiencing a "perfect storm" around motorcycle fatalities. But the bikes are not to blame.

The rise in deaths has 3 root causes:
1) Fast bikes are cheap. Fast bikes are no more dangerous than fast cars, with one notable exception. They can be afforded by 18 to 25 yr old males. You dont often hear of problems with people dieing in their Ferraris and Lamborginis for one reason. Only old guys can afford them. The simple fact is that an 18 yr old can sign on the dotted line for $199/month and have a vehicle that is faster than ANY car on the road. Modern sport bikes are so fast that they can not be compared to any production street car. To make them available to an 18 yr old is the ultimate in stupidity. Which leads me to the second problem.

2) We do not have a graduated licensing system. In most of the rest of the world, a young person and/or new rider is limited in the size and power of the motorcycles that he/she can ride on the street. An 18 yr old can not go out and buy a 160 hp/400 lb motorcycle. He's stuck with a 45 hp bike until he reaches a certain age or has his motorcycle license for a certain amount of time.

3) Finally, there is what I'll call the "Fast and the Furious" culture. When my father and I used to go racing (On tracks, not on public roads) none of my friends understood or appreciated what we did. If you said "motorcycle rider" to a person 20 yrs ago, they thought of choppers. Now kids are back into speed, at a level that has not happened since the 60s hot rod era. Which leads me to my 4th point.

4) There are a LOT more riders than there used to be, particularly in the 18 to 25 yr old range. No, there arent twice as many riders as there was 10 yrs ago, but there are twice as many riders in that dangerous age rang as there were 10 yrs ago.

Begin Editorialization:
Motorcyclists Crash unnecessarily for 2 reasons. 1) skill and 2) judgement
When I grew up. I had 9 years riding and racing experience before I ever rode on the street. While this was not normal, what was normal for kids to get dirtbikes. This provided us with some level of skill before we ever got onto the street.

My judgement was as terrible as any other teenagers. BUT I had an outlet. I got to go as fast as I wanted when I was riding in the woods. I got to go as fast as I wanted on the racetrack. For these reasons, when I got my drivers license, and eventually my first street bike, I had no need to go fast. I had that covered in a much safer environment. Again, I was not smart, MY PARENTS WERE SMART.

[B Walsh]

Like a previous writer, I too am an adrenaline junky. Unlike many motorcycle riders, I have an extensive background in vehicles other than a 4-wheeled car – motorcycles, jet skis, four wheelers, etc. I even raced mountain bikes for a few years professionally. Earlier this year I bought a Yamaha YZF-R6 because I liked the look and sound of it but never really considered racing. I’m going to sell this bike in the spring because, although it is fun to ride, I can easily picture it turning into a casket. The “R6” for those of you that don’t know, means it is a 600CC – a smaller engine for the sport bikes. Even so, the machine weighs around 350 lbs. and generates over 120 horsepower. It redlines – as Yamaha claims – at 17,500 rpms. I’ve only had it up to 13k rpms and can’t imagine what a rider would be doing with that much juice on a public road. In second gear at 13k rpms it’s well over 60 mph. I have no idea what the bike would do in six gear at the same. I’m not for getting into other people’s business, I don’t want to tell someone whether or not they can have a certain possession or if they have to wear a helmet. However, riders who operate these machines recklessly are certain to injure or kill themselves and should plan health and life insurance coverage accordingly. Heck, anyone just riding a motorcycle should do the same – I did. Society at large really should not bear the cost of an individual’s poor choices and risky lifestyle.

[Bob Coffey]

Although I agree that 100+hp, lack of helmet and inexperience make for Darwinian solutions, I don't buy the assertion that older riders have slower reflexes therefore higher accident rates. (Unless you're thinking of the typical, ok, Harley touring riders, of whom many have taken up more of a reversionary lifestyle "marker" than a sport.)

Lots of us have been riding sport-touring bikes for decades; and know what we're doing. As my high-performance driving school instructor said, "there's a good reason why there are no old, bad motorcyle riders". It's not a guarantee, but if you take care of your bike, and watch out for the knuckleheads, you're likely to become an old, good rider.

[rebecca w]

what are your thoughts on young children on the back of bikes???My ex has my 10 year old 60 lb daughter on the back of his bike going down roads with speed limits of up to 65 mph...I don't think he's using his common sense, or more importantly looking out for the well being of our child. I welcome all points of view and any thoughts....

[Don Mei]

to Bob Coffey - my point was exactly the opposite. Older riders are safer. Statistics prove this. Maturity and judgement trump muscular superiority and reaction time.

Rebeccaw - I think kids can ride on the back with relative safety. I did it with my father. I wore a properly sized full faced helmet( not some handmedown adult helmet that doesnt fit properly), little leather jacket and jeans.

Kid safety is directly tied to the safety of the rider. My dad was a very experienced motorcyclest. We only rode in the day, and then only for pleasure, no commuting on the interstate at rush hour.

Of course there is some risk. Everything has risk. You need to expose your children to some risk for them to experience the wonders of life. Let me tell you, the summer evening rides, holding onto my dad while we rode along the shore are some very fond memories.

[Linda]

I have recently allowed my 16, almost 17 year old, to buy a new Kawasaki 250. He is in the process of going through a motorcycle course to receive his license. After making this decision, I am really second guessing myself. I felt fine with the decision until I started talking with my adult friends who have said I am crazy. I now have a sick feeling about my decision but don't think I can turn back. I am searching for statistics/information about 16 year olds and motorcycles. Any comments would be a great help.

[Leslie Wade]

I have been a witness to two motorcycle accidents (that were both fatal) in the past 5 years. PLEASE do not let your son get a motorcycle. Kids do not practice good jugdement when adrenaline is involved.

[Arazeal]

Linda -
It goes without saying that a parent will worry about their son/daughter on riding a motorcycle, but you should very much respect that your son as the mind to buy a Ninja 250 for his first motorcycle. This is a under 45 horsepower machine that will go nowhere near as fast as 'Supersport' race bikes as mentioned in this article. Please do not stress yourself too much on this subject, your son owns a bike that can't go faster then Ferrari, it s more-so like a Subaru Impreza. The 250cc is not a racebike in the drag, more-so a learners bike. So don't stress yourself, its a safe little bike that will keep him out of trouble and be VERY FORGIVING to a new rider.

Just make sure he wears his gear and tell your neighbors that you love your son and will let me ride for his own passion.

[Kevin]

I agree with most of the comments posted here so far. Riding a motorcycle is a balance between risk and living. Everyone has his or her own threshold, and my threshold was too imbalanced towards risk when I was young.

I rode small 50cc bikes growing up. I did not ride again until I was 32 yo (partially due to parental interference, partly due to lack of funds, and eventually due to having my own kids). When I got back into biking, I took the MSF riders course. I cannot express enough the high value and safety relevance in taking this course. If I had a sport bike when I was young, I would probably not be around to write this (and I let my kids know it).

I am still riding at 46 yo. I have had some close calls from which the MSF course has saved me. However, I have also made a few of my own errors that frankly scared the hell out of me. But the key point I want to make is that I learned from those events. I wonder how many young people would have laughed them off and kept riding without regard to the lesson given (not all young kids are invincible, but they would mark the peak of the bell curve).

My soapbox: When riding, staying alert is one important key. This in itself can explain many statistics. Riding is mentally exhausting. In some circumstances, after riding for long periods or for many years, boredom can set in. This is not the time to put your ear buds in, or to ramp up the excitement by doing stunts.

[Kris]

Well, it's like anything in life. Use of proper training, judgement, equipment and experience will likely keep you out of trouble and lessen the odds you will be injured or killed. As an insurance adjuster, I've seen people killed in more ways than I thought possible. Some were unavoidable, some people were just at the wrong place at the wrong moment in time. Many were as a result of poor judgement. I don't think it matters what you're riding in/on because you can do all the right things and someone comes out of no where, runs a light, loses control, rear-ends you, falls asleep, drunk driving, turns in front of you, etc., and there you are. You can't blame the sales person for selling equipment to someone who wants to buy it. They can't make assumptions about a person's character and/or plans for training and equipment. All they can do is make recommendations. I would hate to see what would happen to our way of life if we start passing laws requiring certin actions/training/certifications before purchasing a motorcycle, dog, bicycle, car, trampoline, ladder, hot tub, having children, etc. etc. Where would it end? "sorry sir, lawn mower deaths are up 23% this year so you'll have to complete this training course before you can buy it." There are too many ways to die to control it all. Be careful, use your head and teach your children well.

[Jay]

QUOTE: "Certain bike types may invite dangerous behavior, but ultimately it is the driver that takes the risks. Whatever is your vehicle of choice, obey the law and drive responsibly for all our sakes."

Thank you Jeff Bartlett for saying this. I am 19 and will be getting a sportbike within the next few weeks. All of my friends and family tell me I will die on my bike. I simply tell them (as a flight student) that I know what I have to loose. The way I see it is if I take the MSF and do my best to make myself knowledgeable about safely operating my bike, (like I would do any plane I would fly), maintain my bike, and stay alert on my bike I should be fine. Right?

[Jeff Bartlett - Consumer Reports]

Due to the increased interest in motorcycles and scooters, we have created a free thread in our forums to discuss these fuel-efficient automobile alternatives.

Click on over and share your thoughts:
http://discussions.consumerreports.org/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=cr-0609fcaethan&tid=109

[Estelle]

I agree with almost all of the posts on this page and the importance of the right gear, licenses, young drivers, old drivers, statistics and the right to choose the way one wants to live. It all however, seems to pale into insignificants when you are standing in the church listening to your brother’s best friend talk about the life that he and my highly experienced super bike riding brother use to enjoy together. I’m not saying don’t take the risk or enjoy your passions, life is nothing without risk, I’m just saying it’s really hard for the few unlucky families who have to go through what myself and my family went though last summer. It’s not just you Jay that looses, your family does too.

[troy]

I am a 33year old rider of 6years,and I believe that anyone who rides will agree that the biggest threat to motorcyclists is not engine size,or performance.The biggest threat to anyone on a bike,are the people around you in their CARS. I don`t care if you`re riding a 600lb.,40hp cruiser,in full body armour, people do not care if you`re there,and they will hit you. I,personally would much rather encounter a 20 year old kid on a race rep,than a 16 year old girl in a super-sized SUV hauling 5 screaming freinds to the beach.Or an elderly person who can`t see over their steering wheel. Or worse yet, a soccer mom hopped up on Espresso trying to make it to the mall before it closes. I invite anyone who thinks this is silly, to rent a bike,or scooter for one day,prepare to be enlightened. Ride Defensively, and wear your gear.

[Kevin]

One big factor that was not mentioned is the people that have never ridin a bike that are buying bikes that are too big or too fast. People need to start with a smaller used bike for at least a year and then move up. Stop trying to impress your friends. Staying alive is much more inportant.

[Yvonne F. Acevedo]

I was involved in a motorcycle accident 8 1/2 weeks ago, where I was riding with a group of 5 other bikers. We were turning on a legal traffic left-hand turning signal. I was the 4th biker, and as I'm turning, I see at the corner of my eye something take off. It was too late. A late in a small SUV t-boned me at 20 MPH. My thunder mountain chopper is 120 inches long, with all the lights, noise, etc. My DOT helmet saved my life along w/my size, my strength, and proper gear. Despite all the injuries I incurred, I am still recovering but my summer is ruined because of someone else's negligence. Why didn't she see me and the others in our crew? I believe she was on her cell phone, totally distracted. My chopper saved my life. It got stuck in her undercarriage. She would have killed me. Luckily it was not my time, and once I heal 100%, I plan on riding and teaching others about safety and wearing DOT helmets. People in cars do not care, and more has to be done to make these drivers aware.

[David Earl-Graef]

I am a biker with nearly 45 years of riding experience not to mention international riding experience primarily Germany, France and England( and yes on the German autobahn ). In all this time I have had one accident that was was my fault and another when someone ran a stop sign and hit me. Regarding safety.

1. As was previously mentioned a graduated licensing system is the numer one thing to reduce fatalities. Look at the stats. The current system of allowing inexperienced riders to operate high performance bikes is absoulely insane!! They should demonstrate compentency first by perhaps operating a scooter for 1-2 years ACCIDENT FREE then up to a 125cc ACCIDENT FREE etc etc.

2. Safety course for the scooter and then another one before the motorcycle.

3. Helmet and proper footwear mandatory. ( saved me from a serious head injury in both my mishaps). As a result I "LIVED TO RIDE" another day.

4. A total revision of the operator rules and laws by people who know and trully understand the operation of a motorcycle and the need to create a safety zone around you. ie laws that enable you to safely put distance between you and moving autos. Not force you to be bunched up with them. In Germany it is the law that a car must move over as far as they can in the right lane to allow a motorcycle to pass. Same is true when they are stopped in traffic. This gies you the opportunity to create a safety zone around you as the cars tend to travel in "packs".

5. Laws that take into account all aspects of operator safety and not neglect the contribution of fatige and dehydration or the effects of levels of carbon monoxide you get when forced to sit in the middle of cars that are not moving and you can safely lane split to get away from them.

6. Mandatory questions regarding motorcyle operation for ALL operators of autos etc. on the license exam to increase awareness and improve safety.

There are other actions to improve safety but these are the main ones I have learned over the years.

[David West]

I have been a motorcycle rider just over 20 years now. I have had the pleasure of starting years ago on a dirt bike and later moving to street bikes. (cruiser) I am also a former Motorcycle Police Officer of a large municiple agency and during this time rode a HD Road King and later a Police BMW.

I have of course worked hundreds if not thousands of motorcycle collisions, with the vast majority being the riders fault. Speed and NO HELMET was the leading causes of these fatalities, however, over 80% of the citations that I issued over many years were to riders that did not have a motorcycle license at all, and no helmet. I found that a VERY large number of motorcycle riders today, have never completed ANY FORM of motorcycle safety course, training or even have a license. This and it does not seem to be "cool" to wear a helmet anymore!

My experience has afforded me the ability to avoid all the ignorant vehicle motorist that talk on cell phones and simply dont pay attention, but this is still a serious concern that we must all carefully watch each time we ride out. In closing, I feel that the rise in fatal collisions is much more the result of unlicensed riders, riders with not safety training and no helmet. In each of these cases, they are truly ignorant of the true threat/risk that they face and "out ride their ability" on any and all styles of motorcycle.

I found it very difficult to feel the least amount of remorse for a rider that fit any of the above cases, not to mention those intoxicated. They made a concious decision to roll the dice with their life. I was just releived that many only killed themselves and not an innocent family.

[Jeff]

I recently bought a BMW K1200GT as my first bike. I am 32 and mature. I also rode dirt bikes growing up and also my college roommate's Suzuki 650. I'm also a private pilot. I realize that this was a big bike for my first but I understand that a bike can be an instrument of death and treat it accordingly. I actually think it's more dangerous than the aircraft I fly since I am more likely to get hit by another driver. So, the point of me saying this is that bikes are great things...as long as you have the mentality that they will kill you quickly. On the other hand you can ride them for years (with the proper gear and training) and be OK. I did the MSF course and always wear the gear no matter how hot it is. No exceptions. If you take the correct process to riding you can enjoy it and minimize what dangers are out there. Maturity, training, and proper gear are essential. Don't compromise your life. Also, have the bike as a 2nd mode of transportation. I keep my Volvo since the bike is highly impractical for many things. That's my bit on the topic. Ride safely or don't ride at all.