Super Sport Motorcycle Owners Die 4 Times as Often
David Mixson
According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, riders of "super sport" motorcycles are much more likely to die in a motorcycle crash. The study didn't name specific models, but I'm confident the Suzuki Hayabusa, Honda CBR1000, Kawasaki ZX10R, Yamaha YZF-R1, and GSX-R1000 (among others) made "the list." According to the study, U.S. motorcycle deaths sky rocketed from 2,116 in 1997 to 4,810 in 2006. Why? The study concludes the increase was -- in part -- due to the increased popularity of high performance motorbikes. Supersport motorcycles, which can reach speeds up to 180 mph, accounted for 28% of all motorcycle related fatalities. This statistic is particularly significant, considering they accounted for only 9% of all motorcycles in service. The study didn't break out fatalities based on the age of the rider, but it's probably a safe bet to conclude that younger riders crashed more often than older riders. Unfortunately, super sport motorcycles are marketed to these less-experienced riders. You won't see Honda CBR1000 commercials during the PGA golf tournament. Instead, these glitzy commercials appear during shows watched by young males... like the X-Prize competitions. When is the last time you saw an experienced 50 year old rider who owned a Hayabusa? I'm struggling to recall one example. What should we do? Should we protest or boycott the manufacturer? No. Should beginning riders avoid these speed demons? Yes. When I was 17 years old I wanted a Mustang GT with a 5.0 liter engine. I was confident I had the skill and maturity to handle the power, but my father felt different. Looking back... he was right. Even though I thought I could handle the temptations of power and speed, I simply could NOT. Who hasn't been tempted by "being the fastest guy around?" Want a Hayabusa? Once you have a couple of decades of riding experience, a family that depends on you... and have witnessed what CAN happen when riding a motorcycle -- you're ready to buy anything you want. One final Note: Just because we don't ride a super sport motorcycle doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Most motorcycles (except slower cruisers) will easily out-accelerate even the fastest sports cars. Recall that Mustang I wanted? My Honda sporttouring motorcycle is almost 2 seconds faster from 0 to 60 mph! Respect thy bike.
David Mixson UPDATE: I received several comments from Hayabusa riders regarding the statement, "When is the last time you saw an experienced 50 year old rider who owned a Hayabusa?" Apparently, there are many riders on the http://www.hayabusa.org site that fall into this "mature" class of riders. One reader from the site stated the average age of Hayabusa owners on the site is 43. The statistics for this article were generated from a USA Today article. The stereotype about 50 year old Hayabusa riders was added by me... apparently in error.
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