Uneasy Rider: Sobering Stats on Boomers & Bikes

[Random ride]

All you have to do is go and watch newbies take their m/c skills test. It's amazing that they pass the test enough to get their license. I use to work at a dealership that had motorcycle testing in the parking lot. You can't fathom how many never knew how to use the clutch, rear brake, and throttle in unison when making a slow speed 180 degree turn.

 

[Bappo]

Thank doG I only tuned 54 today. Have one whole year to ride before I die.

Course my boss turned 55 last April, started stage whatevering his Harley, rode off the road in Sept. And died. No gear. Bummer.

 

[TimLaw]

What's the issue? 17% is supposed to be high? What about the other 83%?.....75-110 year olds? No, its the younger dudes that are more careless then the older responsible rider.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

When he was 54 a good friend of mine told me he wanted to learn to ride for the first time. I told him no, you're too old. I explained my logic and he seemed to accept it. A year later he came to me and said, "I know you're against it, but I want to learn to ride a dirt bike." I smiled and told him I had no issue with him learning to ride a dirt bike.

I took him to the motorcycle show and explained to him he wanted the smallest bike he could fit on. He eventually bought into that logic and started looking at smaller and smaller dirt bikes. I got him rolling on my wife's XT250. He later took the licensing course and scared himself the first day. Rather than swearing off motorcycles, he swore off street riding. Perfect, didn't bother me at all. He still wants to ride a dirt bike. I like his attitude and will do everything to keep him from being one of those over 55 year old statistics.

 

[squarebore]

I read a report that 70% of motorcycle fatalities were not wearing a helmet. Also read that 98% of fatalities had one or more of the following involved: alcohol, fatigue, night time, rain, drugs, under 25, riding less than 2 years and no helmet.

So if you are a 50 year old, riding during the day, not pissed or stoned, not fatigued, have a few years experience, the road is dry and you are wearing safety gear, you would reckon your chances are pretty good.

I would suppose most of us would fit in the latter categories.

 

[platty]

Hell at 62 I'm bucking the odds a bit ::015::

These days it's not me I'm worried about so much ::008:: but more the other DRIVER ::007::

 

[BravoBravo]

Hell at 62 I'm bucking the odds a bit ::015::

These days it's not me I'm worried about so much ::008:: but more the other DRIVER ::007::

I turned 62 a few months ago as well platty. I know my reaction times and overall strength aren't quite what they were when I was in my 30s or 40s, so I am mindful of that. If we ride like we believe everyone around us is a homicidal maniac, ride sober, and wear ATGATT, we will be fine. ::008::

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Checkswrecks]

These days it's not me I'm worried about so much ::008:: but more the other DRIVER ::007::

This has been said for so many reasons and in so many ways that it has become an urban legend. My ex is a nurse and would constantly say it. It is just not true. It is a feels-good platitude.

"The other driver" a minority cause and has been for a while.

I know a few of the NHTSA folks and actually take time to read and digest their numbers. As others have written, the killers by a long-shot are alcohol, speed, and lack of a helmet.*


We are more exposed and so will remain more at risk. But the experience of others is clear that fatalities are extremely influenced by riding sober/straight, your speed for the next hundred yards, and just a single piece of protection.








* (Because of how some areas report, this could include decorative beanies and other non-DOT quasi-helmets).

 

[West]

He quit after about a year because as he said "I was almost getting killed every day". Funny I thought, I can look back 45yrs and say I maybe had 3 or 4 times where I was in that frame of mind. He quit riding and for him a life saving decision I suppose. For me, I ride, I don't have a problem and don't worry. As long as you watch "YOU", what other people do is of little consequence.

::026::

Same boat. If we ride like everyone else is looking out for "us"....disaster soon follows.
...the byways of America are littered with idiots, don't be one of them.

 

[racer]

Wow, amazing statistics on the 50 to 64 years old group. I sure am glad at 68 years old, I'm not a part of that younger wild group! ::021::

 

[Timmeh]

Get trained for f#cks sake.

Taking a couple of MSF courses will set you back a few hundred dollars and 2 or 3 days.

Learn your bike. Learn how to ride. Learn how to manage risk.

Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars, or playing checkers, but less dangerous if you learn to manage risk.

You guys know part of the kill rate in any given activity is Darwinism - i.e. the stupid (untrained/ill equipped) tend to die first and at a higher rate.

 

[platty]

This has been said for so many reasons and in so many ways that it has become an urban legend. My ex is a nurse and would constantly say it. It is just not true. It is a feels-good platitude.

"The other driver" a minority cause and has been for a while.

Checkswrecks ... In general I do agree entirely with the points you make !!!

In my own case ... I'm a boomer who returned to motorcycling some 5-1/2 years ago ... mainly to tour some of the great Australian Outback. Since then I've clocked up approximately 75,000 kms (around 47,500 miles) in the seat ... a fair chunk of this has been done off road (including some rather challenging terrain) and I now generally commute most days when I can. I originally started with an XT660R but have since also added a S10 into the stable ... both bikes have been farkled to suit their intended purpose ... including sensible suspension upgrades ... and both machines are fully maintain to a high standard.

Initially I took my time to regain at least some of the riding skills of my youth and also worked hard to remove any Valentino Rossi aspirations from my riding repertoire

Irrespective of the law I NEVER drink and ride (drive) as a rule and the local helmet laws are such that you just don't ride without one ... even if it wasn't the case I wouldn't contemplate riding without one anyhow.

My riding kit always includes a Kevlar Mesh Jacket complete with appropriate body armour and good quality gloves. While I do have appropriate off road boats and pants I do have to admit that local commute riding is often done with just heavyweight trousers and strong shoes.

In my opinion I feel that both me and my machines are "good to go" ... I have done much to appreciate and understand my own personal riding limitations and I try to activity practice safe riding techniques with good road craft. Riding off road I've stepped-off a couple of times in the tricky stuff but continue to hone my skills and always ride within my own abilities. And a little admission ... I don't do SAND well

In essence I imagine that I'm probably fairly similar to the majority of posters on this forum ::001::

But while I can try and mitigate the risks as much as I can ... one of the few things that I can do with regard to other drivers is to use Defensive Driving techniques ::008::

Early this year I was cleaned out by a turning driver in a classic SMIDSY situation ... in fact the driver even uttered the famous words ... "I'm so sorry I didn't see you"

The driver had seen a gap in the traffic and had just gone for it ... thank god that my Defensive Driving approach had meant that I had checked my speed and repositioned the bike within the lane immediately prior to the impact thus meaning that I was able to lessen the impact somewhat and generally walk away from what could have been a very nasty accident with little more than a few cuts and some fairly extensive bruising.

So I love riding ... I'm doing my bit to make it safe for me (and others) ... but the other road users still worry me ... particularly those ones that get easily distracted

 

[Checkswrecks]

I still believe in training, managing risks, and maintaining competent skills. I do brake as hard as I can at least once a week and will brake in an occasional curve. I've spent a night in a hospital after an oncming car turned left into my path, something which I don't want to ever repeat.


But the article and original post were about sobering statistics with respect to fatalities and us boomers. I'm going to guess that one reason the Tenere tends to have low insurance rates is because the crowd reading this post are NOT the people who return to riding, hang with the guys at the bar, and then go too fast into a turn or for traffic conditions, wearing essentially no protective gear.

 

[barkingllizard]

more fuel for this fire,
for the first time since 2009 http://www.autoblog.com/2014/12/28/motorcycle-fatalities-down-2013
and
"the decline was predicted earlier this year in a report put out by Governors Highway Safety Association, and it attributed the drop to the WEATHER".....