Posted on 03/30/2014 4:59:13 PM PDT by kingattax
While some of the danger involved in riding motorcycles can be attributed to poor driving skills or intoxication, there are facts that do not lend themselves to interpretation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that during its last review of data in 2012, motorcycle fatalities increased over 7 percent, while states without helmet laws showed ten times more fatalities than those that mandated helmet use when riding a bike.
About 15 percent of all highway deaths were from motorcyle riders, making motorcycle riders around 30 times more at risk than car and truck drivers — and about 50 percent of bike crashes involved no other vehicles.
Clearly, motorcycle riders’ biggest enemies are themselves. To the end of reducing the number of motorcycle injuries and fatalities, there are bikes that make safety features a priority. Here are seven models that aim to keep riders safe with innovative equipment.
(Excerpt) Read more at wallstcheatsheet.com ...
EEEEEEEEEEEE
I have driven the Alcan 3 times, it beats the daylight out of anything, dirty, dusty, rocks, bugs and RVs.
Either I wait until this summer and get one through the Alaska Motorcycle Center in Anchorage or have it barged up.
They have me on a waiting list.
Go spend some Youtube time watching videos of the 2014 Indian models, they are built by Polaris you know, the best Youtube I saw was Jay Leno and his review, he absolutely loves it.
It may not have certain extras a Harley has but from all that I see and hear its an outstandingly beautiful crafted bike.
I call it an heirloom bike, one I would keep in the family to pass on to my son. Its value will never diminish.
I have tons of other bikes, I spend all my free time on several Goldwing forums as I own 4 of them, my business is classic jap bike restorations.
Cool
I feel safer on a highway than in a city. Less chance of someone cutting across in front of you.
Thanks. I'm not going there. I mean really thanks. I hate those websites where you have to click and click to get though the list.
I may decide on the hard bagger and fairing. Must have backrest for GF. And tunes.
200 miles on a single charge. Top speed of 80 mph.
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Anyone who doesn't want to do that should be in the grave or at least playing bingo at the nursing home.
I was incorrect, in post 29 Yo-Yo points out they have a “view all” button.
That bike is very well liked by the Goldwing crowd. It actually has certain features many wish they had on the current GL1800.
But I’m not running out to get one, same as I won’t buy a new Goldwing, because its stale, others have better features, even Harley is getting some really nice new innovations, hats off to them.
And then you have the Victory bikes, for the most part they are awesome though they do have some controversial styling on the touring model.
And if i were to get a new Wing I would NOT get an airbag model, ABS yes. I do too much tinkering on bikes, even the brand new Star I bought I immediately modded almost everything.
Amen.
that and the gawd awful Victory bike.
Yeah, too Spaceman Spiff for my tastes.
This article and thread have so much inaccurate information about motorcycle fatalities & safety that it should be on a liberal website - not FR. Plus 1,000 tons of bias by attitudes against motorcycles and riders.
The fatality numbers don’t even include that motorcyle riders have increased far more than the fatalities, so the actual percentages have gone down, not up.
Here is a real fact: In 2008 there were 5,312 motorcycle related fatalities nationwide. In 2011 there were 4,612. In 2008, the number of motorcycle related fatalities per 100,000 registered motorcycles was 68.93. By 2011 that number had steadily declined to 56.44. It would appear that motorcyclists are moving the numbers in the right direction.”
A local law firm specializing on motorcycle matters has done tons of research disproving most NSTA and CDC statements. Their research is incredible.
http://motorcyclelawgroup.com/
If you remove the drinkers, insane young crotch-rocket riders who think they are immortal, and the mid-life-crisis crowd who gets their first bike at 50, the actual stats on motorcycles are a fraction of what are used in most reports.
A good friend who has ridden all his life is a nurse-anesthetist in a major ER and rides to work almost every day regardless of winter weather....except not on snow or ice. He is ultra safe. His ER mates would point out, “Look! A motorcycle accident!” every time an injured rider came in. He shut them up quickly by saying, “Look! A CAR accident!” every time someone came in from an auto accident, as the numbers were 30 times or more those of bikes.
The biggest factor proven to decrease bike accidents is training - safety courses. Far more than helmet usage.
Last point: I’ve been riding 50 years this year, and by the grace of God have never been in a road accident. Plenty of scars from off-road. I have 5 bikes, 3 classic restored old Triumph’s, one old Harley. I ride 25k miles or more a year. I pray every time I ride for God’s protection.
And I heartily welcome the new safety features coming on today’s bikes. My ‘09 Harley CVO Road Glide has ABS brakes, and I know that more than once they have saved me from going down. I’ll be glad for all the new ones that come out.
As others have noted, a large percentage of bike accidents today are “single-vehicle”, either young idiots riding like they’re immortal, or mid-life-crisis riders who don’t have the experience to know they’re going beyond their skills. Once you filter those out, and all the SMIDSY left-turn idiots, the accident rate is quite low.
I gotta disagree with one of the bikes in the list, though. The 250 they put in is touted as being safer because of the low-power engine, but the MSF actively teaches riders that the power and quick acceleration of a bike is a safety feature. Particularly with sport bikes, the acceleration is so quick that they can accelerate out of an imminent accident, and I have used that capability (fortunately only a couple of times).
If you are going slow enough that trucks are passing you, you either have the wrong bike or you are doing it wrong.
You said it!
Right from the start this thread was immediately hit by the anti bike nazi swarm that has invaded FR.
Well I tell them this, ever seen 500 or more liberal bikers on a parade touting socialism, LGBT, obamacare or pro abortion?
I love riding, it refreshes my soul, I can actually feel these hateful envious vibes from people at times when I go riding.
Its a shame they decided to roost at FR.
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