[varyouga]

The study also found that riders of cruiser bikes, such as Harley-Davidsons, who switched to high-performance sport bikes like Suzuki GSXRs were 3 1/2 -times more likely to crash. That's more than double the risk they would have if they had just switched to another cruiser.

Sport bikers, on the other hand, could reduce their crash risks by more than one-third just by switching to a cruiser, according to Progressive.

The headline is wrong. It doesn't say both changes are more dangerous. It says cruisers are safer in both cases. Switching to or staying with a sport bike is more dangerous than staying or switching to a cruiser.

[-YYZ-]

There’s nothing inherently more dangerous about a sportbike - in fact they’re lighter, more manoeuverable, better braked, and have better tires than cruisers, making them better able to avoid accidents. Any bike is only as safe as the rider who’s controlling it. If one insists on railing around corners with knee on the ground, eventually the laws of physics are going to catch up with you. Same for high speeds - if you’re going twice the speed limit and someone pulls out of a driveway or side street into your path, whose fault is it, really?

I ride a bike that is neither sport bike (according to my insurance company) or cruiser. I ride quite briskly at times, and yet I can’t remember the last time I even had a close call or “pucker factor” moment. A lot of it just comes down to expecting everyone else on the road to always do the stupidest thing possible. I drive my car the same way, which is probably why I haven’t been involved in an accident, my fault or not, for about 20 years (and the accidents before that were fender-benders while driving courier in the city).