Back in September, the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about how sports bikes were the new play toys of older more successful individuals and because of the increased horsepower available with sports bikes. It was leading to a rising number of deaths. Well according to the AMA facts and figures were twisted and I fired back with their own account on the issue here is a link to both articles. The AMA makes some really good points in their article


Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1190...l_journal_left

AMA
http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2007/IIHS.asp

 

Good read man. I guess squids come in all ages.

 

There're two sides to every story.[:'(]
All these problems could be seriously reduce by doina Euro style license per CC system. Don't let every Joe Smoe start off on a litre or Supersport bike. Fullface helmets manditory in every state........................................But then again this is America where we chose to kill ourselfs and others and just bitch about it afterda fact instead changing it in a benificial way for all to still enjoy motorcyclin or anythin else for that matter.

 

I only glimpsed through both articles (where's the cliff notes [8D]) but if I got the basics down I'd have to say they both have valid arguments. The IIHS studies makes sense even prior to knowing the results because common sense would tell you that on average, the younger you are the more risks you're likely to take .. couple that with choosing a sportsbike and the risks you take are probably on average going to be higher than if you choose another bike type.

But the AMA also makes sense that the methodology used for the study probably wasn't going to give the most accurate picture because the person who chose the sportsbike may be more of an "adrenaline junkie" so if he had chosen another type of bike that doesn't mean the outcome wouldn't have been the same. But their main argument that makes the study moot imo is when they state that regardless of age they did not factor EXPERIENCE in riding ... this was the biggest downfall of the study imo but it would also be difficult criteria info. to gather.

I strongly agree with 13brs that the Tiered Licensing system like Europe would eliminate much of the problem and would be the best solution available to us currently (legislation against HP, etc.. will only put a band-aid on it and not solve anything). I wish I kept the link to a study I saw last year with per capita deaths/injuries from across the world for each category and age range but it basically showed the U.S. as one of the highest rates for sportsbike injuries in comparison to everywhere else (in all age groups). Tiered licensing system wouldn't be the magic bullet answer (nothing would) but it would go a long way to reducing much of the unnecessary carnage ("save them from themselves").

 

I think you pretty much gotit KB without the Cliff Notes to different organizations with different axes to grind

 

so a guy at my buddies work buys a 1098s for his first bike... crashes it. buys a ex250 hahah food for thought...