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Posted: 7/19/2008 11:59:19 PM EDT
My BIL wanted a bike to save money on gas, so he went out and bought a Ducati
 . Dont ask, he uses any excuse to buy whatever, but thats beside the point. Theres also a few guys at work that have shown up on their new Harleys talking about saving money on gas. I haven't seen any studies or articles, but I would assume the new rider market has skyrocketed with the introduction of $4.00 + gallons of gas.This week I have followed at least two obvious beginner riders with new bikes/leathers/helmets ect. They sway and swerve, put one foot down, then the other and generally show no riding skills whatsoever. One today, looked right at me and pulled out in front of me anyways.  I wonder if there will be a noticeable rise in motorcycle injuries and deaths due to, not only a lot of new riders but more riders on the road period. What say you? |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 12:04:01 AM EDT
[#1]
I think it will be noticeable too. I'll say 12%, and I base this on absolutely nothing
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Posted: 7/20/2008 12:08:28 AM EDT
[#2]
I predict it will rise 3.14159265%
The real question is , How long after socialist healthcare do we get a national helmet law? |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 12:23:30 AM EDT
[#3]
Can't guess a percentage, but I guarantee you're right.
ETA: Kind of reminds me of when we were in Iraq, all these idiots who had never even been on a bike before were always talking about how they were going to get one when they got back. And they were never looking at something modest, it always had to be something with a huge engine. Some of us wondered how many people the unit was going to lose to bike accidents upon redeployment. Ended up being one. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:12:31 AM EDT
[#4]
it will initially go up, but as more people start riding it should go down.
at my job there are now 4 additional bikes (including mine) and an additional 3 more are coming. it is getting so that the manager of the operation is going to address a larger motorcycle parking area. Even thought I has a 20 year lapse in riding, it came back to me fairly quick. For me personally, I am having to get used to a 1500cc versus the 650cc that I had 20 years ago more than just riding. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:22:22 AM EDT
[#5]
I dont know a percentage, but in the last 2 weeks alone. 4 guys have been killed, and I couldnt count how many have been hurt. This is a small town also, about 20,000 people.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:34:45 AM EDT
[#6]
The more people that ride, the more accidents, but former cagers that used to cut bikers off will show respect on the road when they are back behind the wheel!
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:37:33 AM EDT
[#7]
Yep it will rise..As far as saving money on gas I use to think that until I got into a an accedent and medical bills were $15,000 for an ambulance ride, and 4 days in the hospital. All this without health insurance at age 20. people do stupid things like me and ride with medical coverage back in the day.Even with medical coverage your still going to be Paying out the nose.. Ride for pleasure but dont expect to save any money doing..Even the best riders know "its not a matter of IF will you wreck, its a matter of when" |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:46:45 AM EDT
[#8]
On a related note.......A guy in our town opened up a new business a few month ago where he sells those small scooters. He has sold a ton of them. He said that he never imagined he would sell so many.
Talk about hitting the market just right. 
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:48:37 AM EDT
[#9]
I was wondering the same thing.
It used to be fairly rare that I'd see a motorcycle on my commute. On the weekends, sure, but not in heavy weekday traffic. Now, I probably see 4-10 a day. I don't ride, so I can't speak to skills, but yeah, some of these guys don't seem properly equipped so I have to wonder about skills too. I new client of mine, 60+, just got one this spring. A sensible, basic bike, but this guy has never ridden before and now just a few years from retirement he's commuting on the DC beltway everyday! I'm going with +35% this year. 
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:50:12 AM EDT
[#10]
Our work put in more motorcycle parking last year, it's not nearly big enough now.
One guy, who spent a lot of time last year trying to get his ancient 750 running (I'm pretty sure the carbs were gummy, he hadn't ridden in years) went out and got a ZX-14. His wife wouldn't let him bring his new helmet to work for a couple weeks, because it was to nice! Finally he got a cheap helmet at Walmart, and we got to see it. He hasn't dropped it ....yet.I was just noticing on my way home Thursday - First, an older guy on what looked like a brand new cruiser - really slow on the corners, no idea how to start or stop (I was sure he'd fall at least twice). He rolled a couple stop signs and really gunned it on the straights. He seemed to be having trouble with his cheesy helmet as well. I lost him when he rolled by a line of traffic at a red light on the right, then turned right. Just as I lost him I got a kid on a sportbike behind me, again, looked brand new. Shorts, t-shirt, sneakers, cheap helmet. Moving slower than traffic and wobbling badly in the turns. Seeing these two guys made me think there must be more accidents. I gave bikes up years ago, after years of riding. To easy to get hurt or killed, even if you think you're doing everything right. To much traffic here, and I have kids. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:51:57 AM EDT
[#11]
It is interesting that some of you have seen so many new riders. I would not imagine that a very high percentage of people will get a bike. People love their convenience of comfort like air conditioning and being protected from the elements, plus I think there is a lot of fear of bikes out there.
I think that maybe the folks who will decide to get a bike now "to save money" may well be from that small subset of people who always wanted a bike and almost pulled thr trigger but other things ended up getting their time and attention instead. So, I am thinking that only people who were already leaning toward a bike will get one. Maybe I am wrong, though. Who knows. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:54:33 AM EDT
[#12]
I was wondering this myself just the other day while watching a news story about higher bike sales.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:00:11 AM EDT
[#13]
I have a neighbor who is a physical therapy nurse at a local hospital. She says the number of traumatic leg amputations from motorcycle accidents is out of sight in comparison to previous years.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:05:46 AM EDT
[#14]
Have you looked at your local newspaper lately? Everyday there are quite a few and the survival rates don't seem too hot.
There have been tons of motorcycle accidents around here lately. Don't know if its the warmer weather or the fact that more people are on them because of gas prices but there have been a lot of motorcycles out and a lot of accidents. Survival rates with them are a little too low for this guy. I'll stick with my car. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:07:28 AM EDT
[#15]
I forgot to mention the accident I saw last fall. It was on the morning commute, where the traffic slows usually. Only this time it was not really much of a slowdown and the traffic was actually light. The guy on a cruiser slowed way down anyway and in the left lane. Some guy in a small pickup was not paying attention and plowed right into the back of him.
 What would have been a minor accident in a car was now a trip in a helicopter.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:11:32 AM EDT
[#16]
I believe I was seeing some numbers recently in the news and yes, it has risen due to more noobs and more experienced riders putting on more miles than ever where they used to drive a car, spend a lot more time on their recreational bikes.
I forget the source of this info. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:12:34 AM EDT
[#17]
Years ago when my brother bought a rice burner I asked my wife if it would be
1. Immoral 2. Possible to take out a policy on him. Fortunately he had only a couple of small incidents before he saw the light and sold it. Walking the dog last night I saw a guy and a babe on a bike. Girl was in shorts, tank top and flip flops. I'd say, a BUNCH, if you agree with H.L. Mencken. A few years ago we had a neurosurgeon leave his bike and land in a tree. He needs 24 hour care. What a waste. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:15:20 AM EDT
[#18]
I've seen something on the news the other day about rising accident rates also, but, I'm a paramedic, and I personally have not worked any bike accidents yet this year... matter of fact, no one at the station has worked any motorcycle wrecks the last month or so... So, nothing out of the ordinary yet.... But, the warm weather has just started, so who knows....
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Posted: 7/20/2008 9:53:16 AM EDT
[#19]
Both of these guys from today were riding "scooter" type bikes. But they didn't look like your average little 20cc scooter. These were pretty nice. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 9:54:53 AM EDT
[#20]
Phoenix PD claims that bike accidents in the area they patrol are up 10% over the first six months of last year.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 9:58:01 AM EDT
[#21]
More likely. Guys talking about saving gas on a new Harley.... You know how much gas you can buy for your pickemuptruck with $20,000, dumbass? I'm shopping for a KLR650 (50+mpg for $2,000), so I hope to not become one of panthers statistics, but I'm sure they will go up, as any time you add new people to any activity with a learning curve and risk of injury, injury will go up. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 10:00:33 AM EDT
[#22]
Ban motorcycles, for the children!!!
No one needs a motorcycle! You have no right to drive on two wheels! Gosh, histrionics are fun!!! |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 10:01:22 AM EDT
[#23]
Got a buddy who is a Capt., and an avid rider. He's shocked at the fact that the Army hasn't banned motorcycles, based on how many joes got hurt over in Korea or shortly after coming back. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 10:06:45 AM EDT
[#24]
I don't think it's all due to the price of gas, but the economy in general. Around here increasing numbers are being laid off. An unfortunate consequence of this is that they drink & go for a bike ride during the day. Usually does not end well.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 10:20:16 AM EDT
[#25]
I am a lamer that jumped on the bike band wagon however, I am taking it on back roads until i get good enough to start driving it all the time (to work and etc) I would say 3 years of crousing back roads... should do for me... before i even think about it becoming my primary method of driving.. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 2:55:24 PM EDT
[#26]
 failcycle owns page 2 
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Posted: 7/20/2008 2:58:56 PM EDT
[#27]
With milage driven staying stable or dropping, rates should go DOWN, not up, save for the Disincaged.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 3:18:13 PM EDT
[#28]
Bikes take teh skills, most people do not have them so crashes will go up.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 3:26:22 PM EDT
[#29]
I have seen a lot of men you would never picture riding scooters doing just that lately . I don't blame them. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 4:26:46 PM EDT
[#30]
I didn't buy it to save gas , I bought it cause I have worked 60-80 hours a week for the last 2 years and I wanted it fuck you very much. That said , It gets better milage then my car. It is like an added bonus. ( and It was closer to $13,500) |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:38:08 PM EDT
[#31]
Took my Vino up on vacation and put over 300 miles on it running the back roads. Probably spent around $15 in gas to do it. I might look dumb but I've got $$ in my pocket and I saw stuff that I wouldn't normally see if I was going faster. My average speed was around 28-30MPH and I was running down roads that I'd never go down in my truck because they were 2 tracks with no place to turn around and no idea if I could get thru in the first place. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:51:09 PM EDT
[#32]
I just read an article about how accidents have risen. It was on CNN.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:51:52 PM EDT
[#33]
yeah there are more and more stupid people on their bikes. it always cracks me up though when people spend $$$$$ on a new bike to save $ on gas. i just bought another one a few months back and first thing everyone was asking was "how good is the gas milage?" like i give a flip about my milage, i drive a '89 maxima that gets 27-30 anyways and my bike gets 35, i ride because it's my love and what i do and have done....
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:54:07 PM EDT
[#34]
who cares, as long as people mind their own fucking business when they're on the road
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:54:12 PM EDT
[#35]
You're supposed to. When coming to a stop, your right foot should still be on the rear brake. Left foot goes down first, then right. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 5:57:48 PM EDT
[#36]
a co-worker, interested in obtaining a MC, asked me several questions about getting a MC. I advised him to start with getting a learners permit and taking a MSF course so he doesn't learn any bad habbits that will have to be unlearned. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:00:47 PM EDT
[#37]
People who drive cars have wrecks too......
ETA link to pics of wreck
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:01:19 PM EDT
[#38]
Prepare to be flamed..... |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:03:07 PM EDT
[#39]
Saves on gas... but what about more frequent tire changes, spark plug changes, valvetrain maint., chain/sprocket maint/replacement...
Bikes cost the same as cars. You just spend someplace else. That being said, if there's not ice on the road I ride my CBR600 everywhere. Except to haul the wife and kid around I wouldn't have a cage. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:03:23 PM EDT
[#40]
well I know it's up at least one wreck. I just dumped my hog for the first time. luckily it's a honda trail 110 and I was only going about 15 mph.
still, most of the skin on my left shin and foot is AWOL. it hurts like mad. I'm sweating just from the pain. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:04:27 PM EDT
[#41]
they're the majority.. ride mc's with me for a day and see how fucked up most car drivers are. my personal observation is that the majority of them are women and the majority of them are on the phone 
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:07:26 PM EDT
[#42]
You can ride with me... I know how fucked up they are. several friends of mine have been busted up pretty good by dumbasses who weren't paying attention. I also suspect they may not have been paying attention either. I expect EVERY car to pull out in front of me. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:16:41 PM EDT
[#43]
I bet we will see an increase. Fact is, more people ride, more people are going to get hurt. I work in downtown Austin, and have been seeing a shit-ton of little scooters all over the place. Most of their riders wear only a helmet if even that. They must think 30mph is not fast enough to get fucked up.
That being said, I bought this last month:  I wear a full face helmet, mesh jacket with armor and gloves EVERY TIME I RIDE. Even if it's 101 fucking degrees outside. I wear jeans for now, but plan on getting some reinforced jeans and some armored overpants when the weather cools. I also took the MSF class. This is a MUST for anyone who wants to ride. I have about 1000 miles on my bike now, and can tell I've gotten more stable and smooth, and I'm taking turns faster than I did at first, but still not as fast as I probably could. Like someone posted above, I stick mostly to back roads, but I do have to get on a highway for at least a few miles to get to the back roads that get me to downtown. Also luckily, I'm not commuting during peak hours. On Thursday, I took my bike to the dealer for it's first service (I'll be doing the rest from then on) and they had only two bikes that were smaller than 650cc. One was a 125cc scooter, and one was a kid's dirtbike. Everything under 650 has been selling like hotcakes. They can't keep 250cc bikes in stock, much less scooters, particularly the big ones like mine. Heard one guy say his dealer sold 7 scooters in ALL of 2007, and had sold 36 in June of this year alone. Again, I think we'll see a statistical rise in injuries and deaths. We all need to be aware, riders and cagers (that's you guys in cars and trucks) that there are more bikes on the roads now. I'm also of the firm opinion that MOST injuries and deaths of motorcyclists are their own fault - riding beyond their skill level, being intoxicated or not wearing protective gear... or a combination of the above. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:17:28 PM EDT
[#44]
He's pretty much right. Put your left foot down so the right can still operate the brake. I put both down, since I don't have a foot brake. Mucho easier! |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:24:44 PM EDT
[#45]
I was checking today how much I had spent on fuel this so far this year. I looked at my budget spreadsheet and discovered that YTD (as of 7/1) I have spent $1634.44. It would take quite sometime to recoup the costs of a scooter much less a HD no matter what the price of gas.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:38:39 PM EDT
[#46]
Also the cost of registration and insurance on my bike is half that of either my truck or my car. Not to mention that my bike gets twice the gas mileage as my car and three times better than my truck. No - my bike doesn't cost anywhere near the same as my car or truck because of hidden costs! That being said - I still think the bike accident rate will go up. I see way to many people who would not ordinarily buy a bike, buy one just because of the gas prices. These are the ones that will do themselves harm! I don't think they really have the mindset to properly ride a mc. BTW, I didn't just buy a bike for gas reasons, I've been riding motorcycles for over 35 years. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:45:13 PM EDT
[#47]
I heard on the local news that it is already higher this year than previous years.
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:49:09 PM EDT
[#48]
I teach the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course. We have always had a small percentage of wouldbe riders who are relatively clueless. Most of these people usually wash out on the first day.
I have noticed a significant increase in the number of real 'problem' novices. Until recently 99% of my students had some inkling about motorcycles, and actually wanted to ride one. They usually had some concept about what might be involved (even if those preconceptions were wrong). With $4.00 gas I now have maybe 10% of my classes comprised of people who want to get 40 mpg. They really have not thought about a motorcycle, what it entails, the risks and challenges. They simply want a vehicle that gets good mileage and think that bikes are merely two-wheeled cars. These people really haven't given the whole thing a good think through. I can train some, others will simply not make it. Some of these will ride anyways, and are prime candidates for a ride in the meat wagon. You can save money on gas by driving a small, inexpensive bike, and driving it a lot. A suzuki GZ250 comes to mind. Anyone who buys a harley to save gas is going to be SORELY disappointed. My wife's corolla (non-hybrid) gets better mileage than most bigger bikes. Not to mention the fact that $20,000 in bike cost buys a LOT of gas. Fatality rates are already rising. Several states have repealled helmet laws and these states are experiencing a near instant rise in motorcycle related fatalities. Add novices on big bikes, riders with no training, and larger numbers of riders overall and you end up with higher fatality rates. |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:56:56 PM EDT
[#49]
Between 1995-2004, the number of registered motorcycles rose by 1,883,679, an increase of 48%
The "Fatality Rate per 100 Million" (miles traveled), which has nearly doubled from 22.73 to 39.89 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled during the period of 1997 to 2004. My basic mathematical education has come to the conclusion that more motorcycles = more fatalities. 1* |
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Posted: 7/20/2008 6:57:56 PM EDT
[#50]
I'll grant you that you're prolly on a cruiser or touring/sport-touring bike (citing your shaft drive), but how long do your truck tires last vs your motorcycle tires? my SV650 did about 10k for a back, and I know liter bikes do a back tire every oil change or so. BTW, holy shit your truck/car tires are expensive. Most sport bikes won't do 100k on a set of plugs, but I haven't looked at a cruiser's owner's manual for their maint intervals. Valvetrain maint on most bikes ranges from every 18k to 24k, and that is a consideration. You have to at least crack the gasket to make sure nothing has moved periodically. That's either time (and buying tools) or money (service at mechanic). Shaft drive is cool, but the vast majority of bikes are still on chains. (I wish someone would make a nice sporty 750 similar to the FZ6 w/ a shaft. that'd be cool) Yea insurance is way cheaper (20/month vs 110/month for me) I suppose maint costs would depend on type/model of bike more. Sportbikes seem to cost a lot more to maintain than a cruiser. You're 100% correct about mindset to properly ride. Cagers are out to get you, and you have to ride accordingly. I use the mindset that any accident is by default my fault, and I should have seen it coming. I've almost gotten sandwiched between 2 cars in a 4 car pile up before. It happened in my lane, and if I hadn't placed myself properly in my lane (far left of the lane at a red light for more visibility) I wouldn't be typing this. I've been riding for 6 years (1st bike bought at 20 years old) |
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