23. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

I believe growing up riding dirt bikes helps you handle Oh Shi* situations. Kinda like military fighter pilots make better airline pilots, they train for dangerous situations.

 

The Hurt study was a foundation study, and most things still hold true today. A couple of it's points, #7 #9, are often quoted today--, the car driver didn't see the cycle, and the left turning car at an intersection. However, concerning #1, the past few years, Minnesota has had more fatalities from single vehicle accidents.....i.e., caused by the bikers themselves with no other vehicles involved. That is probably attributed to all the older riders with money that suddenly decide to start riding again (or for the first time).

There was supposed to be another study taking place in Oklahoma, but federal funding issues has held it up.

 

Apparently, the Oklahoma study is now under way.

http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1829

“The lack of data underscores the need for a fully comprehensive crash causation study to understand the reasons that riders crash,” Moreland said. “That is why we are supportive of the study currently under way at the University of Oklahoma and being directed Dr. Samir Ahmed.”

The comprehensive motorcycle crash causation study is being conducted at the Oklahoma Transportation Center, an independent and well-respected research facility at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla.

The last major motorcycle crash study was completed in 1980, and it provided a wealth of data that has been used to develop training and strategies to help keep riders safer on the road. In the decades since, the traffic environment has changed enormously, prompting the AMA to begin campaigning for a new study several years ago, which led to the Oklahoma research.

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Distracted driving is bound to show up on this new study, both in car involved motorcycle crashes, and stand alone crashes. Just check this forum for all the posts on how to mount I-Pods, cell phones, and GPS units (sold by Harley).

 

#7, This past Sat while laying on side walk, that was the first thing out of the guys mouth; I didn't see you.