Changes …#29

The NHTA says 49% of motorcycle accidents were single vehicle accidents indicating rider error. I used to think it was the young studs on their powerful rice rockets that were
stacking the fatality statistics for motorcycle riders, but no… The over 40 motorcycle crowd was 46% of motorcycle fatalities in 2013, that’s a 39% increase in that age group
since 2004. Most riders start their riding career at a young age, so if the average rider started riding in their twenties and the numbers say older riders are the majority
involved in motorcycle collisions, what’s going on here? There are more of us today, but could it also be as we get older we are not changing and improving our skill level?
Riding over the years we pick up many road skills, but also a bunch of bad habits. I think if we checked we could all find some weakness in our bag of motorcycle skills.
In the National Highway Traffic Administration Traffic Safety Facts report of 2013 I was surprised at a statistic about drinking and riding. In the 10 years included in the study, 27% of motorcycle crashes involved alcohol, compared to 23% for four wheelers.
Today, we hopefully know better and have changed, today we would never let friend ride drunk, nor do it ourselves. Motorcycle riders are 26 times more likely to die in an
accident than in a cage. There’s no need to add alcohol to the mix. In 25% of fatal motorcycle accidents the rider didn’t have a license. Getting a motorcycle license should be a badge of honor. In the 70’s & 80’s it was cowing down to the man and unheard of amongst my peers. Taking the test today says you tried to learn something about riding before you hit the mean streets of your town. If you have the choice of taking your motorcycle riders test in a parking lot, or on the street via radio, take the parking lot test, because the skills to pass are at a higher level and we know the pride of the accomplishment is worth your scooters weight in gold. Doing a twelve foot cone weave on a large bike can be a lot of fun, pat yourself on the back when you can master it.
If you are content to ride without changing and improving your rider skills then you will probably become a statistic sooner or later. It’s easy to find new motorcycle
technologies and changes made to new scooters, but how about the changes you have made in your motorcycling skills? It’s not so easy to convince yourself that changing and improving your riding skill is necessary, but after only one hour of practicing in the cones I guarantee you’ll think back on the way it was and be glad you made the change to improve.

John ‘Hammer’ Hanzlik
ALR Road Captain
Chapter 1 Omaha, Neb.