Given the relatively affluent economy over the last decade (not including the last year), outrageously high gas prices and the move to be more environmentally friendly the number of motorcycles on the roads of the United States has increased dramatically. The statistics are staggering.

In Utah the number of motorcycles registered since 2004 are:

Along with the number of motorcycles being registered overall are what I think is the high number of relatively new motorcycle riders.  You can ride a bike for thirty years (like me) and register your bike or you can buy a new or used bike, never rode a motorcycle before, and register it.  Who is more likely to become a motorcycle statistic?

These charts tdo not directly address whether new riders account for the high number of motorcycle crashes but I bet that newer riders account for teh higher number of crashes.  What this says to me is experience counts.  At first glance the only way that a new rider can become an experienced rider is time and practice.  There is another way though - take a motorcycle safety class and get out in a parking lot and practice.  Not rocket science!

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