The Air Force News reports that secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force met with the major motorcycle manufacturers on January 15 of this year to discuss motorcycle safety and how motorcycles are marketed to service members.  The official line released from Secretary Winter (Navy) said the topics discussed included “the responsible marketing of sports bikes to military members, as well as ways to educate riders about safe riding.”  Further meetings are anticipated.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death to service members in the first three years that they return home from combat.  All services reported that motorcycle deaths have increased form 17 in 2002 to124 in 2008 - 19 airmen.

To address this trend it appears that the VA is creating a national safe-driving educational program for veterans and their families through its network of medical centers, community clinics, counseling centers and veterans’ benefits offices.  The different services have different requirements of their personnel if they plan on buying a motorcycle ranging from notifying their command to graduating safety courses before purchase.  First sergeants are to keep an eye for evidence of risky behavior like scars on a bike from having to lay it down for example and the service person must report to the sergeant.

I do not know if the services and motorcycle manufacturers will arrive at an agreement about how to go about marketing motorcycles.  Let's face it - speed, danger, being cool - these are things that sell bikes - especially bullet or sports bikes.  To ask a manufacturer of bullet bikes to stop focusing on these aspects is like asking a person to stop eating.  It can not and probably will not be done.

The real answer is what the services are doing on the other side of the issue.  Motorcycle training is very important.  The instruction should conform to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) requirements.  A key concept that I think the MSF even misses is that the practical part of the test should be taken on the type of bike you are going to purchase or have purchased.  Different types of bikes handle differently - cruisers do not handle like a bullet bike for example.  Training is the answer and should be required by all drivers especially before they are licensed and especially if they are new riders.

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