Why the surge in motorcycle deaths?  Federally funded L.A. study seeks answers

The first major study of motorcycle crashes in nearly 30 years is underway in Los Angeles, as researchers attempt to pinpoint why resultant fatalities have soared over the last decade to constitute 14% of all roadway deaths, despite the fact that motorcycles account for less than 1% of vehicle miles traveled.

There are plenty of theories to explain the increase: The number of motorcycles on the road increased from 3.9 million in 1998 to 7.1 million in 2007; motorcycles are more powerful than they  used to be; riders are older, now averaging 41 years of age; and many states have repealed their helmet laws.

But there are no clear answers.

The last in-depth investigation of motorcycle crashes in the U.S. — the Hurt study — was conducted through USC and released in 1981. Efforts to update that information have been stymied by funding issues.

Earlier this month, a new study was greenlighted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, but it’s a scaled-down version of what was originally planned, and a leading industry-backed safety group says the sample size will be too small to properly resolve the questions.

The National Transportation Safety Board originally recommended that the study include a sample size of 900 to 1,200 crashes. The Hurt study examined 900 crashes. But researchers at Oklahoma State University, tapped to conduct the new study, said use of such a large sample would cost $10 million to $12 million, far exceeding the federal government’s $4.2-million estimate.

As of Oct. 1, the study was moving forward with a sample size of 300 crashes.

“The motorcycle crash rate for injuries and deaths has increased every year for the past 10 years, so it was critical to get this study underway,” said Cathy St. Denis, spokeswoman for the Federal Highway Administration. "It will be one of the most comprehensive studies to be done in years and will help prevent future crashes."

The $3.1-million study includes $2 million from the highway reauthorization bill, $500,000 from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, $500,000 from individual states and $100,000 from the American Motorcyclist Assn.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a nonprofit group that develops rider training courses used by most states and is funded by major manufacturers such as Honda and Harley-Davidson, had offered $2.8 million in 2007 for a study if it included a sample size of 900 crashes.

The group refused to contribute to the scaled-down study because it “will not provide adequate sampling to achieve appropriate statistical significance and may not provide new insights," the organization said in a statement Tuesday. “This limited study will likely lend only a minimal degree of validation to the major, already known contributing motorcycle crash factors.”

There are about 100,000 motorcycle crashes in the U.S. each year, 5,290 of which resulted in death in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which draws heavily on findings from the 1981 Hurt study, major crash factors include rider error, such as overbraking and running wide in a curve; and alcohol involvement.

So far, data from 53 crashes have been gathered as part of the study’s pilot, which kicked off in L.A. last December to test data collection procedures and which concluded earlier this year. That crash data will be included in the official study of 300 crashes, which is also taking place in Los Angeles.

Preliminary results from the study will be available in a year, according to Oklahoma State’s Alan Tree. Final results won’t be available until at least 2013.
 

(reprinted from the L.A. Times - Story by: Susan Carpenter October 14, 2009)

(picture from L.A. Times)

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - The smell of roughhewn leather and motorcycle exhaust hangs heavy in the air with the newest series from truTV.

"Full Throttle Saloon" focuses on the Sturgis, S.D., tavern of the same name, renowned as the "world's largest biker bar." The hour-long series, which will first air on Nov. 10, follows the business decisions faced by Throttle owner Michael Ballard as he provides entertainment, liquor and more for the array of bikers attending the yearly two-week Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

One of the main features of the series is Ballard's money woes in operating The Throttle, which is only open for business once a year for the two week period during the rally. His problems are exacerbated by the financial restraints of the economic recession, which in turn affects the rally's turnout. The regular predicaments linger as well, with gangs, weather, local law enforcement and the handling of the rally's musical performers providing difficulties.

The behind-the-scenes format of "Full Throttle Saloon" allows viewers the chance to see all the planning and stress involved in the management of the rally. But the process isn't all bad, as Ballard and company work tirelessly to make the 69th anniversary of the rally as memorable as ever for the Harley Davidson-loving crowd.

Ballard's Full Throttle Saloon is a 30-acre establishment that functions not only as an indoor/outdoor bar but also contains several outdoor stages, a burn-out pit, a tattoo parlor, zip lines, a wrestling ring, restaurants, shops and hundreds of cabins with plentiful parking for its biker clientele.

"Full Throttle Saloon" is executive-produced by Arthur Smith, Kent Weed and Frank Sinton of A. Smith & Co.; Jesse James Dupree of Mighty Loud Entertainment; and Arnold Rifkin of Cheyenne Enterprises.

Now in its 17th year on the air, truTV has a lineup that includes shows such as "The Smoking Gun: World's Dumbest?" and "Forensic Files."

 

Learn more about The Full Throttle Saloon

More about truTV

Judge will not shorten prison term for Lane

Victim's family wanted sentence to help cause

A judge refused to shorten imprisoned celebrity motorcycle builder Billy Lane's six-year sentence despite his attorneys' claim his fatal crash victim's family thought he could do more good outside of prison, electronic court records show.

Attorneys for Lane, 39, filed a motion last week asking Brevard Circuit Judge Robert Burger to give victim Gerald Morelock's family another chance to say what kind of punishment he should receive and to reduce Lane's sentence if he saw fit.

Lane was sentenced in August to six years in prison after pleading no contest to one count of vehicular homicide for crashing his pickup truck head-on into 56-year-old Morelock's motorcycle while speeding past slow traffic in a no-pass zone on Sept. 4, 2006.

Throughout the course of the case, Morelock's brother, Byron Morelock, and nephew, Sean Morelock, declined to recommend a punishment. But they asked the judge during sentencing to impose a sentence that would use Lane's celebrity status to help save the lives of young people through a foundation they plan to create in Morelock's name.

But defense lawyers Greg Eisenmenger and Robert Berry claimed in their motion that intense media and public scrutiny caused Morelock's brother and nephew to be "vague" at Lane's sentencing about their belief that Lane would better be able to benefit society if he were not incarcerated.

Burger denied the motion without a hearing.

Contacted by phone Friday, Byron Morelock said he and his son continue to push through with plans for their foundation.

"We regret this whole thing happened and both of our families got hurt in this situation and have to go on. Nothing really good came out of it for anybody," he said. "I'm sure my brother would hope that people learn something from this and all drive carefully."

(reprinted from FloridaToday.com)

Recipient takes first production International® LoneStar® Harley-Davidson™ Special Edition on the road for charity during Truck Driver Appreciation Week and asks fellow drivers for support

MILWAUKEE--(Business Wire)--
Chris Hawker, a successful owner-operator truck driver and Harley-Davidson® motorcycle owner doesn`t just drive. He rides.

While his garage has plenty of room for his black and silver 2003 Harley-Davidson® 100th Anniversary Edition FXSTD Softail® Deuce™ motorcycle, he`ll undoubtedly have to build a bigger garage to store his latest Harley-Davidson related collectible - the first production unit of the International® LoneStar® Harley-Davidson™ Special Edition truck.

At an event last Friday at the Harley-Davidson Museum® in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Hawker was presented the keys to the vehicle in a ceremony recognizing him as a true ambassador of both the International truck and Harley-Davidson motorcycle brands.

"The International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition is one of the coolest-looking trucks I`ve ever seen," said Chris. "When I first caught wind of this truck, I knew I had to have one."

With deep black paint and contrasting silver and orange striping, the attention-grabbing, chrome-laden big rig truck is one-of-a-kind. Unveiled to the public for the first time at the Mid-America Trucking Show earlier in the year, the Harley-Davidson Special Edition takes the International LoneStar to the next level through a combination of LoneStar originality and Harley-Davidson authenticity.

Hawker has been a truck driver for more than 20 years and typically hauls food products from New York to Florida, having logged more than two million accident-free miles.

Earlier this year, Hawker entered his local International truck dealership in Erie, Pennsylvania, seeking information on a new International LoneStar. "Chris came in and expressed interest in a LoneStar before the Harley-Davidson Special Edition was even announced," said Randy Leighton, sales manager, Five Star International. "As a fellow motorcycle guy and Harley owner myself, we got to talking about motorcycles. Once I heard about the Harley edition, I called him and told him we have a `dream truck` coming out - he couldn`t get to the dealership fast enough!"

Design teams from International and Harley-Davidson collaborated to create a heavy-duty on-highway tractor with distinct design elements directly from Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

"Custom has always been an important word in Harley-Davidson`s brand language," said Willie G. Davidson, senior vice president & chief styling officer, Harley-Davidson. "We wanted the design impact of this new LoneStar Harley-Davidson to have a `wow` factor equal to our motorcycles."

"Knowing the passion that customers have for both brands, we`re proud to get this vehicle out in the hands of enthusiastic customers like Chris," said Jim Hebe, Navistar senior vice president, North American sales operations. "Combining the bold look of the International LoneStar with the attitude of Harley-Davidson delivers a winning product for our customers."

"Drive for Jobs"

The delivery of International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition marked the starting point in Chris Hawker`s maiden voyage and the launch of Navistar`s
"Drive for Jobs" program. For each mile that Chris Hawker drives in his new LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition, Navistar will make a donation to the American Trucking Associations` GetTrucking.com, a driver recruitment initiative which includes training returning military personnel for careers in the trucking industry. While the current U.S. economic recession has driven up unemployment rates in numerous industries, trucking included, the trucking industry has and
will continue to face driver shortages in the near future.

As Chris began his journey to Jacksonville, Florida, an "all-points bulletin" was distributed at the delivery event in Milwaukee. The "A.P.B." was used to encourage anyone who saw Chris driving the LoneStar to sign up for the opportunity to win prizes and make a donation to the "Drive for Jobs" program.

All of these events will lead up to Truck Driver Appreciation Week from November 1-7, culminating with a check donation to the ATA`s GetTrucking.com initiative. Navistar supported this charity earlier this year with a $15,000 donation generated from proceeds from DVD sales of Drive and Deliver, the documentary Navistar developed to celebrate the lives of truck drivers and the contributions they make to society. "We appreciate Navistar`s support for the ATA`s GetTrucking initiative," said Bill Graves, ATA president and CEO. "The men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces are ideal candidates to become trucking industry professionals - they have all the motivation and tools necessary to move successfully from the military into our industry."

To learn more about the International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition,
go to www.internationaltrucks.com/lonestarhd.
 

Motorcycle makers cutting staff and product lines as sales plunge

The biggest drops come in cruisers and sport bikes. Sales of scooters also fall sharply.

A year ago, it looked as if fuel-sipping motorcycles might be the option for motorists facing increasing gas prices. This year, little seems to be working for bike makers.

Sales of motorcycles plummeted 37.3% in the third quarter from the same period a year earlier, with the biggest drops coming in cruisers and sport bikes, two of the industry's biggest product lines, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. Sales of scooters, which were gaining a year ago, also have fallen sharply.

The council, which doesn't release revenue figures of the mostly privately held member manufacturers, said overall sales of bikes fell to 136,876 in the quarter from 218,242 in the previous year's quarter.

The only bright spot was that sales were dropping at a slower pace: The number of bikes sold in the second quarter fell 53.5% from the same period a year earlier. Historically, the second and third quarters are strongest for the industry because the weather is warm throughout the country and buyers are gearing up to ride.

Industry leaders tried to put a good face on the numbers, saying the sales climate was "challenging" or "tough." But they also called it "painful."

"Every category is down, and it keeps going down," said analyst Don Brown of Irvine. "It's not the old, 'Let's get out there and sell more' that works anymore. . . . People just don't have the money."

Despite a federal stimulus that allows new bike buyers to write off the sales tax, companies are cutting staff and other expenses.

Last week, publicly held Harley-Davidson Inc. reported an 84% drop in quarterly earnings to $26.5 million. The company said it was getting out of the sport bike business, shutting down the longtime Buell line and selling its MV Agusta operation, a high-end Italian brand it bought last year.

Already this year, the Milwaukee manufacturer joined the likes of Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki and Victory in laying off employees, reducing production and lowering prices to help dealers shrink swollen inventories.

Even high-end motorcycles have been hit. Confederate Motor Co., the Alabama maker of the $92,000 Wraith, expects to sell 30 bikes this year, down from 37 last year, company founder Matt Chambers said.

His affluent clients aren't as affected by the economy, he said, but with the deep recession, "it was very fashionable to not be buying a high-end luxury product like ours."

Many manufacturers have introduced programs to add value to their products.

Twice in the last year, for instance, Harley-Davidson operated a "ride free" program, which allowed buyers of new Sportsters to get credit for the original retail price of the bikes on trade-ins for more expensive models. Yamaha Motor Co. introduced its Pro Yamaha initiative, directing dealers to be more informed about products and follow up with customers to ensure that they were happy.

Ducati North America, which has seen a 30% quarterly drop in sales, began giving its customers one year of free scheduled maintenance. And Victory Motorcycles, which suffered a 56% decline in sales in the July-to-September period, began offering a five-year warranty to show "significant confidence to buyers," said Mark Blackwell, Victory's vice president.

"We haven't laid everybody off. We haven't totally stopped advertising. We've kept up the product development because we're positioning this business for when the market stabilizes and grows," he said.

Blackwell predicted that the market wouldn't begin to stabilize until at least next spring and that growth wouldn't come until later.

Harley-Davidson and Victory Motorcycles, a division of Polaris in Minnesota, hope to stem U.S. losses, in part, by growing overseas sales. Harley is pursuing emerging markets such as India and China; Victory is going after Europe, where motorcycle sales haven't fallen as much as in the U.S.

For 14 years, through 2006, U.S. motorcycle sales had increased every year. Sales started to drop in 2007, but still topped the 1-million mark.

Last year, as gasoline prices pushed toward $5 per gallon, fuel-efficient two-wheelers got a boost. Despite the worsening economy, street bike sales were down only 3.3% for the year, and scooters had their best year ever, posting a 41.5% gain from the previous year, the Motorcycle Industry Council said.

"Last year, with gas prices, we could sell scooters without a whole lot of work," said Kevin Andrews, Vespa's North American brand manager. "With the economy, we're talking about operational cost."

The cost of owning and operating a car, for instance, is $750 a month, Andrews said, citing American Automobile Assn. data. But owning and operating a scooter costs less than $300. It's a message Vespa is promoting through advertising with its dealers and on its website. Still, scooter sales are down 62% through the first three quarters, but, he said, the declines slowed in August.

"We had a period of constant increases, and I think the industry grew complacent," industry analyst Brown said. "Then the economy hit hard, and it's only gotten worse."

Confederate Motor's Chambers expects his sales to increase next year, thanks in part to a strategy most manufacturers are using: making lower-priced bikes.

Manufacturers also are coming up with ways to help buyers finance purchases.

Since April, Piaggio Group Americas, which sells Vespa scooters, has offered 7.9%, 36-month loans. And Harley-Davidson Financial Services, aided by $300 million in notes placed with Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. this year and a stronger financial market recently, should support any funding needs throughout 2010, Harley spokesman Bob Klein said.

Most manufacturers, meantime, are scaling back on advertising, and long-standing enthusiast publications are finding the advertising climate "harsh," with revenue down sharply, said Larry Little, senior vice president of Cycle World magazine. "Everybody's fighting for survival up and down the food chain."

Yamaha spokesman Bob Starr said his company had to be "very focused on where, when, how and why we're advertising."

Yamaha experimented this year with low-cost viral marketing on the Internet. This summer the company produced three YouTube videos featuring some of its biggest names in racing. Each of the videos have been viewed more than 100,000 times. Whether they sold any bikes is another issue.

"Did somebody come in to a dealership and say, 'I saw this video . . . and it was so funny I'm going to buy a bike?' It's hard to say," Starr said.

Sport bike sales are down 51% so far this year.

With the riding season over for much of the country, summer 2010 can't come fast enough for the industry.

(from the Los Angeles Times)

Laguna Woods city manager apologizes to 9/11 motorcyclists

Council members said city manager overreacted to ride organizers

LAGUNA WOODS, CALIFORNIA - City Manager Leslie Keane offered an apology to the organizer of a 9/11 memorial motorcycle ride after more than 60 riders and supporters showed up to Wednesday’s City Council meeting to protest her actions following the event.

Some council members, including Mayor Bob Ring, said the city manager overreacted to one of the participants holding traffic at a red light for more than 100 riders at the intersection of El Toro Road and Moulton Parkway. Keane and other council members also said the event can ride through the city next year provided it is done safely.

“Inappropriate things were said, and I think they were said on both sides, and I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize for my part in that,” Keane told a packed council chamber. “I am hopeful that we can move forward and if this ride comes to our city again that we can cooperate in making it a successful and safe ride.”

Organizer Gary Biggerstaff, a veteran Long Beach firefighter, said afterwards the apology was necessary.

“I don’t know that her heart has changed, but her words have changed,” said Biggerstaff.

He still asked that Keane, nevertheless, contact the agencies she complained to after the ride, contending the event’s reputation is damaged.

“What’s at stake here is the good name of this ride I’ve spent the better part of six years building up,” Biggerstaff told the council.

Biggerstaff started the 40-mile ride, billed on the Web as the Remember 9/11 Ride, which has grown to roughly 600 participants, as a tribute to those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This year is the ride’s fifth year going from Cook’s Corner in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon and finishing at Biggerstaff’s home in Long Beach for a memorial service.

The conflict between Biggerstaff and Laguna Woods City Manager Leslie Keane began when one rider stopped at the intersection of El Toro Road and Moulton Parkway and held traffic to allow roughly 100 riders to pass, according to Biggerstaff.

Biggerstaff said he was contacted in early October by the Orange County Sherriff’s Department to cooperate in an investigation to identify the rider, using red-light camera images from the intersection.

“I had nothing to do with it,” said Biggerstaff. “The rider was at least a mile behind me.”

He said he did not condone the rider’s actions, but could not help it since he was at the front of the pack.

Keane said she wanted him to identify the culprit who broke the law at the red light. In her initial emails to Biggerstaff, Keane said she was concerned for public safety and that the riders acted above the law.

“You cheapened their sacrifice and made a mockery of it,” Keane said in an email referring to victims of 9/11. “Think carefully about what all fringe groups who break the law, including the one that caused the tragic and infamous 9/11 event, say to justify their actions, they have a higher calling, their friends and comrades have died trying to protect their ideals and values. And before you call me un-American for linking you with the terrorists, of course I don’t think that. But think about what you did and what you are now saying to justify it.”

However Biggerstaff said he took the necessary steps to ensure safety before the ride.

In addition to providing the riders with a flyer advising them to obey traffic signals, Biggerstaff said he contacted all law enforcement agencies in five areas that the ride passed through one month in advance, including Laguna Woods. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department declined to send an officer to patrol the light and the city did not require the ride to obtain a parade permit beforehand.

“We didn’t send a car out because we only have one police car in the town,” Keane said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Griffin said there was no need for police at the light.

“We’ve never had a problem before,” Griffin said, “so we didn’t send someone.”

After Biggerstaff found out about the investigation, he began exchanging emails with Keane to arrange a meeting to discuss the situation. Biggerstaff advised her to ticket the perpetrator and apologized for the incident.

When Biggerstaff could not provide the identity of the individuals, he said Keane made it clear that she would not allow anyone involved with the ride to pass through Laguna Woods next year.

Biggerstaff said he was contacted by several Long Beach authorities and city officials and authorities in Orange County, each of whom told him they’d been contacted by Keane or heard about her complaint. He was called in to address the conflict by Assistant Fire Chief Ken Portolan at the behest of Long Beach City Manager Patrick West.

West said although he knew Keane was upset, he said the event was not city sponsored and so he will be taking no action.

“It’s a group of private citizens who happen to be sworn officers who do a memorial ride to be patriotic,” West said.

Biggerstaff said the ride and his reputation were damaged because of Keane’s contact with city officials.

“She has drug my name through the mud,” he said.

He takes special issue with Keane for contacting his employer, the Long Beach City Fire Department, since he participated as a private citizen during the ride.

“To go out and put a wedge between us and our employer, city manager and our mayor is despicable,” said fellow organizer and firefighter Rich Brandt.

Councilwoman Cynthia Conners said the organizers could circulate word of Keane’s apology to various public agencies.

Keane now says she will work with Biggerstaff to make the ride safer next year.

“I really am interested in trying to find a way to resolve this situation, so that the event can go forward, in a safe manner in the future,” Keane said in an email to Biggerstaff Tuesday. “I think you had good intentions and that someone else caused this situation.”

Biggerstaff said he did not know what will happen for next year’s ride, and perhaps if he makes it an official ride with participant registration, he will consider setting up designated road guards and intersections.

As of now, Griffin said the investigation is closed and he does not anticipate issuing a ticket to anyone.

But next year is a different story.

“I don’t know, we’ll just have to work with them,” Griffin said.

(reprinted from the October 22, 2009 Orange County Register)