Yep. We have a helmet law.

My guess as to why the reasoning of more fatalities in the 30-40 crowd is that they finally have decent jobs and can afford the toys they want. So they go out and buy a motorcycle despite they haven't ridden a bicycle in 20+ years. And since they have the money to get what they want they aren't forced into a smaller motorcycle like many young adults. They get the big bad 1800 or the hayabusa that they always wanted.

I also guess that a body of a teenager or early 20 year old can take a fall much better than the body of someone in their mid-30s.

I remember hearing something similar about people in the 40's to 50's demographic. They were now succesful and can afford a bike and were either new to the sport or hadnt ridden in many years.

Tom

Spent a few years working in dealerships and these were the scariest customers. We knew the bike would be back for repairs sooner than if a 20 something bought a sportbike. Can't tell you how many crashed leaving the parking lot.

I hear tons of stories of guys crashing just out of the dealer or even just in the parking lot. They are a good source of track bikes too, plastics get rashed up, a small scratch on the frame and the bike is totaled.

Tom

Almost all of the experienced riders would truck or trailer the bike away. It was the 40 to 50 year old we all came out to watch leave. :)

Cheap entertainment at a dealership.

Had one guy buy an FJR and didn't make it 10 feet out on the road. He was looking back, waving at the wife and hit a telephone pole! Totaled the bike.

That hurts, I realy like the FJR too.

Tom

I had a guy at a dealership recomend to my buddy a R1 saying that since he weighed roughly 400lbs he wouldn't be happy with the power of a 600. He bought a Katana 600 and wrecked it turning into a parking lot. Which sucked cause I was only 5minutes behind him and missed hte fun and excitement.

And I also watched a salesman sell a VTX1800 to some 50 year old woman who probably weighed after eating a 10lb cheeseburger 90lbs.

Which I don't care what a salesman sells to someone. If some 18 year old squid comes in saying "I want a hayabusa so I can wheelie at 180mph" I'll tell him to "sign here". But people do come in and say "I'm new to riding and looking for...". The least they can do is recomend something decent.

Which I love their favorite sales line when someone asks "How much difference is there between a 600 and a 1000". They don't want to say it's stupid powerful so instead they say "It's as powerful as you twist your wrist". Sorry fucker but sneezing on a R1 and flicking your wrist can cause you to loop out.

Being 54 I try not to think about that too often, but it seems that age does make a big difference in how much damage you can survive. I read something about this. Two people with the exact same injuries and one is say 20 the other is 50, the older person is much more likely to die from it than the 20 year old. I guess that is why we get slow and careful when we get old.

I guess imagine if a bunch of 50year olds tried the shit they try on Nitro Circus. They'd for sure die.

I would say that if someone has ridden for, say, 10,000 miles without crashing or at least tipping over, then they probably ride too conservatively for my tastes.