The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and its supporters partnered with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to collect data from 100 active motorcyclists.  This occurred over a four year period and the data was collected during operation via onboard video and onboard GPS.  This motorcycle study collected data from male and female motorcyclists aged 21 – 79 years old while they were operating the most common category of motorcycles.  Some motorcycle crashes and motorcyclists’ evasive actions were captured in the study.

Further statistical analysis is being completed, with current published statistics from the study including:

  • The average motorcyclist operated their motorcycle 4300 miles per year.
  • The average motorcycle speed for a trip was 31.2 mph.
  • There was no statistical difference in the average trip speeds between motorcycle types (cruiser, sport, touring).
  • There was no statistical difference in the average trip speeds between genders.
  • 22 crashes were captured, with 16 of the 22 being low-speed ground contact.
830 Engineering is a forensic engineering firm that completes motorcycle crash investigations, motorcycle crash reconstruction, vehicle crash investigations and vehicle crash reconstruction. Erin Higinbotham, P.E. is a motorcycle expert and vehicle expert.