Comments on: 2008 ODOT Crash Report: A Summary For Motorcyclists

By: LifeOn2Whls

LifeOn2Whls — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:15:26 +0000

The one thing always missing from these reports are the total number of registered vehicles in the state. Although accidents may have increased, the ratio of accidents to registered motorcycles may have actually fallen…or risen for all we know. I looked through the 300+ page report and didnt see anything but I could have easily missed it. That’s the one thing I’m always bothered about when I see news reports, etc…they just give the raw numbers without any comparison.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:24:11 +0000

Thanks so much for posting this. I need to go through the numbers carefully but a quick look shows that a lot of the accidents fall in the category that can be affected by better decision making by riders whether speed, position or drinking to name a few. Steve Williams Scooter in the Sticks

By: Dean W

Dean W — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:10:40 +0000

Mike- I’m not sure how long it’s good for, but in Oregon a m/c permit only allows you to ride with a licensed rider, so probably wouldn’t be useful as a method to operate a motorcycle “legally” the way it is in some states (guessing SC is one of those?) After a permit expires, the operator has to take the test again, so it’s not a simple “renewal”.

One thing to keep in mind is 2008 was the year of $4/gallon gasoline. I don’t know how many Oregonians started riding in 2008, but TEAM OREGON saw a 23% increase in riders trained that year (~7700 in 2007; just shy of 10,000 in 2008) . Seeing total [reported] crashes jump doesn’t surprise me- seeing the fatality rate remain flat is encouraging.

Of course, for motorcycles, “reported” crashes is always a suspect number. The ones that get reported are when an officer shows up, or someone crashes hard enough that they can’t afford to fix the bike (FSVO “fix” meaning “make it ridable”) out of pocket.

By: John G

John G — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:56:03 +0000

I’m in NC and I went straight to MSF and got my motorcycle endorsement. I hear the law in my state is 1 year permit where you cannot have a passenger. I think you can only renew 1 time, but I think it used to be unlimited.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:53:38 +0000

How do motorcycle permits in your state work? Here in SC the permits are good for 1 year. There are no restrictions on how many times you can renew the permit. About 80% of riders don’t have a license. They go back to the DMV and renew the permit every year to avoid taking the test. I have heard this is going to change. Only one renewal will be allowed. Of course SC also has the god given right to not wear helmets.