Published: August 03, 2008 10:09 pm         

Motorcycle sales continue to increase

Riders say high gasoline reason for buying bikes

If you could purchase a machine that could get you to and from work while averaging 50 to 85 miles a gallon and is nearly half the cost of a car or truck, would you want to buy one?

“I was getting about 12 miles a gallon with my full-size pickup truck,” said Larry Cochran of Mount Hope. “My new motorcycle gets an average of 65 miles a gallon.”

Cochran says it cost him over $100 a week to drive to and from work using his truck, but he only spends about $12 a week using his motorcycle.

“I’m saving enough in gasoline to pay for the bike and insurance,” he said.

Josh Harvey of Cool Ridge wanted to save on gas riding to and from work, but he had no motorcycle experience.

“I had never ridden a motorcycle in my life,” he said. “I thought it might be a challenge, but it was very easy to learn to ride.”

Harvey said his car got about 26 to 28 miles a gallon.

“My motorcycle gets about 75 miles a gallon,” he said. “That’s a huge difference. It’s enough savings to pay for both the bike and the insurance. Plus I get to look ‘cool’ riding it.”

Paige Ward, owner of Untied Cycle on Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley, says the more gas prices increase the more people are turning to motorcycles and scooters as an option to deal with it.

“Motorcycles and scooters have become far more mainstream and motorists are becoming more and more aware of them on the roadways,” Ward said. “They are being more accepted as a form of transportation and recreation, and regarded as cool machines to own and collect. We don’t know from any formal study that $4 for a gallon of gas helped boost sales, but we have been answering lots of mileage-related questions, and better fuel economy gives people yet another reason to buy and ride. Why throw your money away on gasoline? You can invest in a motorcycle, save that money and have a lot of fun. I believe that numerous people are now using motorcycles to commute to and from work. We have many employees do it as well, including myself.”

Ward says motorcycle service and parts sales, as well as motorcycle safety equipment, are also showing large increases in business.

“People are repairing and fixing up bikes that have been sitting in their garage for years used,” he said. “They are bringing them to us to get them up and running. Everyone is looking for a way to save money from these high gasoline prices.”

Ward says 800 cc and below types of motorcycles are the biggest sellers.

“We have completely sold out of the dual purpose bikes,” he said.

The dual purpose bikes are popular with coal miners, says Greg Hopkins, a salesman at United Cycle.

“Many miners have to travel on-road some and then off-road some to get to the coal mines they are working at, so these types of motorcycles are very popular with them,” he said. “Some of those bikes can get up to 80-plus miles per gallon of gasoline.”

Ward says United Cycle has ordered a large quantity of 2009 dual purpose bikes to meet the increasing demand.

“The small street bikes are selling well and the Ninja 250 cc bikes are also a big seller,” he said. “The Ninja 250 sells for around $4,000, has low maintenance costs, low insurance costs and gets around 75 to 80 miles a gallon.”

Hopkins says those buying motorcycles today are not the crowd one might think.

“This is the first year I can remember that we have seen so many women coming in and buying motorcycles,” he said.

Hopkins joked that in the past married men would have to talk their wife into letting them buy a motorcycle.

“With these high gas prices, men have another great reason to give to their wives for buying a motorcycle,” he said. “The money they save on gasoline is enough to pay for the bike.”

Motorcycle riding has become more popular in recent years, appealing to a new group of enthusiasts consisting of older and more affluent riders, according to federal government statistics.

Nationally, sales of all types of two-wheelers reached about 1,158,000 in 2006, a level not seen in about 30 years, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Motorcycle and scooter sales keep growing, having posted the 15th consecutive year of rising U.S. numbers in 2007.

“Motorcycles and scooters are a great deal and great gas savers,” Ward said. “You can get a new motorcycle with payments as low as $79 a month.”

Ward adds that motorcycle insurance is widely available.

“As motorcycles became more popular, more insurers entered the market,” he said.

Federal insurance information shows that now most of the top 10 auto insurers offer motorcycle insurance, either as an endorsement to a personal automobile policy or as a separate policy.

With more motorcycles on the roadways, the number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities is also up, according to statistics. The number of motorcycle fatalities in 2006 was the highest since 1981, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The federal statistics show a dramatic jump in the number of deaths among motorcycle riders age 40 and older in recent years. Riders age 40 and older now account for about half of all motorcycle rider fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From 1997, a historic low, to 2006, motorcycle fatalities rose 127 percent, the statistics show. In 2006, 88,000 motorcycle riders were injured in accidents, 1,000 more than in 2005 and up 60 percent from 55,000 in 1996.

In contrast, fatalities among young motorcycle riders have declined in the past 10 years, relative to other age groups. In 2006 fatalities in the under 30-year-old group dropped to 32 percent from 45 percent in 1996. Fatalities among motorcyclists in the 30- to 39-year-old group fell to 21 percent in 2006 from 26 percent 10 years earlier.

Wearing a motorcycle helmet can make a difference, according to safety officials.

In 2006 motorcycle helmets saved 1,658 lives, according to statistics. NHTSA says that if all motorcyclists had worn helmets, 752 more lives would have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, sponsored by motorcycle manufacturers and distributors, works with NHTSA, state governments and other organizations to improve motorcycle safety through education, training and licensing.

Since 1973 about 3.2 million motorcyclists have taken MSF training courses. The organization also works with the states to integrate rider safety and skills in licensing tests. It also promotes safety by recommending motorcycle operators wear protective gear, especially helmets, ride sober and ride within their skill limits.

Bob Tipton, director of the state’s Highway Safety Program, says there have been 20 motorcycle fatalities in West Virginia so far this year.

He says the West Virginia Motorcycle Safety Program offers motorcycle rider courses developed by the MSF and taught by MSF-certified, professional instructors.

“These courses are approved by the state, and graduates are exempt from the requirement to take the state riding skills test for motorcycle license endorsement,” he explained.

According to state law, all unendorsed riders must obtain a temporary motorcycle instruction permit prior to attending class. All applicants are required to have a valid West Virginia driver’s license and be 16 years of age or older. Classes are filled by prepaid advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Students having any physical impairment prohibiting them from operating a motorcycle safely may not be eligible for a motorcycle license.

Training is conducted at various locations throughout West Virginia, Tipton said.

The current fee for the safety class is $100.

Tipton said safety tips riders are taught include riding the size motorcycle that you are capable of handling, always wearing protective gear, never drinking and riding, and always being aware of other motorists.

“You also get a discount on your insurance from participating companies if you take the safety class,” he added.

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