The Subculture of Motorized Two-Wheels

And how it could be significantly better and larger
By Nick Ienatsch, CRS CEO

Fun. Freedom. Transportation. Thrills. Therapy. Competition…just a few reasons we join the subculture of motorcyclists. The reasons vary per rider… and even vary per ride.Motorcycling can be a practical and inexpensive solution to daily transportation in the form of scooters, or a world-level racing class in the form of million-dollar MotoGP bikes. Between scooters and GP bikes are thousands of variations on the two-wheeled theme, aimed at catching the eye of riders and future riders, no matter what their reason to ride.

Increasing Risk

Behind every reason to ride lurks risk. Not the risk of hitting a tennis ball into the net or missing the game-winning goal…risk of serious or fatal injury. America has averaged approximately 4900 motorcycle fatalities for the past five years (Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Federal Highway Administration), putting a number to the risk most riders know is there.

And this risk puts motorcycling in a relatively unique subculture for several reasons.

1-A motorcycle is inherently unstable and will fall over if unattended by a person, wall, kickstand, etc. Once the bike is straddled, the onus of safety falls almost entirely on the rider.

2-The faster the motorcycle is ridden, the higher the risks. Distance is covered more quickly and the loads on the tires become higher and closer to the tires’ ultimate traction: the edge of traction becomes narrower.

3-The outside influence of poor/inattentive four-wheeled-vehicle driving greatly affects the risk levels of street-riding motorcyclists. When a car and a motorcycle collide, the motorcyclist is almost always significantly more injured.

The Bike and Rider are Poorly Matched

A rider’s risk is decreased significantly by the technology available in the modern motorcycle. Current bikes can be purchased with Anti-Lock Braking (ABS), Traction Control, Wheelie Control and varying power modes, all adjustable at the handlebar.

As these technologies increase and improve…ABS in a corner, for example…we could logically expect a decrease in rider injuries and fatalities.

But we aren’t seeing that logical decrease because rider skills and approaches are not keeping pace with bike technology. Most riders learn from a family member or friend. Many new-rider schools present theories and approaches that are provably flawed and become more and more flawed with speed. Even some large riding schools follow riding approaches that vary significantly from expert-level habits. In all these scenarios, poor information is passed from rider to rider.

Yes, the motorcycles are consistently improving but rider education has not kept pace. Even the best tool is unsuitable for a job if handled incorrectly. Motorcycles are a tremendous tool to meet all the reasons we ride, yet risk remains high because riding-skills knowledge and mastery remain so low. The answer isn’t to increase rider education; the answer is to improve rider education. Bad information taught to more people will not reduce riding risks.

A Subculture of Therapeutic Joy

Done well, enthusiast-level motorcycle riding has been described as “helmet therapy”. The rider is alone, sealed off and protected from the world with high-tech gear, involved in an all-consuming passion that combines physical action with laser-like mental focus.

The awareness of risk heightens the focus. The challenge of controlling a powerful and inherently unstable machine to within millimeters of a chosen path leaves the rider with a drug-like high at ride’s end. The satisfaction of controlling speed and direction through throttle, brakes and steering addicts us like few sports can. The social circle of enthusiast riders is tight and upbeat, sharing the joy and challenge of two-wheeled travel. It’s one of life’s greatest subcultures, but you’ve got to survive it.

My Personal Heartbreak

Street-bike riding in America is not growing. Sales of street bikes are stagnant or shrinking. The experts huddle and blame the kids for not wanting to take risks, discuss the aging of the current riders, site bike and insurance costs being too high, that there aren’t enough beginner bikes in the showrooms.

I’ll agree with those arguments but add another perspective that I can prove in 10 minutes with a motorcycle and some room to ride. Motorcycle riding is not growing because many riders have a flawed understanding of motorcycle handling dynamics, and that misunderstanding is either taught or propagated in our industry. The two main locations where riders are dying or being hurt…running wide in corners and impacting other vehicles in intersections…are directly tied to the misunderstandings that permeate the American riding community.

Who is this know-it-all? you might ask. I can provide a biography but know this: I’m the guy who is extremely upset with what his happening to my passion, my livelihood and my social world. We can’t hope to retain new members in our subculture if those new members are hurting and killing themselves. Because our subculture includes significant risk, the steps to success must be correct or we will continue to stagnate. Because our subculture gets riskier with speed, the steps to success must be exact from the moment a rider decides to ride.

The necessary changes to improve and increase our subculture are clear, explainable and implementable. One might wonder why this implementation isn’t taking place.

Nick Ienatsch
Yamaha Champions Riding School, CEO