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Safety Study: Is Your Bike Eligible?

S Smith

S Smith

Northeast Area Director
Member
Is Your Bike Eligible?

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) are seeking participants for a ground breaking study involving motorcyclists (see http://www.motorcycle.vtti.vt.edu).  As crash rates for most road users in the United States have been decreasing over the past decade, motorcyclist injuries and fatalities have been increasing.  With your help, the MSF Naturalistic Study of Motorcyclists will advance our understanding of motorcycle riding in the context of surrounding conditions including weather, the roadway, and other roadway users.

We are looking for participants within approximately one hour ride from one of three locations; Irvine California, Orlando Florida, and Blacksburg Virginia.  As a participant, you would ride as you normally do for a year with sensors and cameras installed on your motorcycle. VTTI has over 10 years experience installing sensors on vehicles and later removing them without damage.  The data are encrypted as they are collected and data are kept confidential.  Some compensation is provided for participation.

The current study is recruiting riders of:

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200c          2004-2011
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide 2008-2011
Honda Gold Wing GL1800 2001-2011
Honda Rebel – CMX250 all models
Kawasaki Ninja ZX600, ZX-6R 2009-2012
Suzuki GSX-R1000 2009-2011
Yamaha VStar XVS650A 2005-2011

More information on the current study is available at link shown above.  If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact us by phone at 1-800-997-7836, or email us at motorcycle@vtti.vt.edu. 

Note: If you do not ride one of the listed motorcycles, but know a fellow rider who does, please pass along this request. If you do not ride one of the listed motorcycles, but are interested in participating in future motorcycle related studies, please contact us.

We sincerely appreciate your consideration and hope that you will be a part of this or other studies.
 
I wonder if they factor in the psychological effect of knowing your actions are being recorded...or if that is even possible...
 
BigJoeVA68 said:
I wonder if they factor in the psychological effect of knowing your actions are being recorded...or if that is even possible...
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If the research were for a limited amount of time on a closed course, people may alter their riding habits and ride more "textbook."  But given that the equipment will be mounted for 1 year and you will be out within your normal environment, it is reasonable that after a short period of time your riding tendancies will be unaffected by the data recording.  Certaintly, as part of the program, they will ask that you ride as you normally do so as not to affect their reserach goals.

Sounds like a great research program.
 
Yeah, you'll forget all about it in a couple of weeks - much the way you don't think about the fact that the GPS in your cell phone is tracking your every step.  I don't own any of those bikes, but it certainly does sound as if the survey would generate some valuable data.
 
Why only those bikes? 4 cruisers, two sport, one touring, two beginners (both cruisers)  Not very representative if you ask me. Granted cruiser sales still make the majority, but maybe not the miles ridden.

And yes the riders will be influenced by any data collection gear on the machine.  I can only assume the Harley riders will have a disproportionate amount of stops at taverns and Harley shops with lots of gawking and talking about their chrome and new accessories. The Goldwings, dairy queens and people with patchworked vests and matching colors, the Rebels with pictures and data of everything else (and I mean everything else!) on the road passing them by. The Ninja, GSX and V-Star well, that'll be the meat and potatoes of the real riding data.  ;)
 
I believe this is the study they talked about on the SideStand Up podcast (http://www.sidestandup.com) on July 26th, 2011 episode.  This topic starts at about the 1 hour, 25 minute mark in the show.

Dr. Sherry Williams discusses lots of details about what they will instrument, why they chose the specific models of motorcycles, as well as a bit about the psychology of a rider knowing they they are riding an instrumented bike.
---
Wayne.
http://www.MyPowerCouple.com - remodeling and home repair in the Lowell, MA area
 
I live close enough, I just don't own a bike on the list, or I'd inquire.

I feel discriminated against!  ???
 
I am interested to hear the results....

As crash rates for most road users in the United States have been decreasing over the past decade, motorcyclist injuries and fatalities have been increasing.
Click to expand...

However, I would also be interested if this is not the function of the other people on the road, espcially in the scary increase in 'distracted driving'
 
MizzouMike said:
I am interested to hear the results....

As crash rates for most road users in the United States have been decreasing over the past decade, motorcyclist injuries and fatalities have been increasing.
Click to expand...

However, I would also be interested if this is not the function of the other people on the road, espcially in the scary increase in 'distracted driving'
Click to expand...

I'm sure it's part of the issue, but with gas prices and money woes, there are more people resorting to two wheels and more inexperienced riders are likley contributory factors.  And by no means am I trying to start an argument here, but relaxed helmet laws may also play a part. 
 
There certainly are a lot more riders out there these days.  I think it's a great thing, though it does bring with it the learning curve which all drivers have to experience.  Though I'm disappointed to note that my C10 isn't on that list, I think the group of bikes they picked is actually pretty representative: three big-bore cruisers, a middleweight and a lightweight, and a middlewight and big sport bike seem like they'll cover a wide swath of riders.  Most people who participate in this will likely have only a brief time on their bikes when they sign up, though they may well have lots of motorcycling experience.

I can see why they don't pick the C10 - I've got almost ten years of experience on the C10 and, though they've actually been four different machines, in many ways they're all exactly the same bike!

You've got to start somewhere.
 
MizzouMike said:
The wouldn't pick a C-10, everyone knows that we are not right in the head to begin with... :))
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I guess I'll have to take your word for it, Mike - you're obviously speaking from experience!

Atchison, Kansas
2003 Concours "The Red Foxx"
2005 Yamaha Tour Deluxe "Gertie"
AMA, COG, IBA
^-^
 
6811f34e-e190-42b6-9b3e-b290424808d2
 
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