With Power Comes Responsibility: Motorcycle Engine Power and Power-to-Weight Ratio in Relation to Accident Risk

Abstract

Objective: Current European legislation allows the EU member states to restrict the maximum power output of motorcycles to 74 kW even though evidence supporting the limit is scarce and has produced mixed results—perhaps because motorcycle performance has been measured by engine displacement, not engine power, in most of the previous studies. This study investigates the relationship of motorcycle engine power and power-to-weight ratio to risk of fatal and nonfatal crashes in Finland.

Methods: The fatality rate (number of fatal accidents/number of registered motorbikes) for riders of different ages riding bikes belonging to different power and power-to-weight ratio classes was examined using a comprehensive in-depth database. Data on nonfatal accidents were acquired from a Web questionnaire (N = 2708), which also served as a basis for estimating riders' annual mileage. Mileage data allowed the calculation of accident risk per kilometer ridden for bikes differing in power and power-to-weight ratio.

Results: The fatality risk per number of registered motorcycles and per kilometer ridden increases both with power and power-to-weight ratio, independently of rider's age. No relationship between performance and risk of a less severe crash was found. The pre-accident speed of the most powerful bikes was 20 km/h or more over the speed limit in a large proportion of the fatal accidents (odds ratio = 4.8 for > 75 kW motorbikes; odds ratio = 6.2 for > 0.3 kW/kg motorbikes).

Conclusion: The risk of being involved in a fatal crash is higher among the riders of powerful motorcycles. However, it is not clear whether the results are related to the riding habits of the riders that choose the most powerful bikes available or whether the high risk is due to the properties of the bikes themselves. Therefore, further research is needed before considering legal limits on motorcycle performance.

Keywords:

• Motorcyclist
• Power
• Power-to-weight ratio
• Accident
• Fatality
• Legislation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research at hand was funded by the Finnish Vehicle Administration (AKE), the Henry Ford Foundation, and the Traffic Safety Committee of Insurance Companies (VALT). The data on fatalities was provided by VALT, and data on nonfatal accidents and on annual mileage were based on a questionnaire published on the Internet in the fall of 2008. The authors thank all the financiers and especially the questionnaire respondents.