Why the Fatality Rate for Older Motorcycle Riders Is Climbing

According to analysts at Bernstein, 18- to 28-year-olds today are just two-thirds as likely to ride motorcycles as Xers were at the same age. While the analysts say that student-loan debt is depressing motorcycle ownership, a much bigger factor is Millennial risk aversion.

On that note, Harley-Davidson (HOG) is trying to drop its bad-boy image as its brand popularity wanes with young people. 

So, what kind of motorcycle would appeal to Millennials?

Maybe something like a Vespa--something friendly, sociable and brightly painted. And maybe something less like a Harley-Davidson--that is to say, a black-colored, ear-deafening, angry-looking death machine.

Key Insights Back when Boomers were young, riders under age 30 accounted for the vast majority of motorcycle fatalities. Now that Boomers are becoming seniors, the fatality rate for riders over age 50 are higher than any other age group.

The Boomer death wish is aging with them. God speed.The following statistics are from DOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

this chart is rather illuminating