What percent of people ride...Any idea?

[forza110]

Hey guys, I have a question because i am swamped with school-work i don't have enough time to get the best, most accurate research, but how many people do you think ride motorcycles in our country (U.S) and of that number, what percent would be wearing a full-faced helmet?
thanks

[Slide Panda]

Asking us and the best you'll get is a WAG.

Email the AMA - I'm sure they have info like that. At least the number of riders or % of the population

[SDRider]

Google search came up with approximately 10 million registered motorcycles in the US in 2009.  So figure that's about 3% of the population. 

In states with mandatory helmet laws nearly 100% of riders wear a helmet.  In states without mandatory helmet laws around 50-60% of riders wear a helmet. 

I'm not sure how it breaks down by full face vs half helmets.  Based on observation, I'd say that most sportbike rider wear full face helmets.  Some cruiser riders do too but the majority wear half helmets.

[ducpainter]

According to the Bureau of Transportation statistics there were 6,678,958 registrations in 2006

[forza110]

thanks for the info guy. I am working on something. i have blue prints of an idea for a helmet alert-system for radar detection. I have my idea specifically patented. My next thread will be a poll of how many riders would wear something like this. some early feedback from you fellas wouldn't hurt haha

[forza110]

...and yes i know they have been invented before but i think i potentially have a better set up...

[sgollapalle]

# of registered m/c doesn't really give you a picture of percentage of riders. Probably 70% of riders have 2+ bikes, and may be about 20% have 4+
It doesn't give you the exact picture, but you get the idea...

[Desmo Demon]

According to the Bureau of Transportation statistics there were 6,678,958 registrations in 2006

# of registered m/c doesn't really give you a picture of percentage of riders. Probably 70% of riders have 2+ bikes, and may be about 20% have 4+

In 2006, seven of those were mine.

[SDRider]

# of registered m/c doesn't really give you a picture of percentage of riders. Probably 70% of riders have 2+ bikes, and may be about 20% have 4+
It doesn't give you the exact picture, but you get the idea...

70%?  Out of all the friends, co-workers and acquaintances I have who ride, probably 40 or so people at least, I can only think of 6 who have more than 1 bike (we're talking registered street bikes).  I've had 2 bikes at a time but only after buying 1 and selling the other within a month or 2.  I'd love to have more than one bike but it just isn't in the cards right now.

[Desmo Demon]

70%?  Out of all the friends, co-workers and acquaintances I have who ride, probably 40 or so people at least, I can only think of 6 who have more than 1 bike

Very, very few people I know have more than one bike, but I know at least six of them that have 10-30 bikes but usually only 2-5 of them registered at any given time.

[sgollapalle]

70% was just an arbitrary number I threw out there.. But, I think it is a pretty large % And I'm no statistician!

[ducpainter]

70% was just an arbitrary number I threw out there.. But, I think it is a pretty large % And I'm no statistician!

When you become a statistician...

let us know how close your 70% number was.

[OT]

He did punctuate the 70% with a question mark  

Which qualifies him as a television news anchor or weather forecaster....


BTW - Forza110, try Motorcycle Safety Foundation for your answer.