Motorcyclists accounted for 2,472 of the 41,611 people killed on America's roads in 1999-about 6 percent of the total. No one knows exactly why older cyclists are dying on the road in greater numbers, although inexperience, overconfidence, and alcohol consumption may all play a part. So can the tendency among older riders to embark on all-day road trips, which exposes them to the hazards of the highway for longer periods. Or it could be demographics, pure and simple - the sheer number of baby boomers saddling up for the first time or returning to the sport after a long absence. That has prompted a rapid ''aging'' of the motorcycle population.
Statistics also indicate that older bikers are more likely to drink alcohol before riding.
The drunken driving rate for motorcyclists of all ages is much higher than for drivers of cars and light trucks. The rising death statistics for older riders comes at a time when baby boomers are more enamored than ever with the romance of the motorcycle. That figure is up almost a billion from 1998, and it's more than double of what is was in 1994. Talk about a booming industry. The rest of the money came from sales of used motorcycles, parts and accessories, and service labor.