How does colour on your gear affect your safety?

[crazyhorse]

Generally speaking, those who wear fluros, are slower riders. Don't think it matters what you wear. although I never wear all black - black leathers, yes, but helmets, no. And both my bikes are coloured - easier to see than black. But, hey, each to their own.

As a thought, if you buy something coloured, and change bikes, would it clash???? i.e I have a yellow Sv, and a red jacket would not go well, however it would on the GSXR - just food for thought really

[p.dath]

heres a couple of net article that drew info from studies. I remember reading one a couple of years ago whilst doing research into motorcycle accident and injury profiles for a uni paper, there was little evidence as to why (and dispute over if) hi viz etc made a difference, however the idea was floated by those doing the study that the individual that wears this type of gear (bright helmets was the most significant as i recall) was inherently more likely to have a more safety orientated attitude, and therefore less likely to end up as a hood ornament.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/car...ycle-safe.html

Accidents were found to be significantly reduced by using motorcycle headlamps and by the rider wearing a high-visibility yellow, orange, or bright red jacket. The study did not identify a clear link between motorcycle color and safety. The report said the color is likely to be insignificant because the accidents were most often frontal, where little of the motorcycle color would be visible to the other driver. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields may improve visibility.

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf...-available.htm

One of the most interesting aspects of the report is not the type of motorcycle, or how many horses, but it's ..... the color of your bike. Yes... Black colored motorcycle have the highest accident rate, 24.8%!!!!!!!! The safest color you can get is Gold or Chrome (only 0.1%).

Thank you for this - it was exactly what I was looking for.

[jono035]

I wonder if the colour of the bike could be linked to rider attitude too? Dark colours appealing to more aggressive riders or something?

It's always hard with any study like that, separating all the variables out.

[bubs.65]

Just get a Harley! If they can't see you at least they will hear you! Heheheeh.
But seriously, I like to think that being taught to ride properly and doing a self defensive course goes a long way. I'm not experienced, only been riding just under 2 years but haven't had to put the bikes down because someone didn't see me. Have I just been lucky or have the above courses helped? I wear all black with a red/white graphic helmet.

[duckonin]

Just get a Harley! If they can't see you at least they will hear you! Heheheeh.
But seriously, I like to think that being taught to ride properly and doing a self defensive course goes a long way. I'm not experienced, only been riding just under 2 years but haven't had to put the bikes down because someone didn't see me. Have I just been lucky or have the above courses helped? I wear all black with a red/white graphic helmet.

You betcha those courses have helped, there is shit you learn in defensive driving classes,advanced driving schools that you will not use untill !!!!!!!! then it comes to the fore that is what it is all about..

No amount of learning is a waste of time, may u always enjoy safe riding..

[EroSamnin]

My theory is that people only see 3 things: sex, threat or food. If you are neither of those, they aren't going to see you, even if you are wearing a clown suit.

It's pretty hard for me to be sex or food when riding a bike so I try go for threat. People see bike riders wearing black as a threat because they are scarey biker people who will smash them at any opportunity. A black bike helps this image, the yellow hyobag I had made the problem worse, no one took me seriously on the road, cops wouldn't even pull me over when I was speeding!

So I wear matte grey helmet with tinted visor (more scarey) and a black jacket with camo pants on my Street Triple. I find that people tend to pull over a bit if they see me and if they don't see me they shit them selves when I pass them. I pass safely, I don't buzz them retardedly closely to scare them. I also try look like angry to increase the scare factor but still give a wave if someone gives me a bit of room.

Sure I probably can't be "seen" as much as someone in a high vis vest on a yellow bike but the truth is, people aren't going to see you anyway because they are looking for threats on the road. If you're not a truck, car or cop, then you're not a threat, unless you are an angry pissed off biker whos going to smash their mirror off for no reason.

Most of it comes down to riding defensively though, just keeping out of peoples way so they can't run you over. That way, even when they don't see you, you aren't there to be run over

One of the most interesting aspects of the report is not the type of motorcycle, or how many horses, but it's ..... the color of your bike. Yes... Black colored motorcycle have the highest accident rate, 24.8%!!!!!!!! The safest color you can get is Gold or Chrome (only 0.1%).

Isn't that mainly because the percentage of black bikes on the road is probably a lot higher than the percentage of gold/chrome bikes on the road? The gold/chrome bike guys probably only ride like once a year too incase it gets dirty where as the black bike guys got a black one because they were going to ride it every day and not baby it in the garage all year lol.

[slofox]

Isn't that mainly because the percentage of black bikes on the road is probably a lot higher than the percentage of gold/chrome bikes on the road? The gold/chrome bike guys probably only ride like once a year too incase it gets dirty where as the black bike guys got a black one because they were going to ride it every day and not baby it in the garage all year lol.

I wondered about that too....


My 2c worth: If a driver doesn't see your headlights and/or LED tail lights, he/she isn't gonna see what colour jacket you have on.

When all is said and done, you are your own best defence; by being aware, identifying potential hazards and planning what to do if they eventuate. Defensive riding FTW.

[caseye]

+1 for Slofox's thoughts/observations.

[balans]

From the: Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Volume 1: Technical Report, Hurt, H.H., Ouellet, J.V. and Thom, D.R., Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,

14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.

Link:
http://www.magpie.com/nycmoto/hurt.html

Quite alot of other interesting points in the finding so of this study too such as:

6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.

[Guzza]

One of the most interesting aspects of the report is not the type of motorcycle, or how many horses, but it's ..... the color of your bike. Yes... Black colored motorcycle have the highest accident rate, 24.8%!!!!!!!! The safest color you can get is Gold or Chrome (only 0.1%).

A study done here in NZ parrallels this. The study recorded the colour of vehicles involved in serious accidents over a given period of time and found
that silver cars were least likely to be involved while black cars were most likley to be involved.

I'm on the road doing metro deliveries all week and from personal observation looking from behind, the colour of the bike doesnt count for much but hi viz yellow (more than orange) jumps out from a good distance. That and a headlight on high beam.

[Vern]

Well I wear a fluro hi vis vest over my jacket and if people see me and think that I am a dork then that is there problem not mine, I have no problems with any other vehicles on the road but then I am not a fast rider. My wife is happy when I wear it so that makes for harmony at home. Vern

[balans]

My theory is that people only see 3 things: sex, threat or food. If you are neither of those, they aren't going to see you, even if you are wearing a clown suit.

It's pretty hard for me to be sex or food when riding a bike so I try go for threat.

I did a defensive driving course about a year ago. The instructor told us that the safest colours for cars were red and yellow. The reason he gave for this was that we have evolved to fear red things. For example poisonous animals and plants don't need to be camouflaged and are often red as a result. Whether this relates directly to bikes or not I don't know. But maybe looking like a scary 1%'er has the the same sort of effect?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

My theory is that people only see 3 things: sex, threat or food.

Black is subconsciously a threatening colour, people associate it with death... Black stands out against most colourful backgrounds... including buildings, rural settings as well. You could be butt naked or wearing Jacobs neon techno coloured jacket, but they still won't see you and you might as well wear Harry Potters Invisible cloak.

The best defense is thinking that every vehicle on the road has not seen you, including when they look you in the eye... simply back off that extra metre, and ride more safely yourself...

[GOONR]

I did a defensive driving course about a year ago. The instructor told us that the safest colours for cars were red and yellow. The reason he gave for this was that we have evolved to fear red things. For example poisonous animals and plants don't need to be camouflaged and are often red as a result. Whether this relates directly to bikes or not I don't know. But maybe looking like a scary 1%'er has the the same sort of effect?

McDonalds, red and yellow, yup I have a fear of that alright..

[TomJ]

I have similar thoughts to you regarding a brighter jacket. Moto GB Tauranga showed me the new Strada jacket with fluro stripes on the arms and across the front. The rear is mostly fluro, the rest of the jacket is black. It seems a good compromise between the 'cool' black look with some visability thrown in.

Moto GB recon jackets they sell to the typcal Kiwi are generally black.