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QUICK FACTS

  • Only 16 states require training and education for novice motorcycle operators.
  • The economic value of motorcycling in the U.S. was about $27 billion in 2007.
  • According to 2003 statistics, the average motorcyclist is 41 years old, married, college educated with a median household income of $55,850.
  • There were nearly 6.7 million registered on-highway motorcycles in use during 2006.
  • Thirty-one states have modified helmet laws, providing for freedom of choice for riders ages 21 and older.
  • Approximately 40,000 new motorcycles were registered in the state of Florida, one year after the state repealed some portions of its mandatory helmet laws to allow those age 21 and older to ride without a helmet. The purchases brought the state an estimated $400 million in revenue.
  • More than 500,000 people attended Bike Week in Daytona Beach in 2001, the first year after helmet laws were modified in the state. These tourists brought in approximately $270 million into the local economy.
States where motorcycle helmets are optional