The terms motorcycles and powered two-wheelers (PTW) are often used interchangeably. Motorcycle usually refers to all two-wheeled vehicles with an engine, but it can also be used exclusively for vehicles on two wheels with a combustion engine of more than 50cc or an electric equivalent. PTW is a more recently adopted term used to refer to all motorized two-wheeled vehicles with a design speed of more than 25 km/h. This can lead to confusion as it is not always clear what is meant with the word motorcycle or powered two-wheeler, particularly in studies and reported statistics.

The types of motorcycles and PTWs, including the terms used, can also be unique to countries and regions. Across the world, terms such as scooter, moped and e-bike may all refer to a type of powered or motorized two or three-wheeler that fits the conventional definition in terms of power and speed, but in other places they do not. Sometimes, but not always, three-wheeled vehicles are included. This inconsistency in terminology leads to difficulties in comparing data from different sources. In the context of road engineering, the terms twin track vehicle and single-track vehicle are occasionally used to reflect the fundamental design differences between motorcycles and other motor vehicles. Throughout this paper the term ‘motorcycle’ is used to cover all forms of powered two wheelers (PTW) with an engine and a design speed of more than 25 km/h from the smallest mopeds, through scooters to the largest sports and touring machines.

Acronyms

• ACEM – European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers
• ARRB – The Australian Road Research Board
• CARE – Community database on road accidents (EU)
• CRS – Centre for Road Safety (Australia)
• EDSP – Motorcycle Protection System Euskirchen Plus
• EU – European Union
• EV – Electric vehicles
• FEMA – Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations
• FSI – Fatal and serious injury ratio
• G – G force
• GDP – Gross domestic product
• GIDAS – German in depth accident study
• HIC – High income country
• ICE – Internal combustion engine
• IMMA – International Motorcycle Manufacturers’ Association
• iRAP – International Road Assessment Program
• ITF – The International Transport Forum
• KSI – Killed and Seriously Injured
• LMIC – Low income country
• MAIDS – Motorcycle accident in depth study
• MIP – Motorcyclist impact padding (discontinuous MPS)
• MPS – Motorcycle protection system
• NHTSA – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• NZTA – New Zeeland Transport Agency
• OECD – Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
• PTW – Powered two-wheeler
• SMC – Sveriges MotorCyklister (the Swedish Motorcyclists’ Association)
• SRN – Strategic road network, UK
• TEN-T – Trans European Road Network
• UNECE – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
• VRS – Vehicle Restraint System
• WHO – World Health Organization

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY IN FIGURES
CHAPTER 3. GLOBAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL GUIDELINES ON MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
CHAPTER 4. WHERE DO MOST INCIDENTS AND CRASHES OCCUR?
CHAPTER 5. ADDRESSING MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
CHAPTER 6. ROAD SURFACE FRICTION
CHAPTER 7. THE NEED FOR ROADSIDE SAFETY ZONES
CHAPTER 8. BARRIERS AND MOTORCYCLISTS
CHAPTER 9. GUIDANCE BEFORE CURVES
CHAPTER 10. RECOMMENDATIONS
APPENDIXES
REFERENCES
TERMINOLOGY AND ACRONYMS
WORKING GROUP INFORMATION

Download the report as a pdf file.