Honda, Yamaha, Harley most stolen cycles

CHICAGO, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Motorcycle thieves, like riders, look for the newest, most popular makes and models.

Honda, Yamaha and Harley-Davidson bikes accounted for more than 60 percent of all motorcycle thefts in 2001, according CCC Information Services Inc., a Chicago-based firm that tracks automotive claims and repairs.

More than 61 percent of all motorcycles stolen last year were two years old or less.

Honda was the most stolen make of motorcycle accounting for 23 percent of all theft, followed by Yamaha with 20 percent and Harley-Davidson with 18 percent.

About 14,000 motorcycles were stolen last year, averaging10 motorcycle thefts a day.

The most stolen model was the Yamaha YZF-R6, a sleek, middleweight, 600cc sport bike capable of reaching 160 mph. CCC said 24 of the 25 most stolen motorcycles were made by Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki.

BMW cycles accounted for less than 1 percent of thefts.

"Similar to the motivation behind car theft, motorcycles may be stolen for the value of their parts," said Mary Jo Prigge, CCC president of sales and service. "Widely available models may most often be stolen for their interchangeable parts, while models that are not as readily available internationally -- such as those manufactured by Harley-Davidson -- may be stolen for their export value overseas."

A classic 1954 Harley FLH was the oldest motorcycle stolen in 2001 and 81 percent of stolen cycles 25 years old and older were made by Harley-Davidson.

Motorcyclists are getting older. The Motorcycle Industry Council says a typical rider in the United States is about 38 compared to 24 in 1980.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety last month said traffic deaths of motorcyclists have been increasing over the past five years -- partly because of weak or repealed helmet laws in some states -- while fatalities involving pedestrians and in other motor vehicle crashes have declined.

The Arlington, Va.-based insurance industry group said more motorcycle riders getting killed were in the 40s, 50s and 60s, with fewer deaths among cyclists in their teens and 20s.

The median age of a rider fatality was 36, up from 27 in 1990. The number of fatally injured riders age 40 and up reached 40 percent of all motorcycle fatalities, up from 14 percent in 1990.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have mandatory helmet laws requiring all riders to wear protective helmets, while Illinois, Colorado and Iowa have no helmet laws.