MSF Launches First-Ever Motorcycling Naturalistic Study

The first rider participating in the first-ever MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study rode off with a fully instrumented, data-logging bike from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) recently, marking the start of a year-long research project.

Each of the 100 bikes, routinely being ridden in real-world traffic, and equipped with an array of data acquisition systems, will provide comprehensive, real-time, near-crash, pre-crash and actual-crash information that is unprecedented in motorcycle research.

“Our priority with this research is to observe the participants on a day-to-day basis,” said Dr. Sherry Williams, MSF director of quality assurance and research. “We’re installing unobtrusive cameras and recording devices on the bikes so the participants soon forget they’re being recorded. We can learn a tremendous amount by just observing their normal, routine riding behavior.”

Sponsored by the MSF and administered by VTTI, the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study is the first of its kind. Similar to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and VTTI’s 100 Car Naturalistic Study, this groundbreaking research will track 100 participant-owned motorcycles for one year and approximately 500,000 total miles.

Each motorcycle will be equipped with extensive data acquisition systems, which include five color cameras, a GPS, accelerometers, gyro, forward radar, machine vision lane tracker, brake lever and pedal input, and more.

Three different locations will be used for outfitting, tracking and data collection from the 100 motorcycles over the coming year. In addition to VTTI in Blacksburg, Va., the other data collection facilities are the MSF headquarters in Irvine, Calif., and the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) in Orlando, Fla. These locations are ideal because they offer a variety of riding conditions and traffic densities.

“We are very excited about this pioneering research,” said MSF president Tim Buche. “In the United States each year, the vast majority of riders travel more than 25 billion miles collectively and they ride safely and without incident. But riders have not been scientifically observed in a natural setting. And this naturalistic study will allow us to learn from these riders and then incorporate those findings into our rider education and training programs and other safety countermeasures.”

The study will track two age groups each – one in the 21-to-34 age group and one in the 45-to-64 age group – on seven motorcycle models from five brands. Motorcycle types include sport bikes, cruisers and touring bikes.

For information about the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.