Motorcycle route audits using an instrumented motorcycle

The Queensland Motorcycle Safety Strategy 2009–2012 outlines the government’s direction to address motorcycle safety over the next four years. An important element of this strategy is a $20M funding commitment for targeted safety enhancements on routes on which motorcyclists are over-represented in crashes, particularly those involving single-vehicle, loss-of-control crashes and crashes where roadside objects have contributed to the severity of injuries sustained.

To assist with this work and to enable better understanding of the risks encountered by motorcycle riders, an instrumented motorcycle has been developed. The data collected from the bike will be used to improve knowledge of the dynamic behaviour of motorcycles, rider’s behaviour, as well as to assist with the development of countermeasures. In the longer term, it may also have potential to assist with development of design standards that are more cognisant of motorcycle performance characteristics.

This paper outlines experience with the acquisition and development of the instrumented motorcycle, and experiences to date using the bike to undertake road safety audits. This paper does not report on any in-depth findings from the data collected by the instrumented motorcycle, although this will be documented as more routes are audited.