July 2, 2006 - Motorcycle Theft Report
Courtesy of Progressive Insurance
Progressive Insurance reports the following statistics, based on claims:

Most Likely to be Stolen:  1. Suzuki GSX-R; 2. Yamaha YZF-R; 3. Suzuki Hayabusa; 4. Honda CBR; 5. Kawasaki ZX-R.

Least Likely to be Stolen:  1. Suzuki Savage; 2. BMW R1200C; 3. Yamaha Virago; 4. Honda Nighthawk; 5. Triumph Bonneville.

Most Likely to be in a Crash:  1. Suzuki GSX-R; 2. Suzuki TLR; 3. Kawasaki ZX-R; 4. Honda CBR; 5. Yamaha YZF-R.

Least Likely to be in a Crash:  1. Yamaha Virago; 2. Honda Rebel; 3. Honda Nighthawk; 4. Suzuki Savage; 5. Harley-Davidson Tour Glide.

Background
Progressive reviewed claims data on more than two million motorcycles insured over the past three years to determine the likelihood of a motorcyclist getting into an accident or having a bike stolen.  The analysis focused on the 89 U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 and higher.

The study found Honolulu riders are most likely to have their bikes stolen, even though it's the 53rd largest metropolitan area.  In fact, a motorcyclist in Honolulu is four times more likely to have a bike stolen than is a motorcyclist in Chicago or Detroit, which are the third and seventh largest metro areas in the country, respectively.

Similarly, though Baton Rouge ranks 75th in population, it ranks third when it comes to the likelihood of a rider experiencing a motorcycle crash.  And a motorcyclist in Philadelphia, the country's fifth largest metro area, is 36 percent less likely to have an accident as one in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metro area, which is the 47th largest.

One metropolitan area where the statistics are more in line with what you might expect is New York; it ranks number one both in population and in the likelihood of motorcycle collisions.  And, while three metro areas rank among the most likely for both thefts and collisions (New York, Norfolk-Virginia Beach, and San Diego), only one — Cincinnati — ranks among the least likely for both.