Recent Motorcycle Theft Statistics:  See below for recent statistics on motorcycle theft rates.  The National Insurance Crime Bureau says that motorcycle theft rates have increased over 135% in the past 5 years, with approximately 70,000 motorcycles stolen in 2006; Suzukis and Sportbikes seem to be the most targeted by thieves  |  Summarized information on motorcycle theft rates; if you have more recent information or know of good sources, please email us at the address at the top of this page.

- Highest risks of motorcycle and moped theft were in Denmark and England and Wales, where 4% of owners were victimized. Motorcycle theft in Japan is also relatively high at 3%.

- The U.S.A., with a 2005 population of 295,734,134, reported approximately 44,000 motorcycle thefts in 2001.  The small size and portability of motorcycle parts (and possibly the active custom motorcycle market in the U.S.A.) means that the parts can be reused, resulting in a low recovery rate of approximately 25% to 30% when compared to the automobile recovery rate of 65% to 70%.  Motorcyclists also report that the Police don't seem to place the same emphasis on recovering stolen motorcycles as they do for stolen automobiles.

- The U.K. had a 2005 population of 59,830,000, and reported a motorcycle theft rate of 37 per 1,000 registered motorbikes in 2003, compared to 39 per 1,000 in 2001

 

- The number of motorcycles stolen in the U.K. has risen from 48,412 in 2001 to 50,591 in 2003 but the number of registered motorcycles on the road has also increased, from 1,247,688 to 1,360,874.

 

- Mopeds and scooters are the most stolen two-wheeled vehicles in the U.K.

U.S. Motorcycle Theft and Accident Rates

The National Insurance Crime Bureau announced the top ten states for motorcycle thefts in 2005. They are, with theft totals in parentheses, as follows:

1. California (9,110) 2. Florida (6,324) 3. Texas (5,755) 4. North Carolina (3,053) 5. Ohio (2,573) 6. Arizona (2,464) 7. New York (2,195) 8. Indiana (2,186) 9. Georgia (2,159) 10. Pennsylvania (2,021)

Nationally, 70,613 motorcycles were stolen in 2005 which is a slight decrease from the 71,108 stolen in 2004.  This represents a loss of over $434 million to motorcycle owners and the insurance industry.

With recovery rates typically in the 25-30% range nationally, motorcycle owners need to take every precaution in protecting their investments.

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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.

The rankings in the following tables are based on a relative scale, with 100 representing the national average. (So, for example, in the table showing the metro areas in which a motorcycle is most likely to be crashed, New York would rank 71 points above the average.)

U.S. Motorcycle Accident and Theft Rates