Answering this is almost as bad as trying to answer the question what is safer a corvette convertable or a Jeep?

If you put an experienced rider on either bike, scratch that, not even experienced but you put somenoe with respect for the road, respect for life (theirs and those around them), someone who uses the bike for transportation, the love of the ride, the experience of the ride, and someone that respects the speed limit then you are as safe on one as you are on the other.

 

Sport bikes are safer because if you are sitting still on one and lose your balance...they are light enough that you can catch them before they fall over and break your leg.

 

I'm too lazy to read all the posts, but in case no body has mentioned that when comparing one would also need to consider how many sports bikes are on the road vs the number of cruisers on the road.

 

Actually, the nice thing about Harley's is that the gas tank is just the right height and shape that you can wedge your knee under it and stop any sideward fall with leverage and next to no strength. Of course, you have to catch it in time...

 

Cruisers are ridden by survivors of their rice rocket days IMHO.

 

Are cruisers safer than sport bikes?......NO

 

I feel safer on my sport bike. I can get of jams real fast if needed. Speeding up and stopping on a dime if necessary instead of 50 feet to stop on an 800 pound bike. Definately feel safer tho on the sportbike. Tho the Harley is loud, I've still had people literally next to me who don't realize I am next to them...unreal.

 

I've accumulated 50,000.0 miles on sportbikes and less than 10,000.0 miles on cruisers
I'm Still Alive.

It's the rider, not the machine.

 

If anyone can figure out how to work the queries (talk about complicated) the new FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) site does break accidents down by make/model.

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/

 

Safety is all in the rider, the type of bike makes no diference whatsoever