fuel tank leads to pelvic injuries / Motor News / BikePost

Motorcycle safety has evolved a lot over the past few decades. Most people are accustomed to wearing a helmet and other equipment – this has become the norm. Electronic systems have evolved to help motorcyclists maintain control even in unexpected situations. However, at least one area remains that has not been extensively explored or evolved in terms of security. We’re talking about a fuel tank.

In a typical motorcycle accident, a motorcyclist hits an obstacle in front of him. The bike usually stops abruptly, and the motorcyclist continues to move – the laws of physics cannot be fooled. For many reasons, motorcyclists do not have seat belts like cars do. The biker’s body continues to move even if the motorcycle comes to a sudden stop after hitting an obstacle. The fuel tank is the first thing a biker encounters when the bike stops abruptly.

Neurobiological studies in Australia have shown that the shape of the tank directly affects the severity of lower-waist injuries. In particular, a tall and wide gas tank has the most negative impact and most often leads to perineal injuries. In this context, tourenduros and dual sports such as the Honda Africa Twin are the most prominent examples.

Cruisers are the next category of motorcycles with a high risk of pelvic injury. To our surprise, sports bikes are much safer in this regard. The main reason is the recumbent position. Now sports bike fans can argue about the safety of their vehicles with enduro or cruiser owners!

Of course, the above is just a small part of the study. Other studies describe the fact that more and more motorcyclists are wearing the right equipment, but at the same time, overheating in the equipment remains a big problem. In principle, everyone knows about this, while the design of the tank and its effect is much less talked about.