THE US GOVERNMENT appear to be taking seriously the spiralling number of motorcycle-related deaths amongst American servicemen - using former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz to speak at a host of road safety seminars.
In his lectures, Schwantz refers to his racetrack battles, but emphasises there's a time and a place for riding fast:
"They were battles fought on the racetrack. It may look intense but it’s actually a very controlled environment. And that’s nothing like the battles our brave service personnel are fighting. For the military sportbike riders we’re talking about today, the real battleground is right here at home - on the streets.”
In 2008, 25 Marines died on motorcycles — compared to 22 killed in hostile action in Iraq. Pentagon sources say a rising trend started in 2004, when seven Marines died on bikes.
