Motorcycles have been increasingly targeted for theft, according to the newly released National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) 2021 Vehicle Type Theft Report. Motorcycle thefts are up 26% and continue to climb during the summer months… August has been the hottest month yet, with almost 6,000 cycles swiped in the first three weeks.
“We’ve seen surges in thefts of all types of motor vehicles throughout 2021, and motorcycle thefts are no exception, especially in the summer months,” notes David Glawe, president and CEO of NICB. “The economy, supply chain issues and the value of precious metals and vehicle parts have certainly played a consequential role with skyrocketing crime during the year. Motorcycles are expensive and more difficult to secure than other vehicles, making them prime targets for thieves.”
Despite a 3% decrease from 2020 to 2021, motorcycle thefts are still up 26% overall from 2019. Of the nearly 1 million total vehicles stolen last year, 51,291 of them were motorcycles. The top 10 motorcycle manufactures most frequently stolen in 2021 accounted for 78% of all stolen motorcycles in 2021. Leading the pack was Honda (10,282), Yamaha (8,185), Kawasaki (5,904), Harley-Davidson (5,811), and Suzuki (4,890). Of those almost 52,000 motorcycles stolen, less than half have been recovered with the NICB study indicating that only 42% were found.
California leads the nation once again with 9,345 stolen rides. Not too far behind is Texas (4,263), Florida (3,698), New York (2,662), and Washington state (1,947).
The NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $582 billion in insurance premiums in 2021, or more than 82% of the nation’s property-casualty insurance. Click here for more details:
