[1 Thump]

I guess this is the best place for this news article on this forum :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/22/motorcycle-deaths-curbed-_n_548007.html

[Ice]

I will postulate this a contributing factor to the decline:  The unemployed automobile driver.

 Fewer commuters, reduced recreational or non essential driving, less teleconferencing while driving, etc.

[bob bezin]

i see more bikes on the road than ever .now these people who would be in a car are on a bike and less  likely to run into another bike.