Do you wear high-visibility gear? If not, is it because you feel it looks awkward, doesn’t match your bike’s style, or you’re worried someone might call you a “Highlighter” or a “traffic cone”?
Recent focus groups with riders across the country reveal that, like many people, motorcyclists are often influenced by appearance and peer opinions. While some riders doubted the effectiveness of high-visibility gear, most of the reasons for skipping the neon came down to style and wanting to fit in — though rainy weather was a notable exception.
This study, part of a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) program, explored why high-visibility gear remains underused by riders, despite its potential safety benefits. The study suggests that riders often care more about their appearance than about the potential safety benefits of bright, attention-grabbing colors.
The study conducted 18 focus groups in Los Angeles, Ann Arbor, Austin, and Rockville, grouping participants by gender and bike type. Groups included men who ride cruisers, standards, touring, and sport bikes, women who ride all types of motorcycles, a group of mixed scooter riders, and one group of women passengers (no male passengers were recruited). After completing a survey about their gear preferences, participants were shown high-visibility gear and asked for feedback.
Though preferences varied by motorcycle type, certain trends stood out. Male cruiser and standard bike riders generally preferred leather over textiles, which they felt suited sport bikes more. Many questioned high-visibility gear’s effectiveness, choosing instead to rely on louder exhausts, brighter lights, and riding techniques to improve visibility. According to the study, many cruiser riders avoided high-visibility apparel simply because it didn’t fit the “cruiser style,” which leans toward black leather rather than bright colors. However, reflective materials, which stay dark in daylight but shine at night, were more acceptable.
Among male sport bike riders, 23 percent reported wearing high-visibility gear at least some of the time, making them the most open to it. Still, most preferred gear with small color accents rather than full neon. Riders who wore high-visibility gear sometimes earned disparaging nicknames like “Highlighters” or “traffic cones,” and were often perceived as older or overly cautious.
A group of male touring riders was similarly resistant, with only one of 33 regularly wearing high-visibility gear — and experiencing frequent “hassling” for it. Four groups of women riders across the four sites were not divided by motorcycle type, as their numbers were smaller, but they were generally more open to wearing high-visibility gear than male groups, although the colors were often viewed as unattractive.
Scooter riders also mostly avoided bright colors, feeling high-visibility wasn’t essential for urban, lower-speed travel.
Two opinions were consistent across all groups: most preferred gear that incorporated just a “pop” of color rather than large neon blocks, and most were willing to use high-visibility rain gear. As one sport bike rider put it, “When it’s raining, fashion goes out the window.”
Participants offered a few ideas on how to increase high-visibility gear use, such as celebrity endorsements or requiring manufacturers to add some high-visibility elements to all gear, reasoning that if everyone had to wear it, no one would feel singled out.
The study highlighted that riders’ preferences varied more by bike type than by location. This might be changing, though; in my area, I’ve noticed an increase in cruiser riders donning fluorescent T-shirts, especially among middle-aged riders.
So, what do you think? Do these focus group findings align with your own experiences? If you avoid high-visibility gear, is it because it doesn’t look “cool” or do you believe it’s not effective? Let the unmoderated focus group begin!
