I used to live with a guy who rode motorcycles; his opinion was that everybody in the country should be required to ride a bike for one month out of the year, in rotation. This would have several Malthusian effects on our roads:
- People would really start watching out for motorcycles.
- Smart people who didn’t know how to ride would stay the hell off the road during their month.
- Stupid people who didn’t know how to ride would no longer be a threat to anybody.
- More economical.
- Lots more parking.
Another friend of mine thought that was too limiting, and that everybody should switch to bicycles.
I have some impractical friends…
An airbag for a motorcycle?!
Hmm… I don’t quite understand and can’t quite visualize the concept. An airbag prevents you from impacting the dashboard, which a motorcyle doesn’t have. And I don’t think restraining the rider onto the bike would help in an accident (in fact, I think it would generally make things a lot worse).
So you’d, what? Have some kind of explosively-fast inflating suit for the rider to wear? Neat idea, but I don’t see it being practical in the near future.
I ride a Honda Pacific Coast. It is an 800. My mileage average right now is 51 mpg. Why do I ride it? Because it nearly doubles my fuel economy over my car, and it saves me $75 a month in insurance (the bike is worth more than my car… make your own conclusions). Also, it gvies me a bit of an adrenaline surge because of the danger when on a freeway full of car drivers that don’t pay attention to anything around them (carryover from a job change that leaves me begging for excitement). It is not a chick magnet (depending on the type of chick) and impossible to look like a “bad boy” on. My bike is not an “image bike”.
I think more people would ride bikes if it weren’t for the additional risk, the perceived complication of it, and for the comfort level. This morning it was 36 degrees (F). I was a slight bit chilly going to work. A lot of people would rather be able to drive to work in a t-shirt. If it’s raining, I put on a rainsuit. Yes, I have a couple of months where I can’t ride it, but to me the benfits outweigh the risks. I’ve been down twice, due to road conditions, but that’s part of the risk.
As JohnnyLA said, it CA they allow lane splitting aka whitelining. That was a HUGE advantage in traffic jams. Where I am now, it is illegal, so I get no time advantage. If there is one thing I miss about CA, that is it.
My motorcycle insurance is $75 per year. 
In an attempt to answer the OP, the only thing I can say is that, in Vancouver at least, the bureaucrats and public officials in charge of transportation policy, buses, and public transportation…
get a monthly car allowance.
Another view…
Most people cannot realistically expect to drive (yes, DRIVE, not “ride”) their motorcycles EVERY day to commute. Storms, high winds, snow, ice, etc.
Hence, one would need an auto (or some other enclosed vehicle) or access to other transportation.
I, for one, will NOT be riding my motorcycle during Cleveland winters, thankyousoverytoomuch!