MIDDLE aged motorcyclists buying high-powered bikes are crashing in increasing numbers.

The number of riders aged 40 to 49 being injured on Dorset's roads went up from 20 in 1996 to 48 in 2006.

The findings mirror national trends as men hitting midlife buy powerful sports bikes and ride on dangerous rural roads without much experience.

The figures have just been revealed by new statistics from the Department of Transport.

The number of riders aged 40 to 49 nationally being killed or seriously injured went from 709 to 1,282 over the same period, despite an overall drop in motorcycle accidents.

Paul Rouse, 52, a computer engineer, and website manager for Christchurch Cruiser Club, said: "Unfortunately, one always gets into this trap with high powered machines."

He said middle-aged people may get into sports bikes to be one of the boys'.

"The problem is sports bikes are not very conformable until you go about 65mph and get some uplift to take the weight off as you lean forward. That's when it gets exciting and when people get stupid.

"They are designed for the track and not the road.

"When people have had enough of these sports bikes they are often into using cruisers like Harley Davidsons."

Alf Stearn, from Purbeck and District Motorcycle Club, 68, a retired agricultural contractor from Swanage, said he rides a sports bike for the looks but only uses "one third of the power."

"There are people now with disposable cash, and biking at the moment is almost a fashion thing," he said. "I think accidents are probably more down to lack of experience than speed."

David Short, a former police motorcyclist and campaigns manager for Motorcycle Action Group, said "born again" bikers should take advantage of free lessons from the charity BikeSafe.

Sgt Steve Oliphant, from Dorset Police, said the force had been making headway with the problem since first noticing it three to four years ago.

He said left hand bends appeared to be a particular problem, and several roads had been re-engineered.