The death and serious injury of adolescent motorcyclists is a major public health problem. Effective preventive strategies depend on knowledge about target populations. The attitudes and patterns of exposure to motorcycling of 730 13 year old New Zealand adolescents are described. Fifty-two per cent could ride a motorcycle, a further 13% intended to learn, 22% had driven on-road, and 60% had ridden as pillion passengers on-road. Significantly more males than females were riders (P less than 0.001) and had ridden as pillion passengers (P less than 0.05). More male than female non-riders intended to learn (P less than 0.001). Eighty per cent of the sample recognized road 'accidents' as the main cause of death for their peers, and 31% had known a motorcyclist killed or injured. Seventeen per cent of on-road riders had not worn a helmet when last riding. Few statistically significant differences in risk perception were obtained between males and females or riders and non-riders. Preventive options are discussed.