Crash rider was Geelong man, 27

A MAN killed in a horrific motorcycle crash has been remembered by mourners.

The Whittington man, 27, died when he crashed into a sign while riding a motorbike on Portarlington Rd, Leopold, about 7.45am on Thursday.

The man sustained fatal injuries in the crash and died at the scene.

Victoria Police confirmed a passer-by came across the crashed motorbike and called triple-0.

On Friday, mourners left floral tributes at the site.

An unnamed witness told the Geelong Advertiser the motorbike looked like it had caught fire after the crash, and “was in a bad way”.

The crash happened on a Portarlington bound stretch of highway, between Moss and Kensington roads.

Victoria Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.

The death marks the region’s second motorcycle fatality this week, after a man was killed and a woman critically injured during an accident at Charlemont on Tuesday.

The woman was flown to The Alfred hospital. On Friday, she remained in hospital in a stable but serious condition.

Assistant commissioner for road policing Glenn Weir said the surge in motorcycle accidents was likely due to the rising cost of living.

“We believe that rising fuel costs, increasing prices of cars and public transport avoidance are all factors that have led to an increase in motorcycle riding,” he said.

“Concerningly for police, October to December is historically one of the highestrisk periods for motorcycle trauma, however we are already trending well above previous years.”

It comes as Operation Scoreboard is set to ramp up its road policing across the state during the AFL long weekend.