I think he might be saying that older sport bike riders tend to have more crashes as opposed to older riders of other bikes (like STs and Goldwings etc.) types.
Totgas and Alan have nailed it, so let's not get our knickers in a knot. Here's some quotes from the report, with my highlights....
Sportsbike riders, in particular older riders, have greater odds of being involved in serious injury crashes than riders of other types of bike
and
Apart from older sportsbike riders, the study found that the older the rider, the lower the odds they were in a crash. However older riders who crashed had significantly longer stays in hospitalIt should come as no surprise that older riders, perhaps with slower reactions, and riding sports bikes, are at an increased risk, particularly since age does not always equate to experience and skill. Similarly we older riders who ride tourers and not sports bikes as alluded to in the second quote, have
lower odds of being in a crash. The finding that older riders who land in hospital stay there for longer should be expected, since we would take longer to recover and heal than an 18 year old. Overall, I am encouraged by the report, and it supports my belief that older riders on touring bikes are not accidents waiting to happen, but are probably some of the safest road riders around. We don't ride, fueled with adrenaline and a need to scorch past the bike or car in front, but inspired with a desire to come home safe, having seen and experienced what this great country has to offer. Bloody car drivers need to "skill up" and increase their overall level of surveillance, and we need to ensure we ride within our own skill level, and with a continuing high level of surveillance and care. I'll get off my soapbox now.
