A motorcyclist and his male passenger who suffered critical injuries in a crash in Waihi on Saturday were believed not to have been wearing helmets.
The collision with a car occurred about 8pm an intersection that is a popular shortcut for motorists bypassing the town centre.
St John paramedics stabilised the men, aged 28 and 26, before they were airlifted to Waikato Hospital.
They were today both described as being in a serious condition in the hospital's critical care unit.
It was the second serious crash involving a car and a motorcycle since a motorcyclist was killed at the same spot nearly three years ago.
Police said initial indications were that neither man was wearing a helmet.
The crash occurred only hours after a motorcyclist in his 70s was killed in a crash with a car on State Highway 25 just north of Thames.
Waikato road policing manager Inspector Freda Grace said police were deeply concerned at the number of fatal motorcycle crashes this year and Waikato police were now gearing up for an operation targeting motorcyclists in the district.
"There is no single factor common to these crashes. It's a variety of things including not riding to the conditions and failing to take crucial safety precautions.
"We have many older riders who take their bikes out infrequently and they're not as attuned to their bikes as they once were. However, the bikes they're riding are more powerful than ever. This combination means they need to have a heightened level of awareness and make a concerted effort to keep their skills current," she said.
It beggared belief that some made themselves even more vulnerable by not maintaining their bikes to a safe standard, opting to forgo helmets or throwing other risk factors like inappropriate speed into the mix, Ms Grace said.
Motorcyclists could expect a heightened police presence on popular motorcycle routes across Waikato this coming weekend, she said.
