B62 near Netphen: Motorcycle ban possible at the Applauskurve

• The accident commission is to discuss further measures at an extraordinary meeting, and a ban on motorcycles has not been ruled out.
• In 2026 there have been at least five motorcycle crashes on the section so far, and a 28-year-old rider died in August.
• A 70 km/h limit and a no-overtaking rule already apply, and according to media reports police run checks almost every weekend.

The B62 between the Netphen district of Afholderbach and the Hilchenbach district of Lützel in the Siegen-Wittgenstein area has been known locally as a motorcycle road for years. The police themselves describe the twisty section as a popular route among riders. One bend in particular is well known: for a long time it has been unofficially called the Applauskurve, the “applause bend”. That is exactly where crashes keep piling up, along with the bends just above and below it. By mid-September 2026 alone there had been at least five, one of them fatal. Police and local authorities are therefore looking at what should happen to the road next.

What is the accident commission planning for the Applauskurve on the B62?

The accident commission is to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss possible further restrictions on the section. Whether this will end in an outright ban on motorcycles is still open.

The authorities have not yet named a date for the meeting. Nor is it known which specific measures are on the table. What is clear is that pressure on the responsible bodies is growing, because the number of serious crashes remains high. This puts the B62 near Netphen on the list of roads in Germany where restrictions for motorcyclists are currently being debated.

Which rules already apply on the B62?

A 70 km/h speed limit already applies on the section, along with a no-overtaking rule. According to media reports, police now check the road almost every weekend.

The Siegen-Wittgenstein district police stress that they have “always had their eye” on the road, which is popular with motorcyclists. On the weekend before the fatal crash in August they were still running speed checks there. During a special motorcycle check in July 2025, officers spent several hours in the area of the Applauskurve. Besides speed measurements and technical inspections, they also talked to riders about crash risks and protective gear. In good weather, up to 50 motorcyclists sometimes gather at the bend.

Which motorcycle crashes happened at the Applauskurve in 2026?

Since April 2026 there have been at least five motorcycle crashes on the section, with one death and several seriously injured riders. In several cases the police cite excessive or inappropriate speed as a possible cause.

On the evening of 22 April, a 41-year-old car driver heading from the Kronprinzeneiche towards Afholderbach wanted to turn left onto a farm track. Because of the low sun he apparently did not see the oncoming motorcyclist. The 25-year-old from Lennestadt hit the passenger side, was thrown over the car and suffered life-threatening injuries. According to the police, he was probably riding at a speed not suited to the conditions. A rescue helicopter was deployed, and the road stayed closed for almost six hours. Police estimated the material damage at around 35,000 euros.

A crash on 4 July ended more lightly. A 39-year-old rider from Kreuztal lost control just past the Applauskurve coming from Lützel, ran onto the grass verge and hit the crash barrier. The motorcycle broke into two pieces. The rider was wearing good protective gear and was only slightly injured.

Fatal crash in August

On 11 August at around 6:55 pm, a 28-year-old motorcyclist from Siegen was riding his Yamaha downhill from Lützel towards Afholderbach. Just past the Applauskurve he crashed in a long right-hander and slid into the oncoming lane. An oncoming 36-year-old Skoda driver saw him and tried to swerve, but could not avoid the collision. The motorcyclist died at the scene. The Yamaha’s fuel tank ruptured, sparks from the slide set the bike on fire, and it ended up in the woods and embankment next to the road. The fire brigade quickly put out the fire.

The Skoda driver and his 34-year-old passenger were unhurt. Emergency counsellors looked after them, two first responders and two motorcyclists who had been riding with the 28-year-old. A specialist accident investigation team from Gummersbach secured the evidence, and the B62 remained closed until about 1:30 am. Police put the damage at around 40,000 euros. According to their preliminary findings, inappropriate speed and a possible riding error probably caused the crash.

Two more seriously injured riders by mid-September

On 30 August at around 7 pm, an 18-year-old female rider heading from Afholderbach towards Lützel lost control in a bend and crashed. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Just under two weeks later, on 12 September, a 25-year-old rider from Recklinghausen was out on a tour with his father. According to the police, coming from Afholderbach he lost control in a left-hander below the Applauskurve due to excessive speed and hit the crash barrier. He was seriously but not critically injured.

How are crash figures developing on the section?

On the B62 between Afholderbach and Lützel, the number of injured motorcyclists has recently risen, while it has fallen in the rest of the district. This is shown by figures from the Siegen-Wittgenstein district police.

In the first half of 2025, seven motorcyclists were injured in crashes on the section. In the first half of 2024 the figure was three. Across the whole district, by contrast, the number of injured motorcyclists fell from 26 to 20 over the same period. This opposing trend stood out to the police, who then stepped up checks and prevention work on the road. One of the 2025 crashes was a fall in April: a 21-year-old lost control above the Applauskurve and hit a crash barrier, suffering serious injuries. It later emerged that he had no licence and his motorcycle was not registered. The police have not yet published an overall figure for 2026.

How does the motorcycle scene see the debate about the B62?

In the regional motorcycle scene, the debate about a possible closure is meeting with strong criticism. A long-time local rider considers a closure excessive and speaks of a deliberate campaign against motorcyclists.

For many motorcyclists in the Siegerland region, the B62 is more than a link road. According to the police, the Applauskurve was a meeting point for the scene especially in earlier years, where riders and spectators regularly gathered. The rider, who says he has been riding the road for 45 years, used it for years on his way to work and has been riding there since his youth, describes it as a meeting point for the entire regional motorcycle scene. He says it has been that way for more than 50 years. In his view, a closure would be a disaster for this scene.

He considers the crash figures manageable and a closure therefore unjustified. He sees the current debate as the result of a “smear campaign” which, as he puts it, is being driven by individual residents and parts of the regional press. He finds the coverage of the road unfair. He also says that residents now position themselves along the road with cameras. They allegedly photograph motorcyclists and then post the pictures online with derogatory comments. These accounts cannot be independently verified. Even so, the scene’s message is clear: a closure of the road must be prevented. How the accident commission assesses the situation will only become clear after the special meeting.

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