In 35 years in the newspaper business I bet I've written only one or two motorcycle crash articles. It's just the luck of the draw--somebody besides me was walking past the editor's desk when the story was being assigned.
How-some-ever, in every crash story (I don't like to use the word "accident" because they usually aren't), a reporter wants to learn as many as possible of the factors that contributed to the crash and the death, which might include alcohol, speed, road conditions, seat-belt use, the type of vehicle, traffic conditions and, of course, whether a biker was wearing a helmet.
Sometimes helmet use is relevant, sometimes not. If a helmeted rider dies in a 100 mph crash against a bridge abutment, a crash investigator might say "His head was fine but..."
A properly done news article will distinguish between risk factors that are not within the driver's control, like suddenly-appearing road hazards, and factors that are, like speed, drug/alcohol impairment, seatbelt use and of course helmet use.
Someone with a perverse sense of justice, and that includes some reporters, may feel that an un-helmeted or drunk driver "deserves" the consequences of his/her actions. In our saner moments, however, we are attempting to chronicle the circumstances that produced a result.
RIDE SAFE everybody! I don't want to write about you unless you're running for mayor.
Joe Sjostrom
Chicago Tribune