MADAWASKA – An 18-year-old Frenchville man was killed instantly on Friday night when the motorcycle he was operating went out of control, throwing him off the machine.

Robert Cyr was dead at the scene, just east of the Frenchville-Madawaska town line. Police think that speed and inexperience caused the accident at a site where there is a right-hand curve while climbing a hill.

The accident happened at about 11:42 p.m., Police Chief Ronald Pelletier said Saturday morning.

According to Pelletier, Cyr was heading east on Route 1 when he lost control of his speeding 2001 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.

The motorcycle struck a guardrail on the north side of the road, throwing Cyr from the bike. It careened up the hill, striking the ground and going back up on its wheels several times before stopping near the “Welcome to Madawaska” road sign.

Police believe Cyr was killed on impact. He was not wearing a helmet. Because of the severity of the crash, Pelletier did not think a helmet would have saved Cyr’s life.

Cyr, who graduated from Wisdom High School in June, did not have a license to operate the motorcycle, which belonged to John Thibeault of Veazie.

At the time of the accident, Thibeault was in the Kmart parking lot in Madawaska with a friend from Sinclair.

Police did not know Sunday how and why Cyr was using the motorcycle. Thibeault, according to investigator Sgt. Carroll Theriault, was visiting with his friend, and the motorcycle had been trucked north for some local trips in the St. John Valley.

Police did not have an estimate of the speed involved Saturday. They have requested that Maine State Police Troopers Tim Saucier and Robert Flynn re-create the accident to gather more information. Results were not available Sunday.

Pelletier said there were no witnesses to the accident. People driving by within minutes of the incident reported the accident to police.

Pelletier said area residents reported hearing a loud noise at the time of the incident.

Madawaska Fire and Rescue, Madawaska Ambulance and the U.S. Border Patrol assisted at the scene during several hours through the night.

Theriault and Officer Luke Dyer of the Madawaska Police Department are investigating.