Motorcycle Safety Tips That Could Help Save Your Life

When it comes to riding a motorcycle, safety is the highest priority. May is Motorcycle Awareness Month and there are campaigns that go on throughout the month to spread awareness about motorcycle safety. Everywhere you look there are bumper stickers that say “look twice save a life” or “watch out for motorcycles”. Knowing how to stay safe while riding is important because in the end it could prevent an accident or save your life.

Take a motorcycle riding course.

Motorcycle riding courses are not only beneficial to beginner riders, but they are just as important to experienced riders. It never hurts to brush up on your riding skills. Many dealerships offer motorcycle riding courses, so when you are purchasing a new bike you can find out more information about what they have to offer.

Wear proper riding attire.

It is important that you are wearing proper riding attire when you are on a motorcycle. The well-known saying is “dress for the slide, not the ride”. Wearing proper riding attire will help prevent road rash if you get in an accident. When choosing proper riding attire you want to make sure that all skin is covered. Motorcycle leathers are great to wear because they offer the right amount of protection. Many different pieces can be made out of leather including jackets, pants, gloves, boots, goggles, and back protectors.

Make yourself visible.

You want to make sure that you make yourself visible to drivers on the road, especially at night. Wearing bright clothing with reflectors will help make you more visible in a driver’s headlights. You can also put reflective decals on either your motorcycle or clothing to add more visibility. Making yourself visible is an extra safety measure you can take to make sure you are seen by other drivers on the road.

Wear the right helmet.

Wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle is a great way to protect you in the case of an accident. It will help protect your brain, face, and even your life if you were involved in a serious crash. It is important that you choose your helmet based on safety, that it is certified by the Department of Transportation, and that it has eye protection.

Keep everything in good working order.

Check your motorcycle’s vitals before hitting the road. You want to make sure you have enough gas in the tank before going on a long ride. It is also important to check your lights, horn, brake lines, and chassis to make sure everything is working properly.

Take the weather into consideration before going for a ride.

Before you head out riding you want to check the weather conditions in the areas that you will be riding too. If it is raining, then that is an obvious sign that you should wait to ride another day. You always want to check the hourly forecast to see when bad weather conditions might pop up. It is better to check ahead of time than to be stuck somewhere because of bad weather.

Ride safely.

Don’t tailgate or weave in and out of traffic. It is illegal and very dangerous. Make sure that you have enough room between you and the car in front of you so that you have adequate stopping distance in the event of a sudden stop. This will also help you be seen by the driver in front of you. Don’t sit next to a truck because they might not be able to see you, and will run you off the road if they try to change lanes.

Ride on the defense.

When riding a motorcycle you should be riding defensively at all times. You never know when a distracted driver will come over into your lane, or will try to pass you thinking they had enough room. Car drivers are distracted with passengers, loud music, and often being on their cell phones. You should ride defensively by distancing yourself from vehicles and keeping in mind an escape route just in case you can’t stop in time.

Be careful when riding with a passenger.

When you are riding with a passenger, you need to take their extra weight into consideration. To be fully aware of how this extra weight will affect your ride, you can take a test ride down a back road or quiet street to get familiar with it. This will help you become more aware of the change in riding conditions before you jump on a highway.

Read the owner’s manual.

It is important that you have read the owner’s manual for your bike. You want to make sure that you know the ins and outs of your bike, the location of all of the controls, and how it responds in different road conditions. If you don’t have one or cannot locate it, you can easily search online for a replacement. It is better to be aware of all of the feature’s on your bike than to get caught in a situation where you don’t know what to do.

Riding a motorcycle is a feeling like no other. There are many reasons why many bikers enjoy riding a motorcycle, but if you aren’t taking precautions when it comes to safety it could cost you your bike, your life or someone else’s life.

Do you have anymore motorcycle riding safety tips? Drop them in the comments below.