Riding a motorcycle has an unmistakable aura of romanticism. Avid motorcyclists will tell you there’s nothing like hurtling down the highway on the open road on two wheels, with the wind buffeting your entire body and fewer obstructions. But, if you’re not careful, that thrill can be dangerous. You need to ensure you’re safe even when you’re on two wheels!
More motorcyclists mean more opportunities for horrendous, two-wheeled calamities. But a lot of motorcycle accidents can be prevented, and there are precautions that can help reduce the severity of injuries if you wrecked on your motorcycle. Keep reading to find out what these tips are!
Gauge Your Mood
Motorcycles aren’t toys for the absentminded or angry. Without the protective glass and metal that comes with driving, say, a semi- or a truck, your primary shield against harm is a clear mind. If you feel very distracted, emotional, sick, or just tired, it’s better to leave the bike in the garage until you find your own happy spot again. Otherwise you’re much more likely to make a tiny mistake that could have enormous consequences.
Drive Slow
It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of the motorcycle experience with the highway rolling just below your boots. But bringing back to the speed of light on the throttle and rocketing is, we’ll say, a rather unsafe rush. Slowing down and staying on speed with the traffic around you is a great survival strategy. If you need speed, join a race club and get your adrenaline acceleration fix on a course that is closed.
Peacock Your Way To Safety
Other passenger vehicles by far outnumber motorcycles. One reason so many motorcyclists die is because other drivers just don’t see them. Motorcycles are so small they slip smoothly into blind spots and many drivers just don’t pay attention to them. Both facts doom some motorcyclists to devastating crashes.
Have as much visibility as possible. Most motorcycle stores sell safety jackets with high-visibility neon colors and reflective stripes that stand out much better than black leather jackets. Consider installing a headlight modulator on your motorcycle. This device makes your headlight flash fast, almost like a strobe light, and catches other drivers’ attention, even in bright daylight. Being gaudy might just keep you alive!
Practice Panic Mode
Motorcycling is a pretty easy task on good days when everyone on the highway is driving in a safe and friendly manner. But those days are rare, which means you have to dodge other vehicles often to avoid a wreck. In a car, you can quickly spin a steering wheel when panic strikes, and slam on the antilock brakes. However, motorcyclists must twist their bodies and strike a balance between braking and steering to avoid collisions and also to avoid sliding or flying over the handlebars. Those maneuvers do not come to most riders naturally.
That means you need to practice emergency braking and steering-obviously in an empty parking lot. Repetition trains your body and mind to control your motorcycle’s significant heft, regardless of the situation. And more riding time means that you, too, are more familiar with the whole bike.
Keep these tips in mind and ride safe!
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