As a motorcycle rider, it’s no secret that your lifestyle places you at a higher risk on the road than someone driving a car. That said, you can take measures to improve your safety and make sure that every ride is fun and safe. Have a look below to see five motorcycle safety tips that you should keep in mind if you want to have many more rides in the future.
1. Always Wear the Right Gear
While you may feel as though the sun is too hot for you to get into safety gear, never make the mistake of setting out to ride without your gear. From the helmet to the boots and gloves, every part of motorcycle safety gear has an important role to play. This is because you’re essentially an extension of your motorcycle’s body and you must ensure you’re adequately protected. Note that there are roughly 90,000 injuries and almost 5,000 deaths from motorcycle crashes in the United States every single year. For some of these, you can bet that the rider neglected to set out in the right gear, so don’t make the same mistake.
2. Inspect Your Motorcycle Regularly
Next, it’s a good idea to thoroughly inspect your motorcycle on a regular basis to ensure that it’s in a good state. Every single time before you ride, give your cycle a brief inspection so that you know you’re on a safe machine. This inspection should cover the tires, the chain if your bike has one, and the levels of oil and coolant. When you’re sure that these are all in a good state, then you can set out and ride confidently.
3. Avoid Distractions
As is the case with driving a motor vehicle, you need to avoid distractions while you ride on your motorcycle. It’s important for you to avoid distractions while on a motorcycle because there’s an extremely small margin of error allowed. Unless you’ve come to a stop and you’re fully aware of your surroundings, then you shouldn’t attempt to make or receive phone calls. In 2019, for example, 41% of drivers were distracted by their phones as they drove during the day.
4. Ensure You Have the Right Bike
To minimize your risk of getting into an accident while you drive, you should make sure that you’re setting out on the right bike. It should be the right size, have the right weight, and have a power-to-weight ratio that you can manage more easily. Riding the right bike will make it easier for you to remain safe on the road and get the safest experience time after time. If you decide to upgrade your bike, consider the details above as well to make sure that you’ll be comfortable and don’t need to get on a steep learning curve.
5. Consider Taking a Riding Course
While you already know how to ride, it’s a good idea to take a riding course and improve your riding skills even more. When you take a course, you may actually learn about road safety facts that you didn’t know about. These may not be technical, but they can come in handy when you get into a situation in which you need to get a legal viewpoint. For example, you may learn that the most filed insurance claims are damaged auto glass and windshield, making up almost 30% of all auto insurance claims.
Keep these five motorcycle safety tips in mind and you’ll improve your lifestyle and safety considerably. You’ll also be better able to keep your expenses low as you may need to make fewer fixes and repairs when you keep your motorcycle in a good state.
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