2Wheeltips

Guest post by Gina Williams

Photo courtesy of motorcycle-leather-gear.com

Taking up riding a motorcycle isn’t a difficult decision.  They’re awesome and they’re even more awesome to ride.  However, before you really begin riding, you need to know the risks riding a motorcycle entails and the safety precautions you must take.
According to the National Highway of Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 11 percent of all accidents in the United States involve a motorcycle.  Below is data from the U.S. Census Bureau:



This data is disturbing considering that, according to NHTSA, there are over 39 passenger vehicles for every motorcycle on the road; thus, motorcyclists’ fatality rate is disproportional to the number of motorcyclists on the road. 
After understanding the dangers, you must understand how to remain safe on the road.  Here are safety tips you should take seriously if you take up motorcycling:

Take a motorcycle safety course.

These are a combination of classroom hours and supervised application of those teachings on motorcycles.  Each course differs in material and instruction, but usually students are taught:

• The basics of operating a motorcycle, e.g. how to take road curves, how to properly mount the bike, etc.
• Safety basics, e.g. which equipment to wear, precautions one must take, etc.
• What you are lawfully responsible for as a driver, e.g. the laws of the road.

Take your time learning.

After your motorcycle safety course, don’t just jump on the interstate immediately.  Ensure that you are fully comfortable driving your vehicle at all stages; begin first with neighborhoods, next with rural roads, then small highways, and so on.  Work your way up just as you did when you were learning how to drive a car.

Wear the appropriate motorcycle gear.

You must wear the proper motorcycle equipment when riding; it will protect you from the weather (rain literally feels like needles) and from getting hurt in the event that you do get into an accident.  The good thing is that motorcycle gear looks pretty cool.  You’ll need a riding jacket and pants, riding gloves, and boots that cover your full feet and ankles.

Follow driving laws.

Excessive speeds, lane splitting, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are all well-known causes of motorcycle accidents.  Following driving laws is imperative; even if you have full control of your vehicle, doing any of these things could lead other drivers to react in a way that endangers your life and theirs.

Be aware of everything around you.

Pay attention when you’re driving.  Constantly check all around you for reckless drivers, drivers who may not see you (a common cause of motorcycle accidents), and hazards in the road.  Do not let yourself be distracted by your cell phone, music player, etc.  When you’re driving, your only concern should be driving.

Gina Williams is a guest post and article writer bringing to us safety tips for beginner motorcyclists.

Gina spends the majority of her professional life writing about  motorcycle accidents.

Well it finally happened.  I knew it would eventually - statistics rarely lie, and I am a new rider after all.  I dropped my bike.  Nothing damaged but my pride, thank goodness.  It happened at a stop during my commute home yesterday, and it was the highlight of what turned out to be a really bad ride.

The drop happened when I came to a stop at an intersection on a left-curving road.  In hindsight, I was way too casual about braking smoothly, and I underestimated how much the left-leaning camber of the road would affect my balance and left foot plant.  By the time I realized it, the bike was down.  I got it back up pretty quickly, and a nice guy even pulled his car over and got out to see if I was OK (a fellow rider, perhaps?). 

But like I said, that was only the highlight.  The entire ride seemed riddled with mistakes - rolling on and off the throttle too abruptly, jerking the handlebars around instead of using smooth counter-steering, braking erratically, and those are only the ones I'm not too embarrassed to mention!  Now I've had my bike for several months, and I've put over 1,000 miles on it in practice sessions, pleasure rides, and commuting to work.  I've never even come close to dropping it before yesterday.  I thought I was getting the hang of this - how could I have such a bad ride?

The answer (I think) is that I've hit the first of many plateaus in my motorcycling career, and that may have brought on a touch of complacency.  Lately I've been feeling very confident with basic riding techniques, and more comfortable at higher speeds (I don't mean going fast, I mean actually getting up to the speed limit).  I'm past the super-newbie stage and ready for the next step, but that will require finer honing of the basic skills, and learning new ones as well.  It will also require a renewed commitment to concentration, or to SEE, as the MSF basic course taught me.

So my recovery from this bad ride will begin as my motorcycling career did, in an empty parking lot at low speeds, further honing the basic skills that make the bike go and stop exactly where and how I want it to.  Or as David Hough calls it, "doing my homework".  And the next time I come to that intersection on the left-curving road, I'll be keeping the shiny parts up.

Ride Safe!

Doug

One of the things I hear new riders talk about all the time is how much faster it seems they are moving on a bike, when in many cases, they are riding below the speed limit and cars are passing them.

One of the things I tell them is riding in a car is much different than riding a motorcycle. In a car you are isolated and can not accurately judge your speed. On a motorcycle, you are out in the open and the ground is rushing by a few inches beneath your feet. For a newbie, getting an accurate "feel" for how fast 55mph is can be scary and troubling.  If you are going to become a decent rider, it is something you will have to get used to.

So, how do you get comfortable with riding at highway speeds? Well....practice makes perfect. The more you ride, the faster you will you get used to it. We are not saying you should go out on a major freeway and hit the gas, but once you get comfortable riding around the neighborhood streets you need to spend some time on some major roads. Another thing that can help you is to keep your head up and look down the road where you want to go and not down at your feet or in front of the bike. We have a video on this so you can see the difference keeping your head up makes. http://www.2wheeltips.com/videos/view/keep-your-head-up_156.html?m=9

And finally, never rider faster than your skills allow. Now is the time to learn and build your motorcycle skills. Once you've mastered the basics, you will have plenty of time to ride fast if that's what you want to do. If you try to burn up the road before you are ready, you may end up a motorcycle statistic.

As some of you know, I've only been riding since September '09. I got my first (and only!) bike at that time, and she (yet unnamed) and I have had some learning experiences.
I went on my first long trip on the bike to a nearby town/suburb of Parker, CO to meet some classmates for a community service project. I got  directions, and looked it up on Google maps, then realized my "little jaunt" was going to be about 15 miles. Yikes! But it was a warm (60's) sunny day in Colorado, and I just couldn't resist! So, my first thought was - how am I going to be able to look at directions while I'm riding? I already had turn-by-turn directions written down on a sticky note, so I thought "why not just stick it onto the tank"?  I put the sticky note on there are thought about what tape to use...scotch tape? heck no... Masking tape? yick... I know - Blue painter's tape! Wow, I'm going to look soooo hawt with this yellow note stuck onto my tank with blue tape! woohoo!! With that decided, I set off on my nerdy newbie way, with my brand-new armored kevlar jeans and a bright yellow refective vest over my armored jacket. Yes, I was a circus on wheels, but I was a highly visible circus!!
I had a wonderful ride, played with some traffic that didn't behave too badly ( I think they were scared of my vest :P ). I actually got up to 55 mph on a long lovely stretch of road on the way there, and got used to getting the bike into 4th gear :))
I did get lost, but I pulled off into a parking lost, pulled out my phone and put it on speaker, and without taking off my helmet, got directions, hung up and got back on the road.
Found the house, had a little trouble parking on a street without any curbs and no room left in front of the house, but managed angling it in. My bike got admired, and one of my friends that was there (who has been riding for years) gave me some advice about the LED red and amber license plate that I want to put on the bike, then we got to work on our project.
On the way home, I am feeling more confident about at least being able to find my own house again! It's mid afternoon, and the sun is just beautiful! I actually get some "motorcycle waves" exchanged on the road this time, and I'm so excited! I'm recognised as a motorcyclist! (well, it's either that or "look at that newb doofus"!)
On that long lovely stretch of road that goes 55 mph, I all of a sudden  learn what a cross-wind feels like. Now, I'm always amazed that no-one talks about how similar motorcyling and bicycling are to each other - from my years and years of battling crosswinds on my bicycles, I automatically lean the bike into the wind and keep on going. Easy as pie, although I did get startled at first - the crosswinds are a bit stronger at 55 mph rather than 15 mph :)
I get home after seeing a little heaver early rush hour traffic - but they were still scared of my vest, and treated me well. :)
For my next adventure, my husband and I go shopping for his motorcycle, and I get to put my winter gear to the test riding it home!

Hello all, I'm a thirty-something "chick"
who got into
 motorcycling the way quite a few of us do these
days: higher
 gas prices and overall financial belt-tightening.
The fun factor
 has been a wonderful side benefit!
My husband and I talked about 
how riding a motorcycle would save us money, and decided to take 
an MSF course and then start looking at either motorcycles or
 scooters (at the time, I was leaning heavily
toward the Piaggio 
MP3 500). Neither my husband nor I had ever
owned, or ridden a
 motorcycle, although I had been a passenger a
few times growing
 up, and with a boyfriend or two. We both passed
the course,
 although with a few curses at the figure-8 maneuver,
and then, 
thoroughly bitten by the 2-wheeled bug, we set out to
test ride 
some motorcycles and scooters. I (hubby declined to
test-ride as 
he didn't own any protective gear yet) test rode a
Honda Shadow
 750, Suzuki Boulevard S40, Piaggio BV Tourer 500,
Piaggio MP3 500 and the Yamaha V-Star 650. The Boulevard S40 was a
very light
 bike, similar to the Honda Rebels we learned on in the
MSF 
course, so I was comfortable with that bike. I also learned
from 
the Honda dealer (who was also an MSF instructor) a valuable
tip
 for stopping: pull in your clutch first to disengage the
engine 
and then apply your brakes! Every stop I've made since
then has
 been so much smoother! I was extremely nervous to try
the larger
 Honda 750, but when I got it going, I realized that
the
 maneuvering was just the same, even on a heavier bike, so
once
 that fear passed, I had a blast running it around the
parking
 lot!
Next stop was the scooter dealership where they let
me take
 out the scooters on an extended test-ride IN TRAFFIC.
Remember -
this is the very first time I've played in traffic,
and not only 
were these scooters not mine, they were NEW. I tried
the BV 500 
first, and had lots of fun with the twist-n-go, then I
hopped on
the MP3 500. I had been interested in these ever since
I first 
saw one on the street, and boy did they live up to the
hype! The 
ease of a scooter with the lean of a motorcycle around
the 
corners. I got both these scooters up to about 30 mph, but
it
 felt like I was going 50 mph with the wind on my
full-face
 helmet, and yes, even a bug or two. After the
exhilarating rides, 
it was time to look at the price tags, and
these, being new bikes,
were well beyond my budget, especially
adding on the accessories 
that I wanted. I had known that I
wanted a used bike as my first,
 especially for the lay-down
factor, but these prices just
 verified that.
Next was the Yamaha, a 2007 with low miles. I had
 some trouble getting it going on the incline of the parking lot 
at the dealership, but once I got it
moving it was a blast -
 turned on a dime, a very maneuverable
bike! It was also a nicely
 visible cherry red, which matched my
bright red helmet, and had a
 bunch of accessories already added
on. Can you tell I was in 
love?
Every single one of these bikes was a blast to ride,
 especially the Piaggio MP3! But, economics won out and the
 Yamaha, with its included windshield, custom seat and saddle
bags, was my choice. (check out a photo of my bike on my profile
 page) This was all the way back in late September, and now I've
 ridden in some different conditions, and played some more in traffic, which 
I will write about in further installments of my adventures...
Stay Tuned!

This is how we approach motorcycle training after you have passed your basic motorcycle test.  If you think it would benefit you in the states, I will post some more information

THE ‘SYSTEM’

The principles of Advanced Motorcycling are based on a ‘System’ that is applied to every hazard when you are riding.  By applying this ‘System ‘ it ensures that you will be always travelling at the right speed, in the right gear and on the right position on the road.  In other-words it is a drill you follow as you ride along, not like when you go to work.  You know at a certain time there will be a bus at the stop and when you turn into work the mailman is always coming out.  With Advanced Motorcycling you have to get the mind to work more and appreciate what is happening around you more.  An Advanced rider will think, is the bus stopped, just about to pull off and where are the passengers.  Are they about to cross the road?  The Advanced rider does not think what a nice colour the bus is.

 

 For the ‘System’ to be applied you must be aware of what a hazard is.  A hazard is anything that contains an element of danger.  It can be described as follows:-

a)  Junctions, roundabout, bend or hillcrest,

b)  Movement and position of other road users,

c)  Variations in road surface and weather conditions.

 

Whenever you see a hazard the ‘System’ is applied and is used in phase.  The ‘System’ contains 6 phases and they must always be used in sequence.

 

In plain English, when you see something or anticipate something happening, which will effect you, you react according by using the ‘System’.  Like I mentioned earlier, by doing this, you increase your margin of safety by developing a defensive riding style that is also progressive...
MAKING YOUR OWN SAFETY BUBBLE AS BIG AS POSSIBLE

 

 

 

 

I was reading an article from the October 2009 issue of GQ magazine titled "Easy Riding - A GQ Motorcycle Primer".

There is a very interesting quote by one of the MSF coaches who contributed to the article. I've included part of it below:

"Once you pass (the BRC), you can ride on any road in America. "But practically speaking, you are qualified to ride in an enclosed lot with two instructors watching."

One of our members said that his BRC instructor told him:

"Congratulations, you are now qualified to ride a 125cc motorcycle around cones in a closed parking lot"
--------
As bad as they sound, the above quotes reflect reality.  Passing the BRC does not make you an instant skilled motorcyclist. You are now a person who has spent a few hours practicing the most basic motorcycle skills on a bike you cannot even purchase at a dealer.

I am not putting down or critizing the BRC or other basic training classes because they are important. Most motorcycle accidents involve people with no training. But once you get your license, you need lots of practice to become a skilled and safe motorcyclist. The BRC is the foundation on which you build your good skills.

It matters what and where you practice. Riding around in parking lots will help your slow maneuver skills and as a new rider you should go to parking lots and practice as often as you can. But you also need to practice road skills such as merging into traffic, switching lanes, target fixation, going around curves, wet weather riding, braking and acceleration. To become a skilled rider you should practice all of these things.

Think of the BRC as an excellent beginning rather than the finish line. You spend a few years, many hours and quite a few miles on your bike before you become a skilled rider.

Hi all -
I have had my Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom for about a month now (passed the MSF course 2 months ago), and have started riding it on come of the busy suburban streets in my neighborhood. I took a ride yesterday for 19 miles round-trip into a more urban area for a business meeting/lunch and did pretty well! I only stalled out twice (once from dead stop, once from not downshifting enough at a slow-down) and that was pretty good for me! The friction zone in the yamaha is miniscule, so it's been a learning curve. :)

I want to ride it every day!

One word of advice if you are considering getting a used motorcycle helmet:  DON'T!   When it comes to helmets, you need to follow this simple rule:  one and it's done... one impact to that helmet, either from an accident or fall, or simply from being dropped several feet onto the floor, and that helmet's ability to protect your head is reduced...and the damage on a helmet is not always visible.  As the operator or passenger on a bike, always buy a new DOT or SNELL certified helmet from a reputable dealer.  And keep in mind that if that used bike you are buying comes with a helmet from the previous owner, keep the bike....but don't use the helmet!

Unlike a car, the turn signal on a motorcycle does not automatically turn off. Some newer bikes have automatic switches but on most bikes, you must get in the habit of switching it off after changing lanes or making turns.

For obvious reasons it is not good to ride with the turn signal on. Cars behind you may be tempted to pass you if you slow down or swerve to avoid road hazards. At intersections, oncoming drivers may cut you off thinking you are about to turn.

To get into the habit, you should glance down at the controls after you make a turn or switch lanes. Also, you should periodically push in the switch to turn off the signal even when it is not on. After a while, it will be come instinct.

Turning off the signal is an easy habit to learn but it can greatly reduce the risk of you getting in an accident.