Safety Tips
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Are your brakes okay?
Before Every Ride
Check your motorcycle’s tire pressure and tread depth, hand and foot brakes, headlights and signal indicators, and fluid levels before you ride. You should also check under the motorcycle for signs of oil or gas leaks. If you’re carrying cargo, you should secure and balance the load on the cycle; and adjust the suspension and tire pressure to accommodate the extra weight. If you’re carrying a passenger, they should mount the motorcycle only after the engine has started; should sit as far forward as possible, directly behind you; and should keep both feet on the foot rests at all times, even when the motorcycle is stopped. Remind your passenger to keep their legs and feet away from the muffler. Tell your passenger to hold on firmly to your waist, hips, or belt; keep movement to a minimum; and lean at the same time and in the same direction as you do. Do not let your passenger dismount the motorcycle until you say it is safe.
Note that low tire pressure can cause the front end to wobble at certain speeds making the motorcycle unstable.
Ride Responsibly
Experienced riders know local traffic laws – and they don’t take risks. Obey traffic lights, signs, speed limits, and lane markings; ride with the flow of traffic and leave plenty of room between your bike and other vehicles; and always check behind you and signal before you change lanes. Remember to ride defensively. The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes generally are caused when other drivers say they didn’t see the motorcycle. Help stop this by keeping your motorcycle’s headlights on at all times, even using high beams during the day.
Headlights on for safety
The Controls
Over the years, the basic controls on motorcycles have been standardized.
Become familiar with the controls and how to use them. Work the levers and pedals. If something isn’t within easy reach of fingers or toes, maybe it can be adjusted to suit you. Check your owner’s manual. Practice with the turn signals. Find the horn button, so you won’t have to look for it when somebody starts backing out in front of you. Figure out how the headlight dimmer switch works before it gets dark. Do become familiar with the RESERVE fuel valve, if there is one on your machine. When you are running along the highway and your engine burbles, indicating it is running out of fuel, you want to be able to turn that reserve on without a second’s thought. It is not fun or safe to be fumbling around when you are in gear and moving.
Shifting Gears
Starting off and changing gears requires coordination of the clutch and throttle and gearshift lever. If you don’t do things right, the amount of control you have over the bike is lessened. To start off, pull in the clutch, shift into first gear, roll on the throttle a little, and ease out the clutch. You will become familiar with the friction zone (that’s where the clutch begins to take hold and move the bike), and you add a bit more throttle. You don’t want to stall the engine, nor do you want to overrev it. There’s a sweet spot in there; find it. Shift while traveling in a straight line. Shifting in a curve is not good practice, and something to be avoided. Become familiar with the sound of your engine, so you can tell when you should shift without looking at your instruments. When you downshift to a lower gear, you should (in one swift, smooth movement) be able to squeeze the clutch, rev the engine a little to let it catch the lower gear smoothly, and shift down. When you come to a stop in traffic, leave the bike in first gear with the clutch disengaged (just in case you want to accelerate out of there in a hurry). Who knows what may be coming up behind you.
Braking
Don’t ever forget: the front brake on your motorcycle can supply as much as 70 percent or more of your stopping power. The single most important “Know your Motorcycle” thing you can learn about braking is to use that front brake every single time you want to slow down. Always apply both the front and the rear brakes at the same time. If necessary, apply them hard, but not so hard that you lock up either wheel. A locked wheel, as well as causing the bike to skid, results in downright inefficient braking. The time to take your left foot off the peg and put it on the ground is just as the bike comes to a complete stop. When you have the opportunity, practice your braking. You can always get better at it.
Turning
When you are riding along the road, you lean a motorcycle into a turn. Learning to lean is an essential part of riding a motorcycle. It is a normal function of the bike when you are changing its path of travel – and quite, quite different from turning the steering wheel of your car. To get the motorcycle to lean in a normal turn, press the handlebar in the direction of the turn and maintain slight pressure on that handlebar to take you smoothly through that particular turn. In other words: press the right handgrip to go right; press the left handgrip to go left. Your instincts to keep the motorcycle on a smooth path while keeping it from falling over usually take care of this without you even noticing it. (Demonstrate to yourself how a motorcycle moves by pressing a handlebar slightly while traveling in a straight line. The motorcycle will move in the direction of the handlebar you pushed.)
Slow down before you enter the turn; look as far ahead as possible through the turn. Keep your feet on the pegs, and grip the gas tank with your knees. Lean with the motorcycle; don’t try to sit perpendicular to the road while the motorcycle is leaning over. Keep an even throttle through the turn, or even accelerate a little bit
Eye Protection
Riding with bare eyeballs is a gamble. Your eyes are precious, and it does not take much to injure one. A windshield on a motorcycle is not eye protection; a bit of sand or tiny piece of glass can whip in behind it and get in your eye. Proper eye protection means an approved shield on your helmet, a pair of goggles, or shatterproof glasses. Settling for less just isn’t worth the risk. Make sure your eye protection is clean and unscratched. If you use a tinted lens or shield for riding in the bright sunlight, take a clear one along as well, in case you are riding after dark.
Rain gear
It rains everywhere in this country, some places more than others. Inevitably you will be caught out in the rain. Why not have a good motorcycle rain suit along, with rain-covers for boots and gloves as well? It’s a lot more fun riding in the rain when you’re dry.
High-Visibility Gear
The better people see you, the less likely they are to run into you. Brightly colored clothing is preferable to drab, dark clothing. You can buy special vests which are designed to make it easier for others to see you. Some military bases feel strongly about this feature and require all motorcyclists to wear them. For nighttime, you can buy clothing that reflects light, and put reflective strips on your helmet and the backs of your boots. Every little bit helps.
Motorcycle Safety Tips for Car Drivers
Beware your blind spots
Motorcycles are smaller than cars so they can be doubly as difficult to see when turning or switching lanes. Be sure to make a visual check as well as use your mirrors when turning or merging.
Don’t tailgate
Leaving room between you and a motorcycle in front of you is essential to helping prevent accidents. Giving yourself room will give you time and space to react if the motorcyclist makes a quick, unexpected turn.
Use your turn signals
Regardless of whether motorcycles are on the road or not, you should use your turn signals to help others on the road anticipate your next move.
Be careful taking left turns
With any turns, be aware of motorcycles on the road and how fast they are going if you are turning. Left turns can be particularly dangerous due to your blind spots.
Texting and Other Distracted Driving Makes the Roads Even More Dangerous for Motorcyclists
Texting while driving continues to be a problem across the country. All drivers and passengers are in danger because of it, but motorcyclists are at a particular risk because of their small size and vulnerability. When a driver takes their eyes off the road to read a text, it is unlikely that they will see a motorcycle entering the road ahead of her in time to avoid a collision.
using and understanding motorcycle hand signals
Left Turn
Arm and hand extending left, palm facing down.
Right turn
Arm out, bent at 90 degrees angle, fist clinched.
Stop
Arm extended straight down, palm facing back.
Speed Up
Arm extended straight out, palm facing up, swing upward.
Slow Down
Arm extended straight out, palm facing down, swing down to you side.
Speed Up
Arm extended straight out, palm facing up, swing upward.
Follow Me
Arm extended straight up from shoulder, palm forward.
You Lead / Come
Arm extended upward 45 degrees, palm forward pointing with index finger, swing in arc from back to front.
Hazzard in Roadway
On the left, point with left hand; on the right, point with right foot.
Single File
Arm and index finger extended straight up.
Double File
Arm with index and middle finger extended straight up.
Comfort Stop
Forearm extended, fist clenched with short up and down motion.
Refreshment Stop
Fingers closed, thumb to mouth.
Turn Signal On
Open and close hand with fingers and thumb extended.
Pull Off
Arm positioned as for right turn, forearm swung toward shoulder.
Cops Ahead
Tap on top of helmet with open palm down.
Fuel
Arm out to side pointing to tank with finger extended.