Motorcycling safety tips

[Gravity Tester]

Watch out for those big white stripes at intersections with a little morning dew they can be pretty nasty. Also keep an eye out for man hole covers & soda cans in your turns either could ruin your whole Day.

Live Long & Prosper
Pat

[IanFrancisco]

Before changing lanes(on the hwy etc), twist your neck and look with your eyes, don't rely on just your mirror!

Excellent!!!!! I was going to say that so I will just reinforce it. There is no substitute for a direct look. Mirrors are just a mirage of blind spots. It also keeps your neck and spine young as it is a good exersize in more ways than one

To quote an MSF instructor (ex-Highway Patrol biker):

The mirrors can only say "no". They can never say "yes". Only a shoulder check says "yes".

[flyingace]

1. Never ride in the rain if you can help it
2. When going down a 4-lane road with a middle turn lane, always try to have a 'companion' car or truck next to you. The people who like to make lefts into you will think twice if you have some 'muscle' next to you.

Ace.

[bradleymaynar]

1. Never ride in the rain if you can help it
2. When going down a 4-lane road with a middle turn lane, always try to have a 'companion' car or truck next to you. The people who like to make lefts into you will think twice if you have some 'muscle' next to you.

Ace.

Just want to edit #1 (just because I know it applies to a few of us, atleast), don't ride in the snow, if you can help it, either.

Brad tt

[mcycle-nut]

1. Never ride in the rain if you can help it
2. When going down a 4-lane road with a middle turn lane, always try to have a 'companion' car or truck next to you. The people who like to make lefts into you will think twice if you have some 'muscle' next to you.

Ace.

Just want to edit #1 (just because I know it applies to a few of us, atleast), don't ride in the snow, if you can help it, either.

Brad tt

Ah, c'mon! You know that's the only time Steve DOES ride!

[Anonymous]

Snow or water = giv'er twice as hard!!

Ice = Both feet down and don't lean. :P

Cheers, Steve

[IanFrancisco]

Snow and ice? Get a Ural w/ sidecar and driven sidecar wheel (and a warm jacket!) That's just a little too obsessed with biking for me - and I thought I was bad wanting to ride eves. after work!

[bradleymaynar]

I am talking about something like this:



Brad tt

[SOS]

8) Ok gotta disagree with not ridin in the rain. For those of you who ride distances if you practice in the rain when the time comes that you have to ride in the rain you'll be better prepered. Now I know I haven't been riding as long as some of you old folks but this is what I've always been told. Just my 2 cents. 8)

[mcycle-nut]

Snow and ice? Get a Ural w/ sidecar and driven sidecar wheel (and a warm jacket!) That's just a little too obsessed with biking for me - and I thought I was bad wanting to ride eves. after work!

Good idea! You can get more beer in a sidehack than bungee corded to your bike!

[retrex]

Reaction time = Life

Try this sometime, while you are sitting on your bike, out of traffic stopped, and engine off. Have both your hands in their usual positions. Hold the throttle open the way you normally would if you were riding under power. Then as fast as you can, apply the front brake and pull in the clutch. Do this a number of times to get the feel of how long a period of time this is. Now think about whether you can do this as fast if it happens unexpectedly. Think about how far you would travel at 30, 55, and 110 mph. Next for those of you out there who don't already do this, hold the throttle open using only your thumb and first finger with the other three fingers wrapped around the brake lever. Do the same for the clutch side, thumb and first finger around the grip and the remaining three on the clutch lever. Now fast as you can pull in the clutch and apply the front brakes. How long does it take now? This technique saved me from an accident one day on the highway when I was cut off by a car with almost zero distance between us. My body went into pucker mode and reflexively contracted my arm and hand muscles. Because my fingers were already where they wanted to be I was able to miss rear ending that SOB by inches. I never ride without three fingers on the clutch and the front brake.

[sailor20034]

When approching an intersection where I have a green light, I always slow down till I can visually confirm that cross traffic has actually stopped.

Makes my sphincter tighten when a cage blows through a red light in front of me. Don't ever want to experience meeting one in the middle of the intersection.

Some years back NOT doing this cost a riding buddy of mine a three day stay in the hospital. He was "timing" the lights on a 6-lane surface street and rode the center between a van and a cargo truck that were in the right and left lanes, respectively. He had the green light, but the vehicles on his left and right blocked the fact that a "cage" had been "pushing the yellow." His shoulder was dislocated and his Honda Sabre 750 was totaled.

[Anonymous]

Be Visible, BE SEEN!

Since most accidents (other than those with alcohol) are caused by other drivers not seeing you: Be Visible, Be SEEN!. Forget the cool look--dark helmet, dark leathers, dark bike and you are a shadow on the road.

BE RIGHT, BE BRIGHT! Pull and orange or green t-shirt over those leathers, get a white or silver helmet, wear a safety vest, or better yet.. a fluorescent green Type II or III Safety jacket.
Why green: on the road, there are plenty of yellow, red and orange lights. But no Green ones.. be a bright light in the darkness, lol!

[scotty]

wear a huge flourescent tie like Don Pepe does and paint your ride yellow. When he passed me in mississipi i could still spot him 1/2 mile ahead of me. Not the yellow bike,--the tie.

[Anonymous]

When in traffic, cities, anywhere I am the prey, I like to stay hyper alert, I let my mind wander when out on the wide open highway, where I might think about anything else but being killed by a wild eyed cager on a cell phone.