Well, I was looking around and I did not see many topics pertaining to safety. I see a lot of 'close calls', 'went down', 'how fast', and 'wheelie' threads but I don't see many 'what can I do to be safer' threads. Well, for those who are interested, I think we should all do our part to contribute some information from experience that may help a newb make a better decision or possibly save their life. I will start so that we may share and educate those among us who may not know what to do/how to react or what equipment to use.

1.) Visibility- My bike is red. My Joe Rocket Supermoto jacket is red. Though the previous owner of my bike removed the reflectors, I have since added tape reflectors (that are removable) that I found at Menards (in the address letters/sale signs section) to both sides of my swing arm (red) and the back of my helmet (white). Do I know if they work... no.... but could they make me more visible in headlights? Yes. Anything helps. High beams are on all the time. I don't care if people flash me anymore b/c if they do, that means they saw my bike. Day time, night time... they are always on. One cager who sees me b/c of the reflectors, color, or lights is one cager who may not hit me.

2.) Gear- It should be a part of your original investment into the bike. A good jacket with armor, helmet, riding jeans, over the ankle boots, and leather gloves should be considered the minimum. You should have a back protector as well. You can get away with $500 in equipment, but your safety in this category is all up to your investment. Your leather equipment will always be the best and it should be riding specific leather (no Kohl's leather jackets). Your investment can mean the difference between walking away and having an ambulance take you away.

3.) Making it home safe- Is as easy as being patient. Don't follow too close. If you're new, you need time to react and correct any possible mistakes you may make (locking the front brake: solution is to let off; locking the rear brake: maintain pressure on rear brake even though it does feel funny and unnatural). A safe riding distance also allows you to be prepared for hazardous road conditions (pot holes, dips, road kill, etc) that the car/bike in front of you may encounter. If you're far enough away, and see it happen, you may have time to swerve to miss the problem. Your reaction time also includes perception time... if you're day dreaming/thinking instead of paying attention, that following distance (2 second minimum) could keep you from striking something in front of you.

4.) Slow, look, press, roll- when you enter a curve, turn your head in the direction you are going to travel. Not only will it give you insight into what you will encounter in the curve (debris, gravel, etc) but it makes it easier for you to take the corner. Your entry speed in the corner should be the slowest point in the corner. The idea is to slow down, turn your head in the direction you wish to travel, press the handle bars to initiate lean, and roll into the throttle as you negotiate the turn. The addition of throttle, despite what you may think, actually helps with negotiating corners. Just make sure your tires have a few 'warm up' miles so they are warmer b/c of friction with the concrete/asphalt.


I have left a lot of situation/experiences out. It would be great if we could all contribute things like how we react to cars pulling up to intersections and personal experiences with people seeing/not seeing us and what we could have done to be more visible or more responsible. I'd like to think that we could save some newbs from some harmful experiences by giving them insight. Keep the rubber side down.

 

Be choosy in who you ride with if you are new to bikes.I have witnessed several accidents first hand of new riders trying to keep up with a group, or trying to show off / emulate the people they are with. You need to learn your new bike at your pace, if your friends like to go fast, ride alone for a little while till you get the hang of it. Also same kinda topic, if you are new to riding, let people you are riding with know. Most of us will try and help you, give you room, etc. If we dont know, we could be putting you at some risk out of your comfort zone. We were all new once, dont be afraid to admit it, i hate making that 911 call.

 

I totally agree with being choosy on who you ride with. I have friends who ride like maniacs and I simply refuse to ride with them. I like keeping my bike in one piece. You can still have fun while being safe. Practice Practice Practice

 

Excellent thread. A while ago someone suggested starting a 'Riding Technique' forum, and topics like this should go there.

My first contributions:
1. Use your mirrors AND look over your shoulder before changing lanes, exiting, or entering a highway. A car or truck can afford to have blind spots, a rider can't.
2. On public roads, don't outride your vision. You should never go through a blind curve or over a hill so fast that you can't stop within the area you can see. You never know when there's a stalled vehicle, debris, animals or pedestrians, or anything else waiting for you just out of sight.

 

This is a great thread. I can only emphasize sixhundredrr's statement about how important is good ankle protection. My best friendskinned his ankle down to the bone, a pair of boots with ankle coverage would have saved him a lot of pain and missed classes. Hewears boots riding all the time now. Most people pooh-pooh ankle coverage, but it would've saved my friend's ankle.

 

Good point, Juggernaut. Thanks to everyone for your imput. Everyone was a newbie at some point and did not know any of this, so it is vitally important that we provide this information to those who do not know.

THE PRERIDE INSPECTION COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE:
Your tires are the only thing keeping you on that bike. If they fail, you are toast. Check your tire pressures OFTEN and keep the gauge with you. You can pick up nails. I actually HEARD my bike pick up a nail in the rear tire. I was stupid and didn't pull over when I heard that distict, rubbery "POP." The next morning, my pre-ride inspection revealed a rear tire that was lower than it should have been.

Checking the operation of other controls (clutch, brakes, gearshift) is just as important to maintain safety. The cables for these controls can break and if you do not know how to react, it could mean trouble. A stuck throttle is an easy fix; squeeze the clutch lever.

Keep your bike in good condition. Worn out brake pads, rotors, cables, chains, or tires won't help you stop faster or swerve better if you do not keep up on them. You are very dependant on your motorcycle's condition.

 

Hello & Welcome!!

Very good post!!!!

One reason I wanted yellow was for people to see me....

 

Welcome good post!

 

Thanks for the welcomes, but I've already had an intro thread... I believe. Anyways, I put this in the newbie forum so maybe they take a minute to read it after they make an intro thread.

 

C'mon people. I know we all have something that we can contribute. I'm surprised more of the safety minded individuals are not posting here.

Take your bike to a track day at least once. Not only can you do what you want in regards to speed while being on a closed course (aka not being run over by cagers or endangering others with your antics), but you can receive personal instruction from experienced riders and coaches. If you feel the need to get some speed and craziness out of your system, it is the best place to do it.

Maybe the stunters have some ideas on good, closed places to practice wheelies instead of on open roads.