Motorcycle Safety Tips

[admin]

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, so we thought we'd get share some advice on safe riding.

Motorcyclists know how much skill is required in riding. You have to be aware of your bike, the road, the traffic around you, and most importantly, yourself, when you get behind the handlebars.

But even the safest, most experienced riders can still make mistakes. That’s why we’re presenting a series of articles on motorcycle safety, because you can never be too safe.

Rider Education, Injuries and Fatalities
Time for a reality check

Whether you have decades of experience or are a newbie, it pays to realistically size up this activity called "riding a motorcycle," and to look at yourself as a lifelong learner.

Insurance Basics
How much coverage do you need?

Are you and your motorcycle insured well enough to satisfy your state's legal guidelines, as well as your own risk tolerance? You owe it to yourself and those who care about you to be sure you are up to date.

The Truth about Drinking and Riding
Some sobering statistics on a dangerous problem

While no one will publicly declare alcohol consumption and motorcycling are OK, there remain definite problems in a culture offering mixed messages.

More: Rider Safety articles on Motorcycle.com

[Quebeker]

Originally Posted by admin

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, so we thought we'd get share some advice on safe riding.

Motorcyclists know how much skill is required in riding. You have to be aware of your bike, the road, the traffic around you, and most importantly, yourself, when you get behind the handlebars.

But even the safest, most experienced riders can still make mistakes. That’s why we’re presenting a series of articles on motorcycle safety, because you can never be too safe.

Rider Education, Injuries and Fatalities
Time for a reality check

Whether you have decades of experience or are a newbie, it pays to realistically size up this activity called "riding a motorcycle," and to look at yourself as a lifelong learner.

Insurance Basics
How much coverage do you need?

Are you and your motorcycle insured well enough to satisfy your state's legal guidelines, as well as your own risk tolerance? You owe it to yourself and those who care about you to be sure you are up to date.

The Truth about Drinking and Riding
Some sobering statistics on a dangerous problem

While no one will publicly declare alcohol consumption and motorcycling are OK, there remain definite problems in a culture offering mixed messages.

More: Rider Safety articles on Motorcycle.com

Very good articles! Very informative! I just purchased a 2005 ST3 after being out of the riding scene for 18 years! My middle age crisis!! When I picked up the bike I was so nervous, I thought my heart was gonna get out of my chest! But after riding a few kms I calmed down and as they say; it's like riding a bicycle! BUT, although I felt comfy enough on the bike I booked a 2 hour private lesson which increased my confidence immensely! The hardest part for me is to gage my braking in an emergency situation. I did it during my lesson but like the article suggests, I will be out to a nearby country road and practice to slam the brakes without locking the wheels!

[MTScott2]

Hey Quebeker Welcome aboard! Check out "Ask Keith Code" in the ducati motorcycle chat area. Gobs and Gobs of information to inspire your confidence, Probable after reading some of it you will realize that you are doing some things correctly and give yourself a pat on the back. Take your time and do it at your own pace when things are right and you can focus on what you are doing. Watching the best racers if they screw up it is instant correction then move on. Be concerened about what conditions are in front of you and not what just happened.. I keep a Journal of all things bike related so I can go back over it later,(maintainence . torque specs , mileage, Engine temp ..my screw ups miss shifts at which gear etc etc. How rear tire handles at which pressure .Most of all enjoy the experience . Congrtas on the Ducati purchase

[Cinco]

I got bike fever for the first time in over 30 years last Spring when I read an article in Popular Mechanics about the Hypermotard. For years, even without "the fever", I'd stop the car & look at Ducatis parked on the street - drove my wife crazy. But I had the mistaken impression that they cost $20-30K new. So for almost a year I tried every tactic that ever worked to rid me of other obsessions: going to the dealer; riding private parties' bikes for sale; and most dangerously, cruising CraigsList.

I bought an '04 ST4s ABS in April that I first emailed about last December. Flew to LA to check it out & what a rush! Even though I promised myself & even told the seller "no freeways", I ended up on a sort of on-ramp on a Sunday morning & think I saw 90 in 3rd.

Back to reality, I decided I would do this the safest way possible: gear, practice, & training. Got a new full-face helmet, CE armor jacket & pants, & signed up for a beginner class with a retired police force motorcycle trainer.

I taught myself to ride as a kid & did it without a license. The day after I bought my 1st street bike, I called in sick to work, practiced riding all morning & passed the driver's test in the afternoon. I never had any instruction or even information beyond what I could glean out of Dirt Biker and the like.

Just completed the 2-day MSF course yesterday & couldn't be more impressed. Decided that my day-glo yellow jacket isn't enough & ordered one of those annoying "wig-wag" headlight controllers, a 24-LED brake/stop light & annoying controller for it, & brighter LED bulbs for the turn signals. Only the legally blind will overlook me.

But the most important safety move is my commitment to put what I learned last weekend into action. I have friends in their 70s that have ridden since high school and have never had an accident. That is no accident.

Will I imagine bonehead moves by all the cage drivers around me? You bet your a**. Will I crack the throttle once a day when the road is clear and so is my mind? Same response.

I'm not disappointed I lost a vital part of my life for half of it, just grateful I found it again.

[armybiker]

I know I am a bit late but safety is always a big thing in the Military. All of the branches of the Military have started in their own way to have soldiers ride safer. I can only speak of what the Army does but I think all branches are on the same page.

There are 4 seperate classes that are pretty much manditory for all soldiers to ride their motorcycles. The only way to know they ride is if they come on post or you know them so there are ways around this but its pretty much given.

The four courses are the MSF Basic Riders Course, MSF Experienced Riders Course, a Sport Bike Riders Course, and a re-familiarization course.

The first two are self explanitory most of us have already taken the first one and some have taken the second. Its the second two classes that are Military sepecific.

Sports bike riders course is for soldiers who have a bike in that class. Even Monsters and Harley Davidson V-Rod's fall into this class. Its for sports bike and sport touring bikes. The only ones it doesnt cover is cruisers and scooters. This was brought out in light of all these inexperiecnced soldiers riding these fast bikes and not knowing what they had. So for a week you have to go through this course and pass a test. Great thing about the military if they don't want you do to something (technicaly) you cant.

The refresher course is for soldiers who have been deployed. You are not supposed to ride until you have this course. So when we all get back from the desert here we cant get on our bikes till we are given the ok.

Here is where all of these courses fit in. This of course the right way to do it and there are those who do not do it right.

You return from overseas you have to take the refresher course. You have 90 days (should be back from leave by then) to retake the BRC you have 90 days from then to take the sports bike riders course. The BRC has to be re-done every 180 days unless you get the ERC then you can do that every year.

Sounds like a pain huh... well when you have as many soldiers as we do die every day from a motorcycle accident then things have to be done.

Having to take the course eveyr 6 months to year might seam like a real pain in the butt, however, if taken in good faith you should be a great rider when your done.

[dzucati999r]

Upon retiring in 04 I decided to get myself a very special ride. I'd ridden bikes for many years and always loved it even after some nasty offs. So, I sent the Ducati man in Mesa ,Az a grand and ordered an 05 999R. First time I sat on the bike I knew I needed to hone my skills quite alot to make use of this bike. I started hanging out where the sport riders met at the track and up in the mountains on Sunday. I followed Loonies and found what not to do, followed older smoother riders whose tires told the story. I read all the performance riding books and articles.Took notes and underlined points. Five years later and 30K on bike. I'm reasonably competent and in one piece.

[John]

Originally Posted by dzucati999r

Upon retiring in 04 I decided to get myself a very special ride. I'd ridden bikes for many years and always loved it even after some nasty offs. So, I sent the Ducati man in Mesa ,Az a grand and ordered an 05 999R. First time I sat on the bike I knew I needed to hone my skills quite alot to make use of this bike. I started hanging out where the sport riders met at the track and up in the mountains on Sunday. I followed Loonies and found what not to do, followed older smoother riders whose tires told the story. I read all the performance riding books and articles.Took notes and underlined points. Five years later and 30K on bike. I'm reasonably competent and in one piece.

Very good points. There is something about the 999R that makes it all worthwhile, especially to those like yourself who took the study of motorcycle riding to a whole new level.

[carbon900ssie]

I think it's a great idea - nice refresh even for the elders