Serious, Safe Riding Tips (from experience)
- Thread starter Mickster
- Start date
oseita
Member
Always remember that when you are riding you are invisible to motorists. They can look dead at you and still not see you. I always remember that at intersections and on-ramps even though I might have the "right of way" I back off and let the other person go in front of me. That way I can at least see them and not have to warry about what the idiot is doing behind me.
drmickelsen
Member
When approaching an intersection or anywhere a Cage is entering the road, remember that their front tires tell you a lot more about what they are doing then their faces. They can look you right in the eye and pull out in front of you. Movement of the wheels tells the story. PS: Those wheels with spinners will throw you off.
These are 3rd generation tips.
I started my riding career on a Lil' Indian mini-bike in 1970.
Been on the street since 1978.
When riding in the wet, you can see the brake lights of vehicles 2 or 3 or more ahead of you, by watching the reflection off of the road, under the car directly in front of you. This gives you a large margin of safety, even if the person in front of you is late braking/asleep at the wheel.
To help prevent swerving or drifting when checking over your shoulder to change lanes, (you do, right?
drop your opposite elbow. Works a charm.
When approaching highway interchanges and exits be wary of the last second "oops", when people realize they are missing their turn off/exit, and try to go for it at the last second, possibly cutting through your lane.
If you're in the right lane on the highway, be very careful to check entrance ramps for cars/high speed pursuits (actually had that one happen) by looking over your shoulder (don't forget to drop the opposite elbow) and looking up the entrance ramp.
In the vein of the 2 second following rule, add 1 second for each inclement factor. If it's dark, 3 seconds. Dark and raining? 4 seconds and so on.
Don't panic or hit the brakes if you hit gravel in a curve, if you keep your cool, the bike will just 'drift' through it and be on it's merry way (barring excessive speed of course). If you approach left hand curves from the centerline, you have a whole lane to drift through before you run out of road. Same is true in a right hand curve from the white/fog line.
If you're tired, roll up your jacket as a pillow at the handle bars and lay on your back (park first!) Actually very comfortable on a bagger.
Watch your mirrors 50% of the time, obviously at stops but especially on the highway. (ever had someone pass you at high speed that you never saw coming?)
Don't ride when you're upset, cool off first.
Then go for a nice ride to collect your thoughts
Last but most important, keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down!
I started my riding career on a Lil' Indian mini-bike in 1970.
Been on the street since 1978.
When riding in the wet, you can see the brake lights of vehicles 2 or 3 or more ahead of you, by watching the reflection off of the road, under the car directly in front of you. This gives you a large margin of safety, even if the person in front of you is late braking/asleep at the wheel.
To help prevent swerving or drifting when checking over your shoulder to change lanes, (you do, right?
drop your opposite elbow. Works a charm.When approaching highway interchanges and exits be wary of the last second "oops", when people realize they are missing their turn off/exit, and try to go for it at the last second, possibly cutting through your lane.
If you're in the right lane on the highway, be very careful to check entrance ramps for cars/high speed pursuits (actually had that one happen) by looking over your shoulder (don't forget to drop the opposite elbow) and looking up the entrance ramp.
In the vein of the 2 second following rule, add 1 second for each inclement factor. If it's dark, 3 seconds. Dark and raining? 4 seconds and so on.
Don't panic or hit the brakes if you hit gravel in a curve, if you keep your cool, the bike will just 'drift' through it and be on it's merry way (barring excessive speed of course). If you approach left hand curves from the centerline, you have a whole lane to drift through before you run out of road. Same is true in a right hand curve from the white/fog line.
If you're tired, roll up your jacket as a pillow at the handle bars and lay on your back (park first!) Actually very comfortable on a bagger.
Watch your mirrors 50% of the time, obviously at stops but especially on the highway. (ever had someone pass you at high speed that you never saw coming?)
Don't ride when you're upset, cool off first.
Then go for a nice ride to collect your thoughts
Last but most important, keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down!
03ultra45385
Active Member
With the shortages of salt this last several weeks of winter we will see more Grit on the roads. Look for it in turns (especially on and off ramps) and at intersections. It is like little ball bearings and like riding on ice. Ride safe my friends....
r_k_dragon
Active Member
These are 3rd generation tips.
I started my riding career on a Lil' Indian mini-bike in 1970.
Been on the street since 1978.
When riding in the wet, you can see the brake lights of vehicles 2 or 3 or more ahead of you, by watching the reflection off of the road, under the car directly in front of you. This gives you a large margin of safety, even if the person in front of you is late braking/asleep at the wheel.
To help prevent swerving or drifting when checking over your shoulder to change lanes, (you do, right?
When approaching highway interchanges and exits be wary of the last second "oops", when people realize they are missing their turn off/exit, and try to go for it at the last second, possibly cutting through your lane.
If you're in the right lane on the highway, be very careful to check entrance ramps for cars/high speed pursuits (actually had that one happen) by looking over your shoulder (don't forget to drop the opposite elbow) and looking up the entrance ramp.
In the vein of the 2 second following rule, add 1 second for each inclement factor. If it's dark, 3 seconds. Dark and raining? 4 seconds and so on.
Don't panic or hit the brakes if you hit gravel in a curve, if you keep your cool, the bike will just 'drift' through it and be on it's merry way (barring excessive speed of course). If you approach left hand curves from the centerline, you have a whole lane to drift through before you run out of road. Same is true in a right hand curve from the white/fog line.
If you're tired, roll up your jacket as a pillow at the handle bars and lay on your back (park first!) Actually very comfortable on a bagger.
Watch your mirrors 50% of the time, obviously at stops but especially on the highway. (ever had someone pass you at high speed that you never saw coming?)
Don't ride when you're upset, cool off first.
Then go for a nice ride to collect your thoughts
Last but most important, keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down!
All great tips! Can I add that if these are blind curves, you can get a slight advantage by riding the outside, of the curve, on any blind curves. You just might catch some on-coming cage crossing the center line. Gives you that split second heads-up. Keep in mind that right-hand curves will put you near the center line, but you'll still see them before you would while running the right side of the road. Judgement call. Just $0.02 worth.
kstrohs57
Active Member
I agree on wearing the appropriate clothing - even on hot days - wearing shorts , tennis shoes or flip flops & no shirt is not appropriate clothing . I hope the pic of a new member from Miami F. is not the normal riding clothing worn .
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
Keep your eyes moving and ALWAYS be prepared to use an escape route be it a shoulder or a sidewalk to avoid a crash
bcortani
Active Member
All very GOOD and true tips to think about before and during your next ride and all after...
There is a document available online by Harry Hurt who has done more research into Motorcycle accidents than anyone else I am aware of in the US. His research is used by the Risk Managers who advise NTS and others such as most insurance companies. You can find it via Google by searching either Harry Hurt or The Hurt Report. Just a teaser...Number one cause of MC accidents is Rider error-speed, next is cagers making left turns.
Not a difficult read, have fun, Be Safe!!
There is a document available online by Harry Hurt who has done more research into Motorcycle accidents than anyone else I am aware of in the US. His research is used by the Risk Managers who advise NTS and others such as most insurance companies. You can find it via Google by searching either Harry Hurt or The Hurt Report. Just a teaser...Number one cause of MC accidents is Rider error-speed, next is cagers making left turns.
Not a difficult read, have fun, Be Safe!!