Motorcycle Safety - THINK!!

We can never stress motorcycle safety enough.  It saddens me when I hear about a motorcyclist passing away on a motorcycle.  The first question I think we all ask are:  How did they go?  What happened?  The answers are usually the same the car didn't see them, they swerved quicker than the car could respond, they were dipping in and out of traffic, whitelining, speeding, etc.

As motorcyclist, motorcycle safety should be the first and last things on our minds.  We have to remember that a motorcycle is a chair that can go 190mph.

We at Biker-Space have complied a list of things motorcyclist should consider when riding when it comes to their safety.  These are things as motorcyclist we need to do as a matter of fact we must do when it comes to our safety.  If you know of anything else that you would like to add feel free.

• Ride defensively at all time.  I don't care if it's an open road.  Your mind should be thinking of the what if and what will be your out.  A deer, dog or cat can come out on you in the middle of the highway and yes it has happened and unfortunately they didn't make it.  It was late at night and he assumed it was all good.

• Always stay aware of all cars around you.  Really watch their movement.  Eventually you will just get a feeling like this mofo is getting ready to do something stupid.  When you stay aware you can call it right on time.

• Always look at least four to eight cars ahead of you not just the car in front of you.  The car in front of you may not be paying attention and by the time he/she pays attention to what's happening up ahead it's too late they are in the mix of the accident.  At least if you are looking ahead you have time to decide how you are going to react to the situation.

• Never ride up on a car.  There is no need to be on their bumper.  If the car suddenly stops you will be in the backseat of their car.  If you are on their bumper you have not stopping distance.  There is no room to maneuver around the situation and if a car is behind you, it's going to be real ugly.

• Really realize the power and the speed of your motorcycle.  You can be up on a car within three seconds flat and make a move and the driver of the car doesn't know the speed of your motorcycle so they figure they have enough time to move out of your way and the crazy thing is they are going in the same direction your motorcycle and now it's too late.  They think they have time.

• Use your mirrors.   Use your mirrors.  We can't stress that enough.  They are there for a reason.  You should get in the habit of also looking over your shoulder as that extra precaution.  If you drive a car driver you know there is a blind spot so it don't hurt to do the little extra move.

• Learn to use both brakes.  Most people either use the front brake and when you coming at a high speed and have to stop they will be thrown over the bike.  If you are only using the back brakes then you will fish tail and start swerving.  When you use both of your brakes it increases your stopping power and it's more safer that way.

• Swerving in and out of traffic.  When you dip in and out of traffic you have to aware that cars do the same thing without signaling and most of them think they can beat you to the lane and we know they can't.  When swerving in and out of traffic and you suddenly end up in the lane realize that we some times scare the motorist.  Either they are going to move back into their lane or just panic.  Use caution and look before you swerve.

• Always use your signals.  Use them use them use them.  Most of us have them in our mirrors, in the front and the back.  They are there to help us be more visible when we are crossing lanes.  Let the cars know what direction you are going.  You should start signaling as soon as you have it set in your mind which direction you are going before you head in that direction. 

• Whitelining.  I hate whitelining but I do it because I'm not going to be stuck in traffic at all period.  Definitely not on a motorcycle.  But you need to white-line with safety in mind and realize what you are doing is very dangerous.  When you white-line use your horns and rev your motorcycle to let the cars know you are coming through the middle.  You should not be speeding along the white-line because as cars sit in traffic and they see a opening they just come over with or without signaling.  If you are speeding you have no way of stopping in time, you will be in their back seat or side door.  Ride at a decent speed to allow you to stop.

We can't depend on cars to consider our safety, that is something that me must do for ourselves and stop assuming it's all good.  Stay aware to stay alive. 

Ride2Live**Live2Ride