Riding a motorcycle is the truest expression of freedom since it’s just you and the open road ahead of you. It is a lot of fun and can be a real adrenaline rush. There is a safety issue that has to be addressed, however. It can be dangerous to ride a motorcycle even if you are a responsible and safety-minded type of person.
There are a lot of things you have to do to prepare to ride a motorcycle so that you are doing so in the safest possible way. This involves knowing the right gear to wear as well as some habits that promote safety. In this article, we will go over what it takes to ride a motorcycle safely.
1 – Have The Right Gear
What you wear is going to have a big impact on how safe you are able to be when riding a motorcycle. The right gear can help protect you in case of an accident but also help you prevent the accident, to begin with. For instance, your helmet is very important and it needs to be DOT certified so you know it went through rigorous safety tests. If you frequently ride with a partner or a group of friends then a Bluetooth motorcycle helmet is a good option so you can stay safe by having an easy way to communicate with each other.
A leather jacket and pants are not to look cool on your motorcycle, they are for safety in case you do go into a slide. Regular pants and a T-shirt will offer you no protection at all. You should also be wearing high boots that cover your ankle in case of an accident. They are also good at giving you stability so you are less likely to get into an accident when you wear the right footwear.
2 – Keep It Maintained
A breakdown on a motorcycle is a seriously dangerous situation since you are more exposed than you would be in a car. This means that it is important to make sure that the motorcycle works mechanically as it should. Some common problems that need to be looked at regularly are the chain to make sure that it doesn’t break during the ride, the clutch is working correctly, and the tires are in good shape.
By taking your bike to be checked out once in a while then you will know that you are driving a safe vehicle and aren’t risking an accident that can be avoided.
3 – Plan Your Route
Surprises when riding a motorcycle can also be dangerous. A road under construction, for example, can feature a torn-up road that is easy to lose traction on and go into a slide. This can be avoided by doing some research before heading out for a ride on the route you were thinking of. Check for traffic, road work, closures, and other features that could pose a risk for you.
Then, just plan out a new route if you see anything there that might be problematic for you.
