Riding Basics and Safety
1. Wear Safety Gear
The first basic rule of motorcycle safety is wearing your gear. Riding motorcycles can be a rewarding experience, but there are a lot of dangers associated with riding. From hitting a patch of loose gravel, to being hit by a distracted driver, there is a lot that can happen when you're riding, and it all happens very quickly. Wearing protective gear is one of the best ways to make sure that you stay safe amidst the dangers that can accompany riding. While wearing gear is a good place to start if you want to be safe, following the guidance of this website should help you to stay as safe as you can be.
2. Maintain Your Motorcycle
Another important basic rule of safety is to maintain your motorcycle. Just like with cars, motorcycles need maintenance. It's important to change your oil often, but at least once per season. With dirt bikes, it's important to change your air filter. Some people recommend that you change it after every ride. Brakes should be inspected and tested regularly. If your bike has a carburetor, you may need to clean it occasionally as well. Tire pressure should be checked regularly, as well as tread depth. It's a good idea to do a quick check of your bike whenever you plan to go riding, even if it's just a quick visual observation.
3. Learn How To Ride Before You Start
The third basic rule of motorcycle safety is to learn to ride before you start. Once you've got your gear and your bike, you need to learn to ride. A lot of people have the misconception that riding a motorcycle is the same as riding a bike. There are similarities, but it is very different. There are many ways to learn to ride, but the best way to learn is by taking a local motorcycle course. They range in length from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, and they go through the ins and outs of motorcycle riding, laws, and safety. If you would rather not take that route, another good option is to have a friend teach you how to ride. The last option would be to find a video or book to teach you.
4. Follow All Laws
The fourth basic rule of motorcycle safety is learning and following all of the laws. Just like with driving a car, there are traffic laws that you need to abide by. Some laws may seem silly or inconvenient, but at the end of the day, they are there to keep riders safe. If you decide to take a motorcycle safety course, they will teach you the laws, but laws are subject to change, so it is important to stay up to date on them. For example, in some states, it's legal to drive between other cars in order to get out of the way of rear traffic. A few years ago, Utah passed a similar law that allows riders to ride between cars at a stop light if traffic is stopped, and the speed limit is under a certain speed.
5. Stay Alert
The fifth and final basic rule of motorcycle safety for this site is to stay alert. Distractions are prevalent when driving a car, and they are just as prevalent when riding a motorcycle. There are a lot of dangers on the road, but especially for a motorcycle rider. For instance, if there is a rock in the road, it can damage a car. However, That same rock can kill a motorcycle rider easily, as it can cause your tire to slip. There are also other drivers to worry about when you're riding. motorcycles are small and hard to see. Other drivers often aren't looking for bikes. That's one reason that people get loud pipes for their motorcycles. However, the best way to stay safe as a rider is to stay alert.