Motorcycle Safety
Motorcyclists know that riding gives them a freedom that driving a car just can’t match. But the best riders also know that motorcycles require more focus to operate and don’t provide the same protections cars do in the event of a crash. The best riders also take great care in all situations, whether they’re in heavy traffic on Hwy 275, stuck in the rain or just taking a quick ride on a perfect day.
If your habits aren’t as safe as they could be, or if you’re new to motorcycling, don’t worry! Instead, take time to improve. The quick safety tips below are a great place to start.
Want more? Check out the Motorcycle Safety Foundation http://www.msf-usa.org or the American Motorcyclist Association www.americanmotorcyclist.com. And remember to give us at Scribner Insurance a call at 402-664-3454 when you need to get coverage for your bike (or your home or auto, boat or more)!
First things first
- Wear proper safety gear and, most importantly, a helmet – no matter how short your trip may be.
- Make sure you can be seen by other motorists. Make it easier for them by wearing reflective clothing, always using turn signals (and perhaps hand signals as well) and keeping your headlight on.
- Even when taking the above precautions, stay alert and assume that other drivers don’t see you — especially at intersections and when making lane changes or passing.
- Be patient. Don’t tailgate, and if someone is tailgating you, get out of their way.
- Don’t ride after drinking or taking any medications that could impair your abilities.
Riding at night
- Again, make sure you’re visible — particularly at dusk. Consider upgrading your headlight or adding other lights to your ride. Is your bike black? What about your clothing? Both will make you more difficult to see at night.
- Your vision needs to be clear, so keep your visor or goggles clean and free from scratches. If you don’t use face or eye protection, consider it.
- Carry a flashlight or other emergency gear with you so a mechanical problem doesn’t leave you stranded — and invisible — on the side of a dark road.
Bad weather?
- Keep rain and cold-weather gear handy. Riding isn’t just more enjoyable when you’re warm and dry — it’s safer, too.
- Use extreme caution when it first begins to rain, as the roads are most slick at that point. Pull over and wait if necessary. It’s better to be late than ride in unsafe conditions.
We wish that all of your rides could be on sunny days with wide-open roads, but we know that’s not going to happen. So think about safety every time you start up your bike!
Thank you for the advice about wearing reflective clothing aside from wearing safety gears so that other drivers will be able to see me. I can agree with this because I had read that sometimes, motorcycle accidents are caused because other cars failed to see them. Since I would not want to hurt myself when I go to work using a motorcycle, I will be sure to invest in protective and reflective clothing. https://selectcycle.com/Showroom/New-Inventory
It’s great that you elaborated on the different things you can do to make your ride safer. I agree that you really want to stay away from any sort of bad weather when you are riding because you never know what could happen in the middle of it. My brother is looking into getting a Harley Davidson motorcycle and he is trying to get into the mindset of safe riding; I will be sure to share this with him. http://www.outlawharley-davidson.com/
I like that you mentioned getting gear in case of cold weather. Staying bundled up when it is not ideal weather could make it a lot easier to pay attention to the road. My uncle that has been looking into motorcycle rentals and may need this advice. https://littleswitzerlandmotorcyclerentals.com/
You make a good point that if your bike and clothes are black that it will make it harder for people to see you riding at night. My son wants to buy a motorcycle to drive to school so I’m looking more into it. We’ll have to find a motorcycle dealer that may have more colorful motorcycles or that can add lights to a black bike to ensure he’s safe when he drives. http://www.worthharley-davidson.com/learn-about-us–info
You mentioned that we should be sure that we could be seen by other motorists on the road by using turn signals, keeping headlights on, or wearing bright clothing. It makes sense that you would want to do everything you could to be seen! My husband has been interested in riding motorcycles for a long time, and he wants to take a class on riding. I’ll let him know these tips when he finds lessons to take! https://www.promotorcycles.com.au/learn-to-ride/
Great article! I love how there are a lot of reasons why we should ride a bike.
I’ve been thinking of buying my kids and my husband a bike as a way to bond,
and it’s good to know that it can also boost our immune system.
I should definitely consider this. Thanks for sharing!
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My husband wants a motorcycle. When we get one, I will remind him to use caution when it begins to rain. I want him to stay safe at all costs. http://www.ranchochevyandcycle.com/used-motorcycles
Thanks for sharing these amazing and helpful tips, I really appreciate your work.
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I really appreciate your advice to wear your helmet and safety gear when riding a motorcycle. My husband has been wanting to learn to ride a motorcycle for the past few years, but we haven’t had the money to buy one yet. Since we’ll probably have the money with his end-of-year bonus, I think he should start looking into a motorcycle rental to practice on. https://www.tttriders.com/#services
I liked that you explained that you need to make sure that you wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle to ensure safety. I would imagine that riding a motorcycle is more dangerous than driving in a car. I will ensure that my husband wears a helmet when he goes riding.
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Thanks for the suggestion to stay alert and assume that others don’t see you, especially at intersections or when passing other vehicles. My husband’s car recently died after some transmission issues, and he wants to rent a motorcycle until we can find a replacement car. He hasn’t ridden a motorcycle in a number of years, so I’ll have to remind him of these safety precautions. Hopefully we can find a great company to rent from!
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I agree that it doesn’t matter how short your trip is – you still need to wear a helmet. I have owned a motorcycle for a while now and I always wear a helmet no matter where I’m driving to. It makes me feel safe and it keeps the wind and bugs out of my face. https://superseer.com/Law-Enforcement-Motorcycle-Helmets
I like how you suggest to always wear proper safety gear and, most importantly, a helmet when riding a motorcycle. My cousin wants to get a motorcycle to commute to work. I will also recommend him to get proper coverage insurance in case he ever needs it. http://www.fritchins.com/services
Thanks for giving some motorcycle tips. I’m glad you mentioned that you should try to make sure your visor is free from scratches. It sounds important to check the visor before a trip to see if you need to clean or replace it. http://www.perthhusqvarna.com.au/cms/page/new-husqvarna-motorcycles/supermoto#content
I like your tip to make sure that you can be seen by other motorists by wearing reflective gear. My husband wants to buy a motorcycle and I want him to stay safe. I’ll be sure to pass these safety tips onto him so he can ride as safe as possible. http://www.mattjonesmotorcycles.com.au/main
You made a good point when you talked about making sure you are visible and can have clear vision. My husband is buying himself a motorcycle and I want to make sure he is safe. If he does get in an accident, I want to make sure he has the right help and finds a professional to help in any court. https://www.danielgoodmanlaw.com/practice-areas/motorcycle-accident-attorney-chicago/
My husband has always wanted to own a motorcycle since he was a child, so I am surprising him for our 15th anniversary with one! I want to make sure he is safe and protected while driving, so I highly appreciate your tips to make sure he always wears a helmet and reflective clothing so that he’s seen by other cars. Once I give it to him, I’ll tell him this and find an auto insurance service for it.
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You made a great point about riding at night and how you should be as visible as possible. My husband and I are looking for a motorcycle dealer that can help him get a motorcycle that fits his needs best. We will keep these tips in mind as we search for a professional that can help us best. https://www.oldschoolhd.com/new-harley-davidson-motorcycles-for-sale–inventory?condition=new
Motorcycle is a thing of love. This article is so informative and helpful. I gather some important tips and informations to read this article. I also read a similar article here- http://www.bikebd.com
My cousin really likes to ride motorcycles and he thinks that it could be really fun to go to a track day. Going to something hosted by a professional could be really useful. I’ll be sure to tell him that be should make sure to be alert and aware of drivers and be patient while driving. https://316trackdays.com/
I totally agree with you when you said that you should always wear the proper gear when riding a motorcycle. My brother loves motorcycles but he has never had one before. Thanks for sharing this article, it would be nice to share it with brother since he is thinking about getting one soon. https://lancastersportcycles.com/Dealer-Info/Motorcyles