Motorcycle Safety

Are you concerned about motorcycle safety? As a motorcycle rider, are you not sure what to do in order to protect yourself?

Regardless of how safe you are, it is much more dangerous to drive a motorcycle than it is to drive a car. Most other vehicles on the road are much larger than a motorcycle. Consequently, it’s easier to be injured in an accident as a motorcyclist than if you were driving in a car. Therefore, it’s essential that you know as much as possible about motorcycle safety if you drive a motorcycle. 

If you want to find out what it takes to be a safe motorcycle driver, read on and we’ll tell you what you need to know. 

How to Turn Safely on a Motorcycle

Even though humans have an innate sense of balance, things are different when you’re on a motorcycle. Since you’re balancing on two spinning wheels, balancing yourself can be tricky at times. 

If you’ve taken a motorcycle class before, you’ve probably heard the advice to keep your eyes up while you are riding your bike. If you’re approaching a sharp turn while looking to your side, there’s a good chance that you’ll unknowingly veer in that direction. 

When you’re preparing to make a turn, it is important to scope out the turn as much as possible while approaching it and keep your eyes on the oncoming road. It’s also important to shift into a lower gear and reduce your speed as the turn approaches. It’s usually more difficult to accelerate out of a turn on higher gears.

When you make the turn, consider counter-leaning if needed, and continue riding down the road. This is an easy thing to do on a smaller bike with a 200-cc motor or less. If you are riding a larger bike, making sharp turns at low speeds is a more difficult thing to do. 

Motorcycle Safety and Leaning: What You Need to Know

If you have experience under your belt as a motorcycle rider, you know that turning a motorcycle involves much more than simply turning the handlebars. You also have to master the art of the lean and the counter-lean.

The reason for this is that the centrifugal force pushes the bike’s weight away from the direction that you want to turn. At slow speeds, it is not something that you’ll notice as much as you do when you’re riding at faster speeds. 

Therefore, when you’re traveling at any speed that’s beyond first gear, it’s important that you learn how to lean with the bike in order to turn it. When you do this, you’ll be moving the area of contact from the middle of the tires to the sides.

You’ll also find yourself following the path of an imaginary line your eyes make for you. This process is often referred to as carving. It’s the same thing that hockey players do when they need to make turns while traveling at high speeds. 

Knowing When and How to Use Your Rear Brake

Even though almost all the braking you will do while riding a motorcycle will be with the front brake, make sure you know when and how to use the rear brake of your bike.

It is important to know this because most of the gyroscopic force comes from the rear wheel on your motorcycle. What this means is that if you press the brakes too hard on the front wheel, it’s possible that you’ll end up lifting the rear wheel off the ground.

In order to keep the bike stable, you need to also make use of the rear brake. This will help you stay balanced and is an important strategy whether you are traveling at high or low speeds. 

One way to understand the purpose of the rear brake is by treating it as a kind of “balancing brake.” The front brake should be used as the “main brake.” 

If you don’t have much experience using the brake like this, consider taking your bike somewhere safe, such as an empty parking lot to practice. 

Stay Calm While You’re Riding Your Bike

If you want to avoid a motorcycle accident, remember not to panic, no matter what happens. Safe riding starts with being aware of what is happening on the road. When you’re stressed or worried, you’re less likely to be an attentive driver. 

It’s inevitable that you’ll encounter difficult drivers while you on the road, and it is also your responsibility to be attentive and responsive in order to avoid an accident.

Take Great Care of Your Motorcycle 

Even though it can be tempting to buy a low-cost, older motorcycle that you find on a local classified ad, think twice before doing this. The more problems a motorcycle has, the more likely you’re going to experience issues with it while on the road.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to invest in the highest quality motorcycle and motorcycle parts you can. This may lower the possibility that you’ll get in an accident. If you already have a motorcycle, make sure that you take good care of it so every component is in excellent working order. 

Following Basic Safety Guidelines Will Keep You Safe While on the Road

Even though it can be dangerous to ride a motorcycle, there are things you can do to make sure you’re riding safely. If you are still learning how to ride your motorcycle, remember to practice your driving skills before getting on the highway. 

Remember to take great care of your motorcycle, use the brakes in the right way, and master the art of turning. 

If you want to find out more about what it takes to practice motorcycle safety, don’t hesitate to reach out to our legal team at Alpha Accident Lawyers. We are here to help you with whatever you might need.