Safety

by Tommy
(Albuquerque)

1) You just laid out $2000-plus for a bike - Buy & WEAR a helmet, too. It's worth a couple more bucks.


2) Probably heard this before - No one is looking for you in among the larger vehicles - watch the road, front AND back. Pretend you are invisible - because you ARE to the guy eating the breakfast burrito, drinking coffe, shaving, and talking on his PDA phone steering with his knees. Get AHEAD of this doofus, but not IN FRONT OF - he might squish you at that next light when you stop and he doesn't.


3) Wear decent riding footwear - sandals and flip-flops will not keep your ankle from being ground into the pavement under your bike.


4) Wear decent clothing for riding. All right, wear a T-shirt or tank-top if you must - but wear long pants!


Armored mesh jackets work pretty good at keeping you cooler in the heat and protected.


5) Don't assume that someone looking in your direction "sees" you. See Number 3.


7) Your front brake is your friend, and most of the braking on a motorcycle (or bicycle) is done on the front - something like 70% front 30% rear. So be careful locking up the rear, it seems to slide the rear around on my Kat.


6) ....And maybe most important (except Number 1), Be leery of advice from "experts". Do research. Look up different forums. I have a Katana, so www.katriders.com is my "home" for info, but I look around.


7) Don't be afraid of working on your bike. Get a maintenance manual - I have Hayne's. Ebay has tons if you can't find it local. Everything is pretty simple and compact and right at hand on a bike, not as overwhelming for newbies as a car or truck.


8) BE PATIENT!! Whether working on the bike or riding on it, don't get in a big hurry or things can get out of hand quick!


9) Don't ride like a dumbass "... just like all those other bikers/suicide riders/maniacs/rocket-bikers/(fill in your choice epithet here) that I see riding all over town!!" because you'll get to hear variations of that phrase ALL DAY LONG from people who drive like the guy in Number 3.



I know there are other things I could relate, but this is what I remember of the top of my head, and most came (sadly) as a result of experience.
Have fun, be safe,
Tommy