Five ways to stay safe
Riding a motorcycle is one of the best remedies for a worried mind. Feeling sad? go for a ride, kids grinding you down? get out on your bike. Getting out in the fresh air does wonders for the mind and soul, but the darker side is the imminent danger from all sides. Bad road surfaces, traffic, pedestrians, nature and terrible self-preservation all act to make riding an activity wrought with danger, but there are steps you can take to make your next ride safer.
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There are as many tips as there are riders, but most of what is out there, advice-wise, can be condensed down into five main points. It's important to remember that the world around you owes you nothing and that the onus is on the rider to ensure that their ride is as safe as possible. There is no accounting for the unforeseen, but this is the best-case advice to follow to keep yourself safe.
Wear your gear
Very little infuriates a biker more than observing another of our kin tearing down a road wearing nought but a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and Crocs. The road is unforgiving, and if an accident should become that individual, they will be scarred for life or dead. It takes a few minutes to grab your jacket, boots and gloves. Wear your gear because you never know what is around the next corner.
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Slow Down
The statistics don't lie; the vast majority of motorcycle accidents are single persons; in other words, it is only the rider involved, and this is almost always due to a loss of control due to excessive speed in the wrong environment. Speed is meant for the freeway, not your local school zone, so slow down. You will have more time to react to changing situations, more distance to slow down for events in front of you, and you may just enjoy the scenery around you on that twisty mountain road a little bit if it isn't passing you in a green blur.
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Be Vigilant
This becomes a natural by-product of riding on the roads. A rider will begin to develop a sixth sense, scanning their surroundings, you will start to preempt what other riders, drivers and traffic are going to do when approaching intersections, you will be able to tell if someone isn't going to stop, drivers changing lanes without indicating will stand out, and you will be able to react faster to rapidly changing situations. This means being vigilant of everything, everyone, all the time
Keep your bike maintained
Make sure your bike is in tip-top mechanical shape. Follow the service schedule, check your oil and water regularly, and perform monthly maintenance items like chain lubrication and nut-and-bolt checks to ensure that your bike never leaves you stranded on the side of the road. Keep a small toolkit and puncture repair kit in your tail tidy, and replace worn tyres and brakes before they cost you dearly.
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Get some training
Never underestimate the value of any form of training, whether it's an introductory course, intermediate training or all-out track time; getting an expert eye on your posture, bike handling, bike positioning and manoeuvring will give you great insight into how you ride and where you can improve. The more training you get the better you will be out on the road.
