Motorcycle Safety Tips
Motorcycles are fun to ride, but they don’t offer the safety features you’ll find in cars, like seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, and blind-spot monitoring systems. While you can't make your ride completely risk-free, you can certainly take some proactive steps to stay safe.
The experts at Lawton Motorsports have created this brief guide to give you a refresher on the best motorcycle riding safety practices so that you can enjoy the time of your life whenever you hit the road on your bike. If you have any questions or you want to check out our wide selection of motorcycles, feel free to give us a call or stop by our dealership in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Inspect Your Bike
Before each and every ride, you should perform an inspection of your bike. This is especially important if you’re going on a long trip. Walk around your bike and look for things like leaking fluids, loose fasteners, or anything else out of place. The next step is to check your tires. Do they have enough tread? How about the air pressure levels? Your owner's manual will have information about the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure. Remember to check your fluids, such as oil and coolant. Fill up anything that's running low. Finally, go for a short test ride and make sure that everything (like braking, acceleration, turning, etc.) is functioning properly.
Gear Up
Another critical component of motorcycle safety is using the right gear. You should always be wearing a helmet. Pick one that fits comfortably and is crash-test certified. Your head is one of the most vulnerable body parts, so you need to ensure that it has maximum protection. The ideal helmet will cover most (if not all) of your face, which includes the mouth and jaw. If your helmet doesn’t come with a built-in shield, add a pair of goggles to protect your eyes. A pair of boots and gloves will be helpful, too.
Finally, you'll want to wear the right clothing. Wear bright shirts and pants to help improve your visibility on the road. Make sure that the fabric is full-length and it can guard your skin in the event of a crash.
Stay Alert
When you’re actually on your bike, the key to safety is your ability to respond to hazardous situations on the fly. Part of this depends on riding skills, but there are other elements, too. For example, you’ll have much slower reaction times if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even being extremely tired or emotionally upset can affect your focus.
It is critical to be aware of your surroundings at all times because as previously discussed, motorcycles don’t offer the same type of protection as cars. You’re vulnerable and exposed when you’re on a bike. When paying attention to the road, keep an eye on the cars around you as well. You should be prepared to anticipate traffic changes and be able to pull over if necessary.
Weather Conditions
You’ll want to get in the habit of checking the weather conditions before you ride. Unlike cars, motorcycles don’t offer much protection from the elements. Riding in warm weather may seem like a no-brainer, but extreme heat can lead to dehydration, which has threatening side-effects like nausea, dizziness, heatstroke, and blurred vision.
It may also seem like no big deal to ride through a bit of rain, but remember how quickly your body temperature can drop when you’re speeding through the wind in the freezing cold downpour. Not to mention that it can be quite tough to navigate a motorcycle on wet roads. Checking the weather before riding can help you decide if conditions are safe enough to ride your motorcycle.
We hope you found our guide helpful! If you need any service or repairs before your next ride, get in touch with us at Lawton Motorsports. We also offer a wide range of motorcycles for all budgets and riding levels. Our expert staff will be happy to help you with whatever you need, so stop by today! We are located in Lawton, OK, and we welcome all our friends visiting us from Edmond.