10 Ways to Be Safe on a Motorcycle

 

 


 

1.) Assume Drivers Can't See You: Ride assuming that you and your motorcycle are totally invisible to motorists. That means you must never assume that drivers can see you. The odds are they can't, so believe it yourself.  Always be on the  "look out" for dangerous traffic situations. Motorcycle Safety depends on you.

2.) Maintain Safe Spacing: Leave plenty of space in front and back and to the sides from all other vehicles.  Stay away from traffic as much as possible. This gives you more visibility and more time to react to situations.

3.) Anticipate Trouble: Anticipate trouble situations and know what to do when you see them. Analyze what vehicles are doing and try to predict the outcome. Then make sure you're ready to avoid a bad traffic situation.

4.) Beware of Oncoming Right Turners: Beware of oncoming motorists turning right in front of you at intersections. This is the leading cause of death of motorcycle riders. This is a deadly situation.  If you only remember one tip here, let it be this one. Slow down before you enter an intersection. Have an escape route planned. Stay visible. Don't travel too close to cars in front of you. Position your bike so it can be seen by the left turner. Eye contact is not enough.

5.) Ride Your Own Ride: Don't try to keep up with your friends who may be more experienced. Know your personal limits. Ride your own bike.

6.) Watch Out for Curves: Beware of taking curves that you can't see around. A parked truck or a patch of sand may be awaiting you.

7.) Don't Give In to Road Rage: Do not give in to road rage and try to "get even" with another rider or motorist. Calm down, slow down, and collect your thoughts.

8.) Don't allow Tailgating: If someone is tailgating you, either speed up to open more space or pull over and let them pass. Life is too short. Remember that a bike can stop faster than a car so you don't want a truck on your tail when you find yourself trying to brake to avoid an accident. Also, don't tailgate the vehicle in front of you. Oncoming drivers can't see you.

9.) Don't Be Blinded by Sun glare: Beware of riding your motorcycle into sun glare. All it takes is turning a corner and finding the sun either directly in your face or passing straight through your windshield. Some helmets have shields to block the sun. Face shields help somewhat. But sometimes you just find yourself blinded by the light. Slow down, pull over, shield your eyes and look for a way to change direction.

10.) Avoid Riding at Night: Avoid riding at night, especially on weekends when drunken drivers may be on the road. It goes without saying that you shouldn't drink and ride. Going bar hopping? Leave the bike at home and find a designated driver.
The best way to be safe is to take to learn the basic ways to control your motorcycle and to learn how to recognize traffic situations that you need to be ready to handle.
Always wear protective clothing and a helmet. A tiny helmet held on by a thin strap is not enough.
Maintain your bike so it is safe too. Keep records of the intervals when you replace tires, chains, clutch cables, batteries, brakes, etc. You don't want an equipment malfunction to contribute to a motorcycle accident.
Practice riding under all kinds of traffic situations. Ride with a buddy if at all possible. Avoid riding long distances alone.

 

Making Sure Your Motorcycle Is Ready 

You being ready to ride is only part of the battle. You need to make sure your motorcycle is ready too. You should perform a quick, overall inspection of your motorcycle before each ride. To do this, use what is referred to as the T-CLOCK inspection, explained below.

  • T - Tires and wheels
    Check your tires for proper air pressure, tread depth, cracks, bulges or embedded objects. Check wheels for dents, cracks and roundness. Check spokes for proper tightness or missing spokes. Check bearings and seals for signs of failure.
  • C - Controls
    Check all levers, making sure they are not broken, bent, cracked or loose. Check the condition and routing of control cables, making sure they move freely, are not frayed, and have no sharp angles, and are of sufficient length as to not interfere with steering. Check that all hoses are in good condition and don't interfere with steering. Make sure your throttle moves freely, with no sticking and snaps closed when released.
  • L - Lights and electrical
    Check your battery, making sure the terminals are clean, electrolyte fluid is sufficient, and that it is properly secured. Check your headlight, making sure it works, has no cracks and is aimed properly. Check all other lights and reflectors for operation, cracks and fastening. Check wiring, looking for frays, clean connections and proper routing.
  • O - Oil and fluids
    Check oil and fluid levels, including brake and clutch fluid, coolant and of course gasoline. Check all fluid reservoirs, hoses and lines for leaks.
  • C - Chassis
    Check condition of the frame, looking for cracks, dents or bends. Check forks and shocks, making sure they travel freely and are properly adjusted. Check chain or belt, for proper tension, lubrication and wear. Check all fasteners, bolts and cotter pins, making sure they are not missing, broken or loose.
  • K - Kickstand
    Check the side stand and center stand. Make sure they are not cracked or bent, and that they spring into place and the tension is sufficient to hold them.

Although this sounds like a lot, this inspection can be performed quite quickly. While it won't guarantee against a failure of some sort, it increases your odds of finding problems before they become dangerous or fatal.

Carrying a Passenger

Carrying a passenger on a motorcycle is not like taking someone with you in a car. A passenger affects the overall handling and dynamics of your motorcycle. Unless you are a fairly skilled rider, you probably should not even consider taking on a passenger.
If you do carry a passenger, you should know and do the following:

  • Never carry a passenger unless your motorcycle is designed for one, including seating space and passenger foot pegs.
  • NEVER allow a passenger to sit anywhere except on the area of the seat designated for a passenger.
  • Make sure that the weight of yourself, your passenger and all gear does not exceed the maximum recommended weight for your motorcycle according to manufacturer's specifications.
  • Make sure your passenger has proper riding gear. It's just as important for your passenger to be protected and comfortable as it is for you.
  • Make sure your passenger knows what he/she is supposed to do. Unless the person has ridden with you many times and you know he/she understands the rules, take the time to go over them before you start your ride. The passenger should:
    • Keep his/her feet on the foot pegs at all times, and avoid contact with hot parts.
    • Sit still as much as possible, particularly when slowing or stopped.
    • Always lean with the motorcycle. This means the passenger's torso should always be the same angle as the motorcycle. They should not lean in or out.
    • When in a turn, look over the shoulder of the operator in the direction of the turn.
  • Make sure your suspension is properly adjusted for the extra weight.

 

 

 

Pocket Bike Safety

  • A good, sturdy helmet is the most important element of your protective gear. While most scrapes and bruises will heal, head wounds can severely affect you for the rest of your life. So, always wear a helmet while riding your pocket bike.
  • Shoes are an important component of your protective gear. Your shoes should be durable, sturdy, and, most importantly, comfortable. Most athletic shoes are good for pocket bike riding. You should not, however, wear sandals, high heels or opened toed shoes. It is a good idea to find shoes that offer good ankle support.
  • Do not attempt to carry more than one person on a single pocket bike. These bikes are designed for a single person to ride and cannot support weights exceeding 300 lbs.
  • Gloves can help while riding. You should choose gloves that offer good protection and that fit your hands well.
  • Always ride your scooter during the daytime. When it is dark, visibility is low for the driver and vehicular traffic. Pocket rockets are very low and are hard to detect and especially if they have no lights and the rider is wearing dark clothing.
  • Scooters are not toys! Children who are under eight should always be supervised when using scooters. Almost a third of all scooter-related injuries and accidents involve children under the age of eight. As everyone knows, scooters are capable of traveling very quickly, and children that age do not always have the judgment or coordination to handle these high speeds.
  • Always ride your scooter Off-Road & Stay away from all cars and any other vehicles -Cars and scooters don't mix, especially for younger riders. Smooth, paved surfaces are best - avoid bumpy, uneven, wet or rocky ones. Schoolyards, parks, paved trails are examples of safe places to "scoot"! Stay away from Sand, Gravel, Water and Dirt – Try to keep your scooter on smooth surfaces.
  • Always observe the basic rules of the road anywhere you use scooters. As scooters can travel as fast as many other types of vehicles, motorized and non-motorized, they too must observe the rules of the road. These include:

• Stop at every stop sign. Look left, right, and left again before proceeding.
• Stop at the end of the driveway. Look left, right, and left before entering the street.
• Use proper hand signals.
• Obey traffic signs and signals


MECHANICAL TIPS:

Check all joints, hinges and quick releases to ensure the scooter is properly assembled. Stop using the product immediately if any joint, hinge, or quick release becomes loose. Correct the looseness prior to resuming the ride. Maintain proper air pressure in the tires. Low air pressure induces extra rolling friction, reduces ground clearance, and wears the tires quicker. If the brake lever touches the handlebar grip, stop use of the product until the lever is adjusted.

 

Go Carts

Safety Tips


 

  • Do not ride go kart on public street, side roads.
  • Do not ride go karts at night.
  • Operate only on safe terrain, avoid loose gravel and rocks.
  • Be careful on wet surfaces, allowing extra braking distance.
  • Your go kart is designed for enjoyable use in normal riding.
  • Not for racing, stunting, or experimentation.
  • The single seat go kart is designed for operator only.

The double seat go kart is designed for operator and one passenger Adult supervision is required when operating the go kart

 

 

Riding Gear

 
So what is proper riding gear? It depends on the conditions, but at minimum it is:

  • A helmet.  The helmet should fit snug but not be too tight. In other words, it should be comfortable. Besides being the best defense against head injury in case of a fall, a helmet has some other advantages as well.
  • A long-sleeved shirt or jacket, snug at the wrists. 
  • Long pants.
  • Full-fingered gloves. Besides abrasion protection, gloves usually offer a better grip on the controls, especially in condition extremes. In the cold, you will need them to stay warm. In the heat, sweaty hands or fingers may slip off the controls. Gloves offer a buffer against this. They also provide some level of protection against flying objects, such as rocks picked up by traffic or insects that inevitably will collide with your hands.
  • Eye protection. This may be goggles, a face-shield, or glasses. Windshields attached to motorcycles DO NOT offer adequate eye protection.
  • Sturdy footwear, preferably leather and preferably over the ankle. Besides the obvious abrasion protection, on most motorcycles there are many hot parts that reside near your feet and ankles. You should also try to avoid long or dangling laces. Your quick thinking may be put to the test if you come to a stop and your foot won't go down because you have a lace caught in the shifter or brake pedal.