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Basic Motorcycle Safety

Mar. 1 2023 Health & Safety By Santa Maria Harley-Davidson

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Your motorcycle is fun to ride and a great way to get from point A to point B. But motorcycles do present some danger to their riders, especially if you are underprepared to ride them. Keep yourself safe with these helpful tips for motorcycle riders.

Inspect Your Bike

Before every single ride, you need to do a quick inspection of your motorcycle. Make sure that the tires are in good condition and properly inflated and that there are no broken or missing parts. Doing a quick test ride to check the functionality of your brakes, lights, and signals is also a good idea. Taking the time to make sure your bike is safe to ride is just good common sense.

Wear Your Gear

You’ve undoubtedly seen those foolhardy motorcyclists who wear a T-shirt and sunglasses and forget about their helmets, jackets, and proper footwear. Because you are in danger of being thrown from the bike or sliding across the pavement in an accident, you have to wear safety gear to protect your body.

A well-fitting, DOT-rated helmet is the most essential piece of your ensemble, and you need to replace it every five years or after an impact event. If your helmet lacks a face mask, goggles are in order.

Riding pants and a riding jacket or a one-piece riding suit that fits over your street clothes will help protect your body in a crash. The padding in these suits is essential to your safety.

Finally, riding gloves and riding boots will help you maintain your grip on your bike, protect your ankles, maintain a grip on the pavement when you come to a stop, and they’ll protect your extremities.

Ride With Care

Just like you’ve seen underprepared riders, you’ve also seen those reckless riders who don’t seem to care about anyone else around them. In the motorcycle community, reckless riders are called “hoons,” and you never want to be called a hoon. Here are some things to keep in mind to maintain the respect of other motorists:

  • Don’t ride on the shoulder or weave through traffic in congestion, especially at high speeds.
  • Avoid swerving or making sudden maneuvers.
  • Be mindful of opening car doors when riding on city streets.
  • Keep your cool and don’t try to get aggressive if someone else makes a careless maneuver.
  • If you find you are inexperienced, locate a local motorcycle course that can help you brush up on the basics.

Stop by our California dealership in Santa Maria today to take a look at our wide selection of used motorcycles for sale. Santa Maria Harley-Davidson® is proud to be your local used motorcycle dealership, serving Ventura and Bakersfield, CA.