Motorcycle Safety

You can hear the call of the wild. It's a bright sunny day. The wind is in your face. You hear the rumble of your big V-Twin, or the whine of your hot inline four. The asphalt is as smooth as a calm pond. This is what you have been waiting for. It's time to ride.

Wait a second there Jimmy Dean. Are you prepared? Did you perform a pre-ride check of your bike and your gear? Have you taken an approved rider safety course? You didn't? Well then you're just another motorcycle shop story waiting to be told. You know the stories I'm talking about don't you? The stories that float around from motorcycle shop to motorcycle shop, from rally to rally, where some guy or gal had an accident and "got all messed up". Yeah, those are the stories that I'm talking about.

It's very easy to greatly reduce your chances of sustaining serious injury or death from a motorcycle accident if you prepare.

The first step is rider training. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is the leading authority on motorcycle safety. They are dedicated to teaching people to safely operate and enjoy motorcycles. The MSF has regular classes at locations throughout the country. The cost for the classes ranges from $220.00 to $300.00. The length of the class is usually 4 hours. The MSF also offers advanced riding classes and continuing education. They can be found on the internet at http://www.msf-usa.org.

While we are on the subject of safe riding, let's talk about riding techniques. Safely operating a motorcycle is a skill set that you will learn. You must practice these techniques, however, in order to be proficient. Regularly practicing your newly acquired skills will hone them. Before long, these skills will be second nature to you, and safely riding a motorcycle will be the only way you know how to ride.

The next topic we should talk about is the motorcycle itself. Before each ride, the operator should check the general condition of the motorcycle. You should take the time to insure that the controls operate smoothly. Make sure that the gear shift and brake foot controls are operating smoothly and have full range of motion. If your motorcycle has a windshield, clean it.

Be sure to check the tire pressure. The proper inflation rate is printed on the side wall of each tire. Tires that are either under or over inflated can result in loss of control. The tires should also be free of cracks, and have a minimum of 1/32" of tread. An easy way to check this is to insert a penny upside down. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, then it is time to change your tires. Tires are the single most important element of safe riding. Please don't neglect them.

The single most overlooked aspect of safe riding may be riding gear. Riding gear consists of proper helmet, eyewear or face shield, riding jacket, riding pants, and footwear.

Many states have laws in effect which mandate the use of motorcycle helmets, and this is the source of great controversy. Regardless of how you feel about the issue, it is a good idea to wear a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved helmet. In addition to DOT qualifications, a rider can purchase a Snell certified helmet. Snell laboratories improve the safety characteristics of motorcycle helmets and other gear.

Helmets are made in three basic configurations, which are: full face, three-quarter face, and half helmets. Full face helmets cover the entire head of the rider including the chin and base of the skull. Full face helmets offer the most complete protection. Three-quarter face helmets cover the face, ears, and rear part of the head of the rider. However they expose the lower jaw and chin. Both full face and three-quarter face helmets have a full face shield.  Full face shields not only protect your eyes, but also keep bugs and debris from striking your face.  Half helmets protect only the crown of the head. Half helmets leave the base of the skull, ears, and the whole face exposed. Obviously, half helmets offer the least protection.

One of the complaints often heard about both full face and three-quarter face helmets is that they are hot when riding in warm weather. Both of these types of helmets have generous venting which allows a continuous flow of air around the head of the rider.

One final word on helmets, which can be applied to all motorcycle gear, is that the price denotes the quality. Cheap helmets are cheap for a reason. Please don't skimp on your choice of helmet, or any other gear. We have a saying in the motorcycle dealership where I work, "If you have a $30.00 head, then buy a $30.00 helmet.” Generally speaking, a quality helmet will cost about $125.00 to $200.00.

The next piece of gear to consider is a riding jacket. I can already hear the shouts from current riders saying jackets are too hot. Actually, the opposite is true. All manufactures produce riding jackets that are convertible. In their basic form, riding jackets are made of a net of material that allows air to easily flow through. Liners are then added for either rain or cold weather or a combination of the two.

Good riding jackets also have CE rated armor at the impact areas. This armor offers the best protection against impact injury in a non race application, which is daily riding. These areas are the elbows, the shoulders, and the back. The material of the jacket should be made of at least 600 denier fabric. Denier fabric is specially designed to give the rider the best protection against abrasion.

As far as being too hot is concerned, riding jackets keep the sun off of your skin, thereby reducing your skin's surface temperature. Riding jackets also regulate your perspiration rate. Rider fatigue is often contributed to dehydration.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to wear a riding jacket is to avoid road rash. I could attempt to explain the horrors of road rash, but the following website will illustrate the point much better than I can ever hope. The website can be found here: http://www.myspace.com/brit2morrow.

Riding pants offer the same benefits as riding jackets. A pair of heavy denim jeans offers some level of protection. A motorcycle rider would do well to consider a pair of riding pants as part of his riding gear.

Lastly we will talk about footwear. A good pair of riding boots is your first line of defense in an accident. Motorcycle boots are designed for just that. They are cut in a way that is the most comfortable for a motorcycle rider. They are also reinforced in strategic areas that give you the most protection available for your feet. Riding boots have non-skid, thick rubber soles. This allows you to control your motorcycle at stops with less effort than with other types of footwear.

I will finish with a controversial statement about motorcycle rider safety. Every single motorcycle accident is the motorcycle operators fault. I say this because each rider is responsible for their safety. A person should ride a motorcycle like he is invisible. He should keep plenty of distance around him from other traffic, and not allow himself into dangerous situations. He should always have an escape. Practice, patience, proper gear, and good habit forming are the keys to motorcycle safety.