Getting your motorcycle and a motorcycle license is just the beginning of becoming a safe and competent rider. When you first start riding, there is a lot for you to remember. It’s a good idea to focus on one of the tips below per ride. After a few rides focusing on that tip, it will become automatic. Then you can move on to the next tip.
It’s helpful as you are learning to ride your motorcycle if you have an experienced motorcycle mentor to guide you in becoming a safe rider. Your buddy can provide encouragement and advice to you as you master our beginner’s tips.
1. Be Sure to Keep Heels In
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If you have a sports motorcycle, you will see that right next to your pegs when you place your feet are these small metal plates shaped like diamonds. They separate your foot from the bike’s insides. These babies aren’t there to look at. You should make sure that you really use them and doing so is easy.
All you need to do is to place your foot nearer to your bike. Your heel should be pressing on the plate. When you ride in this way, you are going to feel a lot more in control and stable. It might seem like a little thing, but it really makes a huge difference. This might seem like a super obvious tip, but trust us – many people make this mistake when they first begin riding their motorcycle.
2. Ride Loose on the Top and Tight on the Bottom
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When you are riding, your bottom should be tight and your top and arms should be loose. This means that you should be squeezing your thighs so that they are firmly gripping the tank. You also should press into the motorcycle with your ankles, too. This keeps you rock steady and stable. You will not fly off the bike if you hit a big bump at 65 mph.
While you want to be stable and strong on the lower part of your body, make sure on the top that you are loose. If you are not able to move your elbows like a chicken does when you are riding, then you are too tight. Many new riders have gotten into a bad accident because they grip the handlebars too tight. This means that you can’t control the bike when you enter a corner. You will feel a huge difference in the turns if you are tight on the bottom and loose on the top.
3. Be Sure to Take Your Turns Outside-Inside-Outside
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Turning a car is a snap compared to on a motorcycle. In a car, you are surrounded by 3500 pounds of plastic and metal and you have no worries about your lean angle, your speed of entry and not being able to brake mid-turn.
The general rule for turning on a motorcycle is to make sure you enter your turn on the outside, take the turn on the inside and exit on the outside of the turn (see above). The reason for this is it allows you to look through your turn to avoid danger. You also reduce your leaning angle so you can take the turn at a higher speed.
4. Do Not Brake During a Turn
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Braking in a turn is dangerous. If you hit the brakes, you are going to be leaned over in the turn. Then the bike is going to straighten up. If you are already past the turn apex, you may be able to save yourself if the road is straightening. Otherwise, you are going to go down.
What you should do is apply the brakes before you enter the turn. When you are leaned over in the turn, you hit the throttle and accelerate as you complete the turn.
5. Look Through Your Turns
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You will hear a lot of this during your Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. You always want to be looking through the turn to see what is ahead of you. If you only look in front of you or just 10 feet ahead, you can get into serious trouble fast on a motorcycle.
Once you start to look through your turns, motorcycling will get easier and more pleasurable. Roads will start to feel much wider and not scary at all. And you can take your turns faster, too.
6. Wear Eye Protection or Keep Your Visor Closed
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It is very important to have your eyes covered when you are riding. It is just a matter of time before something nasty gets in your eyes, such as bugs, rocks, dirt, bottles, tree branches, you name it, it can happen. The last thing you want to happen at 60 mph is have a bee or hornet smack you in the eyeballs.
7. Assume You Are The Invisible Man
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What you learn on a motorcycle (or a bicycle, for that matter) on the road is that car drivers are not looking out for you. They are looking for other cars. If you ride a motorcycle enough, you will have this experience: A driver will appear to look right at you, even in the eyes, and keep driving into your path like you are not there. Remember that your bike is very quick and maneuverable. Take advantage of this! You can avoid danger easily on your motorcycle but you have to be on the look out for it all the time. Avoid dangerous situations by being aware all the time when you are on your motorcycle of what is going on around you. And always assume you are invisible to other drivers.
If you follow all of these beginner’s motorcycle tips, you will be well on your way to being a very safe rider. If you don’t have time to read all of this, please watch this quick motorcycle safety video: