When you start riding a motorcycle, everyone’s going to have suggestions for things you should do, from the type of helmet you should get to the type of fuel you should use to the way you should ride. But what about the things you shouldn’t do? There are some taboos around motorcycling that you don’t want to break, unless you’re looking to hurt yourself or total your bike.
Harley-Davidson of Fort Wayne is your Indiana motorcycle dealer and we want to help you stay safe on the highway however we can. To that end, we’ve drawn up this list of taboos that you won’t want to break when riding your motorcycle — that is, if you want to remain injury-free and keep your bike out of the shop.
1. Overloading Your Bike
Motorcycles aren’t really made to transport cargo; that’s what trucks and trailers are for. You may feel that you can get away with loading up the back of your bike with a lot of items, provided you strap them all down, but you’re going to seriously unbalance your motorcycle, limit your visibility and reduce your handling. All of this will make you more likely to get into an accident. Keep your cargo to a minimum and use proper storage compartments like saddlebags to stash it safely.
2. Riding on Bad Tires
When you notice that your tires are starting to skid and not grip the road as well, that’s a sign that you need to promptly repair or replace them. It is not a sign that you should just keep riding until it becomes impossible or you suffer from a blowout. Some riders might be complacent and decide that balding tires just aren’t that big a deal, but bad tires are extremely dangerous, especially when the weather isn’t good.
Do yourself and your bike a favor and keep an eye on your tire pressure and condition. Check the treads often and when you notice anything that needs fixing or any bald patches, get those tires off your bike! New tires might be costly, but so is a trip to the hospital or the repair shop.
3. Rushing Corners
You know you need to be patient when riding, but sometimes people take corners fast because they don’t want to slow down. However, you’re more likely to end up colliding with oncoming traffic or sliding out if you rush a corner because of the angle at which you have to tilt the bike. Slowing down in advance of the turn and ensuring that your speed remains constant while looking around the bend for traffic is the best way to take a corner safely.
4. Wearing Shaded Visors at Night
Shaded visors are generally worn by riders during the day to prevent the glare of sunlight from distracting them or blinding them temporarily. Riders might wear a shaded visor because they just like the look or want to mask their identity, too. You might think that a shaded visor will help to minimize the light from oncoming vehicles at night.
However, riding while wearing a shaded visor at night is a recipe for disaster because visibility will be too severely reduced and it’s easy to skid on debris or not see a pedestrian when you’re wearing a shaded visor.
5. Assuming That Other Motorists Can See You
Many, many motorcyclists assume that they are much more visible on the road than they actually are. Assuming that drivers can see you is a very bad mistake to make, because drivers may be distracted or they may simply fail to see you if you’re not wearing bright colors or you don’t have lights on. Even if it’s broad daylight, it’s easy to be missed on a motorcycle. Riding defensively will help to keep you safe.
6. Weaving Through Traffic
Because of the smaller size of a motorcycle, it can fit into narrow spaces, such as the gaps between cars and trucks on the road. Many unscrupulous riders try to take advantage of this in heavy traffic by weaving in and out between vehicles. This is not only rude to those drivers, but it’s dangerous, because a car may suddenly move or try to change lanes and you’ll be hit. Do not ride on the shoulder of the road, either.
7. Wearing Insufficient Gear
People don’t like wearing safety gear, but wearing the right gear is the only way to keep yourself safe on the highway. A helmet is the most crucial piece of safety gear for a rider to wear, but protective thick clothing made from leather and denim is also necessary to protect the skin in the event of a slide-out or collision. Gloves and boots are also needed to protect hands and feet. Riders who try to go without these items are going to end up severely injured in an accident.
We hope this guide helps you to avoid some of the worst practices when riding your motorcycle. When you’re in the market for a new bike, visit our website to see the stock of new and used motorcycles for sale at our Fort Wayne, IN, location. Harley-Davidson of Fort Wayne proudly serves the cities of Auburn and Kendallville, IN.
