The key to staying safe riding your motorcycle is to be prepared and understand how to avoid risks. Motorcyclists are at a higher risk being on the road compared to a vehicle. Keep these things in mind to dramatically lower your risk for injury.
Refine Your Skills
If you’re new to riding, look to take a riding course from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in your area. This class can teach you the basics. Or, if you’re an experienced rider, you can learn more advanced techniques.
Practice Makes Progress
After taking a Motorcycle Safety riding course, be sure to get out there and ride! Racking up miles will help you become a better rider. Set a short term goal of riding 1,000 miles before a specific date.
Wear the Right Clothing & Footwear
Especially if you’re new to riding, you need to wear the proper attire in case you go down. Look to buy leather or textile protective gear (jacket, pants, gloves). It helps when your clothing is breathable when you’re riding in the hot summer days.
Shoes with good traction are essential to staying safe on the road. A non-slip bottom boot or shoe is ideal. They should also be over-the-ankle to give extra protection.
Ride More Defensive Than You Drive a Car
Many drivers don’t see motorcycles or simply make judgement errors because of your size. Be sure to pay more attention to your surroundings when you’re riding. Pay attention to everything including street corners and intersections, but also parking lots, alleys and anywhere where a vehicle is trying to enter into moving traffic. Also, look far ahead when you’re riding. For example, say a car is pulled over or construction is coming up. Sure, you may see it, but does the car next to you? Lastly, avoid the blind spot of all cars. Ride up ahead of them or far enough before in case they need to suddenly switch lanes.
Besides being aware of your surroundings, it’s important to look for pot holes or bumps in the road. While a car can handle these without a problem, being on a motorcycle is a different story. If you can’t avoid them, slow down as much as you can.
Do a Quick Inspection
Before hopping on your bike, be sure to check a few areas. Check the chain, belt, and brakes. Inspect your tires for proper pressure. Also check to make sure your lights and directional signals are working properly.
While we’d love to sit in your sidecar to help you ride safely, we have work to do saving great people like you money on their motorcycle insurance. As an independent agent, we have access to some of the top insurance carriers in the country.
Wickline Insurance was founded in 1991 and is a leader in West Virginia with providing quality protection to hundreds of families across the state. Our Beckley, WV office can issue policies over the phone, so even if you’re not in the area, our knowledgeable, licensed insurance agents can help. We offer insurance products including auto, home, health, business and life in West Virginia. We make sure that you're covered today as well as in the future so that you can focus on what is important to you and your family. At Wickline Insurance, our #1 job is to assist you in identifying your needs and problems, while putting together a customized plan that's simple and easy to understand.