The Best Way to Learn Motorcycle Safety

Motorcycles have been around for many years. Some people consider them to be a motorized bicycle given that operates in the same manner and is powered by an engine.

A report from the National Highway Traffic Administration shows that from 1975 to 1999, more than 38,000 people have died while riding a bike. The number of those who were injured is much higher and many have suffered from head injuries.

Why so many? Simple because the driver prefers to have the wind pass through their hair instead of wearing a helmet.

If you want to enjoy riding the motorcycle for a long time, then it is best to get a helmet.   This piece of protective equipment must be worn before starting the bike and should only be taken off when it’s parked in a designated area.

Most dealers don’t offer them free when buying a bike. You will have to get this accessory separately so it is best to try on a few first before picking the right one.

Aside from the headgear, you can also wear some heavy clothing and boots. Studies have shown those who have been involved in accidents and have such things on are more likely to have only a few bruises and scratches after an impact from a fall.

When the right attire has been selected, the best way to drive the motorcycle safely will be by enrolling in a safety-training course. These are different than driving a car so it is best to be familiar with the differences before going on the open road.

You can check the directory to find a school that can cater to your skill level given that beginners and those who have been riding for a long time need to take a refresher course.

The training program isn’t only in the classroom but it will also have some practical driving. This will teach you to stay out of the blind spot of a motorist, which is one of the more frequent causes of an accident.

Since the motorcycle is much smaller compared to a car, you will also have to look at the side mirrors regularly. This will avoid getting bumped from the back when weaving from one lane to the next when moving through traffic.

The safety-training course will be finished within three to five days. What happens after that will entirely be on the driver.

Yamaha has released a £2000 sticker kit for the new Yamaha R1 which turns it into a full Rossi-style Fiat Yamaha replica.

The Team Replica body kit comes fully prepared and ready to fit and includes full fairing, tank, seat-unit and front/rear mudguards with an additional sticker kit included for the swing-arm.

It looks great but costs a shocking £1999.99 and is available from Yamaha dealers. But we reckon it’s worth ringing round a couple of spray shops as there can’t be much difference in the price between this sticker kit and a real spray job.

Overzealous parking wardens are ruining one of the UK’s most popular biking meccas and damaging businesses, say local traders.

Wardens have been “swamping” Matlock Bath in Derbyshire and driving out bikers since the council contracted a private firm to take care of enforcement in February, according to shopkeepers.

Despite regularly attracting riders by the thousand, the area has no motorcycle parking spaces. Bikes parked on the pavement are issued with fines since the clampdown.

Riders can use pay-and-display car spaces but get no discount despite taking up less space and risk their tickets being removed. They can also use limited free car spaces but are subject to a strict one-hour time limit.

Matt Edwards, who runs local motorcycle clothing shop Twisted Spanner, said: “Parking enforcement officers are swamping the area even on quiet days.

“Any bikes on the pavement are getting tickets and they’re being very strict about the one-hour time limit. People have to constantly watch the clock so they can’t browse in the shop.

“With parking enforcement officers walking about they don’t hang around.

“In the pay-and-display areas they’re saying bikes must pay. They’ve never enforced that in the past.”

Allison Chouhan, owner of Bikers Gearbox, another clothing shop in the village, plans to petition the local council to provide dedicated bike spaces.

She said: “They’ve always parked along the parade and now they’re getting cleared off after an hour. No new parking signs have been put up so the lads also keep parking on the pavement and coming back to a fine.”

A spokesman for Derbyshire Dales District Council said: “The subject of dedicated spaces for motorcycles was considered back in the last parking review, in 2003, but was ruled out on the grounds that demand for motorcycles is predominantly at weekends, whilst demand for car parking spaces is constant.

“Dual use bays serve the district best, as dedicated motorcycle bays preclude use by cars whilst car sized bays do not preclude use by motorcycles.

“Authorities generally tend to provide dedicated motorcycle bays in areas that are less accessible to cars, but convenient for motorcycles and cycles. However there are no such areas in Matlock Bath, where all bays are dual use.”

Fast But Friendly

In the competitive world of racing motorcycles, most companies tend to bank on their racing teams to promote their street bikes. Heavy duty motorcycles with obscene amounts of power inside the chassis run across the tracks, and motorcycle racing fans find that they can own a little piece of the excitement by buying themselves civilian versions of the racers that their favorite bikers are running.

More often than not, this marketing approach has led most motorcycle manufacturing companies to come up with barely street legal specs for their civilian bikes, and the results are machines that are grossly expensive, difficult to maintain, and wind up causing accidents in the hands of bikers who don’t possess the necessary skill level to handle such high performance bikes.

Honda has taken a different approach from it’s competitors in this department, and has instead taken a people-friendly focus in their motorcycles. Their teams still continue to run – and win a lot – in motorsports events, but their civilian bikes aren’t simply powered-down versions of their racers. They customize their civilian bike designs with the average person in mind.

One of the things that shows this approach is the price of a Honda motorcycle. Their price ranges both for the bikes and parts are considerably more affordable for people who just might want to ride a fast bike for fun without the need to cleave along the highway like a bullet.

Their parts are also much easier to find than most of their competitors, especially their european counterparts, and likewise are much cheaper while maintaining a high standard of quality. To add to the customer oriented approach, these same parts are also easier to install, replace, and yes, modify for those who want to push the specs of their crotch rockets a little higher. Honda service center personnel are highly trained under rigid standards to ensure they do their jobs on the bikes right.

Lastly, Honda also offers comprehensive packages as an added bonus, like extended warranties, insurance, and prepaid maintenance plans for their customers to make sure that they get the best deal available for their money. For Honda, service doesn’t end right after the sale is made.

So, while Honda racing bikes perform on a par with their competition on the professional race tracks, their civilian bikes are made for the people who just want to ride for fun without the headaches involved with owning something just one step below formula specs.