Share your Riding Tips with others!

Do you have any tips for riding....

- On different types of road surfaces
- In different types of weather
- At different temperatures
- In different riding conditions (country, city, suburbs)
- Carrying items

Feel free to share anything at all that you might feel would be of benefit to another rider. No matter how dumb or silly you may think it is, it might help another rider out.

Mike.

_________________
2013 Motorcycle Model Guides
2012 Motorcycle Model Guides
2013 ATV/Quad Model Guides


Total Motorcycle is official Media/Press for Aprilia, Benelli, Beta, Bimota, BMW, Buell, Can-Am, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Husqvarna, Husaberg, Hyosung, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, MV Agusta, Norton, Phantom, Piaggio, Polaris, Ridley, Roehr, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph, Ural, Vespa, Victory, Yamaha and Zero.

I liked this idea so much I made it a sticky!!

will add my .02 when i have some time...

_________________
"I am so smart, I am so smart, S M R T, I am so smart"

Homer J Simpson - comedic genius....

Don't blindly believe everything that they teach you at the MSF. Use common sense if the lane position garbage that they have taught you just doesn't feel right
Always be able to see where your bike is going to be up the road. If you can't you are following to close.
Always assume that the people around you don't see you and will pull the stupidest move possible. Often they do.....
There's a start anyways.....

Imagine the worse case scenerio......and plan for it
Stay alert and always keep your mind ahead of your bike
Assume nothing and trust no one
If a problem arises, don't lose your head.....stay calm

_________________
04 HD XL1200R

75 Suzuki GT 550

Always assume that the people around you don't see you and will pull the stupidest move possible. Often they do.....

High_Side said it all here. probably the greatest safety tip anyone could ever give you for motorcycling.

_________________
Live it like you mean it, this ain't no dress rehearsal!
Max

Not to agree or disagree, but simply to inquire - what lane position garbage are you refering too? I think there is another post that might be able to come out of this reply to you. What lane position technique do you recomend instead of what the MSF recomends?

_________________
* 2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200R *
"What good fortune for those of us in power that people do not think. " Hitler - think about that one for a minute.

There was a pre-hacker post where I previously ranted about this but I'll fly off the handle once more for old times sake
I'm refering to my encounters with a couple of "instructors"* up here who blindly state that you should ride in staggered formation at all times. Another instructor felt that you should ride on the side of the lane closest to the vehicle you are pasing on a multi-lane highway for increased visibility in their mirrors (true) and to "protect your lane position" ( a great way to end up dead).
Years of experience has taught me that that:
A) Riding in staggered formation as a means of avoiding the bike in front of you in the case of an accident is stupid. Bikes in accidents rarely hold their lane position. Give yourself enough space behind the rider in front of you that you can avoid him in any situation. Ride the lane posiiton that best suits the situation.
B) Riding in the side of the lane closest to the vehicle you are overtaking on a multi-lane highway makes you easier to see in their mirrors. People don't use their mirrors.....or their signal lights! Now you have no time to react when you are right beside them and they pull a quicky lane change.
C) Protecting your lane position is the dumbest thing these guys could teach. (This is the method of staying tight with the vehicle you are beside to prevent them from sliding into your lane). Think about this one. Using a bike to block an SUV.....brilliant!

My final observation about the "Instructors"* that I have met and talked with is that most didn't appear to have very good riding skills and not alot of experience. Now I know that this is not the case with all instructors, but there seems to be alot of people who start riding one year and take and PASS the instructors course the next. All I can say is, find out what experience your instuctor has before you take the course. And take advice from other more experienced riders and use your own common sense to decide what works.

If you can't see the drivers face in their mirror, you are in a blind spot, and need to move right now. This may require speeding up or slowing down, depending on traffic. Whatever it takes, you must make an effort to stay out of blind spots.

My advice is simply not to ride up into it. You control what is in front of you, until you follow too closely and allow that area to close in on you. In other words, look way, way ahead in traffic, and put yourself where you can see, and be seen. Protect your position with visible, non-threatening riding. For example, stopping too far on the left side of your lane at a light will become an invitation for a car turning right behind you to get beside you to turn right on red. Riding too far to the non-car side of your lane will result in the same possiblilty at traffic speeds, with no room left to maneuver. Best to stay centered, and back out of the blind spot, except when passing..and make it as quick as possible.

Incidently, the center of the lane isn't one big oil and antifreeze patch, except at the intersections. Use it to make yourself visible. When you are centered, few cars will try to squeeze you out from behind, and when you are far enough back, the car in front has room to do the inevitable, occasional infringement.

I like to flash my foot brake as I approach any situation that might put a car into my seat from behind. I've been driving a truck for years, and have seen how things develop/degenerate. I see city traffic as a necessary evil to get myself to where the ride begins. I ride the way I drive my truck. No aggression, eyes wide open, looking way ahead.

As situations develop ahead of me, I will move to the left or right of center as needed to increase visibility, then return to center if possible to keep traffic behind me from moving alongside in my lane.

Now, all this requires a speed that is close to traffic flow, but usually slightly above it...not a squidly amount above. Ride smoothly and predictably, for the benefit of those behind you, and do everything you can to minimize any time in the blind spots in front of you.

_________________
Ride safe...God bless!
-Ron

When starting out, as soon as you are comfortable on a bike, AND THERE IS NO TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD, try experimenting with counter steering (where you lightly push the bars in the wrong direction, to lean the bike, at speeds of 40mph and above). It is a skill which will at some point save you from a nasty accident. It is also something you will learn naturally after time on a bike, but it's worth trying to force yourself to do it sooner

_________________
Starting out responsibly? - Clicky
looking for a forum that advocates race replica, 600cc supersports for learners on public roads? - Clicky

Kind of long but useful.
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/viewtopic.php?t=651

Pam

_________________
ATGATT: Becuase walking away in disgust beats riding away in an ambulance.
Admitted BMW MC snob.