Do you own a motorcycle? You love your bike and enjoy the thrill that comes with riding it, but as a motorcyclist, you are likely aware of the dangers that can occur while out on the open road.
It is important to be aware to the risks and dangerous conditions that can occur on the road. Below are safety tips you can follow to ensure your bike as well as your wellbeing remains in one piece after any ride.
1. Inspect Your Bike
Your motorcycle may look like it rides well on the open road, but it is always an excellent idea to regularly perform routine maintenance on your bike and to inspect it before every ride. This is especially important in places like Colorado where there is a great deal of traffic, people on the road, and changes in terrain and weather conditions.
Before you take that two-wheeler on a long ride, check on some vital components. Ensure your lights, signals, and horns are in working order. Be on the lookout for worn-out brakes and deflated tires. Is there missing hardware that could result in a malfunction? Are the handlebars, grips, controls, and mirrors functioning properly? What is the state of the engine, fuel tank, and electric system?
Always keep your bike in shape by maintaining it regularly. In case of any malfunction, a Colorado motorcycle accident attorney such as https://www.fdazar.com/ can defend your position with the confidence that your bike was road-ready.
2. Test and Improve Your Skills
Many states require that you complete a motorcycling safety course before getting on the road. There are a variety of these types of courses. It can benefit you immensely to enroll to help assess and improve your driving skills. You will learn advanced techniques to use in response to hazardous and difficult conditions on the road such as advanced turning, collision avoidance maneuvers, and braking techniques.
The tests can also identify your strengths as well as pinpoint any poor driving habits that may jeopardize you while on the road.
Know that a minor annoyance to a driver of a car could be a major hazard to a motorcyclist. While a car driver can crest over a pothole or still manage relatively well after a rainstorm, motorcyclists may need to adapt and maneuver with more care and precision in sudden reaction to road and traffic conditions, such as potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, railroad crossings, debris on the road, or in areas of construction.
3. Wear Biking Gear and Proper Clothing
Biking gear can be heavy and uncomfortable. This is especially true in the summer where sweating and chafing can make gearing up for a ride downright unpleasant. The appropriate biking gear, however, can add layers of protection.
For instance, if you are biking with a helmet on, you are five times more protected from sustaining head injuries than a biker who fails to wear a helmet. A DOT-certified helmet also reduces the effects of flying debris and wind chill on your face. Wearing leather apparel, such as a jacket, pants, gloves, and boots, protects your body from severe injuries in the event of an accident or a skid. Ankle boots and non-slip gloves add layers of protections. Reflective gear will ensure you are always visible at night and in areas of poor visibility thus reducing the risk of a collision. You may also consider dressing in layers throughout the day to maximize on your comfort as well as safety.
4. Find a Bike that Fits Your Lifestyle
It is vital to have a streamlined, high-performing, and safe vehicle. Do the research to find what bikes perform well on the road and can help ensure your safety out there. Always inspect the vehicle and title before you purchase.
If you are new to biking, be mindful that most modern bikes are powerful, but if you are going off power alone, know that the fastest may be the deadliest. If you are purchasing a bike, it is crucial to pick a bike that fits your stature, experience, and lifestyle as well as the necessary safety standards. Focus on the safety mechanisms over the flashy accessories. Don’t let a cheap or fast thrill result in a lifetime of regret.
Do your research and consult a professional when trying to find the best bike fit for you.
5. Obey Traffic Rules
When riding such a powerful yet compact vehicle on the road, it is may be a little too easy to feel the freedom of the road and feel that you can get away with certain speeds and maneuvers that other vehicles cannot get away with. It is vital to your safety as well as to the safety of others on the road to abide by all traffic laws while biking on the highways.
Motorcyclists must obey the same traffic rules. Motorcyclists must follow speed limits, use signals, and make full stops at red lights. Bikers are subject to the same legal limit as car drivers for blood alcohol concentration. In most states, including Colorado, motorcyclists are also required to carry liability insurance. Avoid lane splitting because it is illegally in nearly every state. Don’t tailgate.
Furthermore, obey traffic rules and safe driving habits to ensure that you are also not a victim of a careless driver’s actions. Avoid other drivers’ blind spots by driving with headlights on even during the day. While headlights on during the daytime hours are not required in every state, ensuring that other drivers are aware of your presence can make a world of difference in terms of your wellbeing.
These tips may sound like just pure common sense, but these precautions will not only keep you safe. They will also eliminate the need for a motorcycle accident attorney in the unfortunate event of an accident on the road.
Follow these safety tips to ensure that you can enjoy the lasting excitement of being a motorcyclist on the road.
Stay safe, and enjoy your ride!
Rhydian Choi 
Kim Marks