In the January/February 2024 issue of Motorcycle Mojo, I wrote a column titled “Organized Chaos.” I was surprised to see the heightened response in readers. Thank you to everyone who wrote in and spoke to me at the bike shows. It not only shows that you enjoy reading my rants, but it also signifies that you, as readers, understand that there’s an issue in our culture with riding.
With May being Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, let’s follow up identifying the issue with discussing solutions. We’ve stated that there is an issue with North American riding culture and safety, but how do we fix it? It would be great to see a more stringent licensing system that encourages more skillful and safe riding but that is currently out of our control, so we owe it to ourselves to ensure we are the most competent riders we can be.
As individual riders, the most responsible thing we can do is to ensure our own skill and safety, and, fortunately, there are a few things we can do to prepare ourselves for a safe ride. Taking a riding course to refresh your skills, wearing the right gear and taking care of your machine are just a few things you can do to better your riding season.
Get the Gear
Make sure you’re visible to others while riding, and protected with good quality gear. Spending the money on something because it looks good and you hope to never fall is not a valid reason. Make sure you have a helmet that is not damaged, comfortable and fits well, armoured gloves, a protective jacket, pants with armour and riding shoes or boots that cover your ankle bone.
Prepare Your Bike
Take notice when you’re driving next time to look at a motorcycle from the perspective of a car driver. Is it easy to perceive their distance from you? Can you see them easily from far away? If you have small signal lights, consider bigger and brighter ones, along with a bright headlight and taillight. Admore Lighting makes a great taillight that is super bright, and you can program it to flash as you decrease speed, thereby attracting the attention of car drivers behind you.
Don’t forget when pulling your bike out for a ride to go over the TCLOCS checklist. TCLOCS is an acronym for Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil and fluids, Chassis, Stands.
Stay Focused
Whether you’re on a long or short ride, check in with yourself and make sure your mind is not distracted. Before you go out for a ride, check the weather, make sure you’re dressed appropriately and won’t be too hot or cold which can contribute to a lack of focus. Always check your blind spots and mirrors to have a good understanding of your surroundings. And continually assess any situations that could arise and be prepared. Perhaps not surprising is the stat that 55 per cent of motorcycle fatalities involved a collision between two or more vehicles. The most common collision involved is a car making a left hand turn across opposing traffic through an intersection. A focused rider might not be able to predict what will happen but will have the best response time and preparedness to avoid an incident.
Take A Course
Whether it’s dirtbiking, adventure riding, or sport riding, it’s worthwhile to hone in on your skills and get instruction.
Taking a training course could also be a way for you to explore a new type of motorcycling that isn’t just road riding. This is not only fun but will allow you to learn more new skills and transfer those onto the street.
I spoke to a few instructors that were disappointed with the current licensing standards. Many had mentioned that riders would come for a weekend licensing course and some riders struggled to learn how to ride a bike; the instructors would ponder if they really thought it was safe to send them out on the road after.
When it came to the testing segment of the course, the rider would be able to do everything within the set standards and walk away with their licence. Some instructors I spoke to felt that 15-20 per cent of riders taking the courses shouldn’t be on the road — or even on a bike — in their minds. No matter how good a rider you are, you can always be better.
We owe it to ourselves to help create a safe riding culture and we owe it to others to set a good example for any potential new riders that may look up to us. Wear the gear, get training, maintain your bike, and remain clear and focused while riding. While the dangers of motorcycling have long been stated, creating a safe riding culture will keep riders riding longer and encourage new riders into the sport so they may too pass on their tales of adventures to the next generation.
