Motorcycle safety can be boring to some riders but it is all about more riding enjoyment. You may, or may not, define that enjoyment as freedom, relaxation, exhilaration, or perhaps simply as “undefinable.” But what about the risks of motorcycle riding? The fact is, you can get hurt or killed riding a motorcycle. According to Read more about Motorcycle Safety (Boring)[…]
WOMEN HAVE BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES FOR A LONG TIME. But in the last decade or two, I have observed many more female riders on the road than I had observed in earlier decades. And that’s not only here in California, but also on roads across North America. But what I haven’t observed are crazy female Read more about Are Women Safer Riders Than Men?[…]
HE SAID HE WAS TOO OLD TO RIDE. So, now, he and his wife were traveling on a trike. We met at a gas station and talked for a while, before we each headed back out on the road in different directions as part of our separate multi-day rides and they sure looked like they Read more about How Old Is “Too Old” To Ride A Motorcycle?[…]
IN A FAIR WORLD WE’D HAVE JUST LAWS, HONEST POLITICIANS, NO WARS AND I’D ALREADY BE DEAD. I admire new motorcycle riders. It reminds me of the exuberance that infected me about motorized two-wheeled vehicles before I was a teenager. I can’t help but smile when I think of that era, which seems like another Read more about Youthful Exuberance (and Stupidity)[…]
DO YOU WEAR PURPLE MOTORCYCLE CHAPS? In the biker community, particularly among cruisers, not everyone can pull off this color with grace and dignity, especially if they should be desiring to reflect the most traditional of motorcycle fashions. As a side note, it could be argued that even though women have been riding motorcycles for Read more about Motorcycle Chaps (Purple, or Otherwise)[…]
HOW DO YOU, PERSONALLY, DEAL WITH THE RISKS OF MOTORCYCLE RIDING? Do you think it’s bad karma to talk about motorcycle crashes? Do you even contemplate the possibility that you might get killed riding? Or do you simply not think about it at all? Yes, I have my own opinions on the matter, as you Read more about Dead Biker Riding (Video)[…]
I’VE BEEN SAYING TO MYSELF FOR YEARS I WOULD NOT WRITE ABOUT THE MOTORCYCLE “WAVE.” On the one hand – at least in North America – it’s a fine symbol of the brotherhood experienced by riders of all ages, races, religions, creeds, socioeconomic backgrounds, etc. On the other hand, it can be tiring in areas Read more about The Motorcycle Wave – What’s There to Say?[…]
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DROP YOUR MOTORCYCLE? I don’t mean crash it, although that would certainly be a pertinent answer. In this instance, I simply mean dropping it while you’ve stopped, or while riding very slowly. One example would be pulling up to a stop sign and putting your foot down on some loose sand, Read more about Rider Control When Stopped – or Not (Video)[…]
FELLOW MOTORCYCLISTS GET SMASHED ON THE PAVEMENT EVERY DAY. And many live to tell about it. This morning I learned that one of my neighbors, a young 21-year-old rider, has been in the hospital for several days and is expected to remain there for another 2 weeks, before he can go home for a projected Read more about He Said, “I’ll Never Ride a Motorcycle Again”[…]
WHERE ARE YOU ON THE SPECTRUM OF MOTORCYCLE SAFETY? If you are reading this, it could be presumed that you have some level of interest in motorcycle safety. But in my experience, what that means in terms of “how much” or “how little” you routinely demonstrate the “best practices” of rider safety may vary considerably. Read more about Motorcycle Safety Ain’t For All Riders[…]
HOW SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT ARE YOU, COMPARED TO OTHER RIDERS? Over the years, non-motorcycle riders have asked me to express common traits among motorbike riders that I’ve observed. But I’ve been hard pressed to identify truly universal common rider attributes – other than a love of motorcycles and riding. Perhaps you know of some that Read more about What Are Common Motorcycle Rider Characteristics?[…]
WHAT ARE YOUR MOTORCYCLE TOURING SUGGESTIONS? A friend of mine just bought a new motorcycle (he’s been riding off and on for many years) and will be taking a trip with his wife and asked my advice regarding motorcycle security on the road; best gear for touring through mountains with variable temperatures and unpredictable rain; Read more about Motorcycle Touring Tips and Suggestions[…]
EVERY MOTORCYCLE RIDERS HAS HAD CLOSE CALLS. Which of yours were so close that you were in disbelief that a tragedy simply failed to materialize when it should have? (Write your experience below). The events that have really been on the edge of life and death for me, are some of my most vivid recollections. Read more about Motorcycle Riding on the Razor Edge of Life and Death[…]
SPEAKING WITH NEWBIES ABOUT STOPPING MOTORCYCLES. I was at one of the local motorcycle dealers this week. As I was walking around the large showroom, I happened to pass by a sales person while he was pointing out the motorcycle controls to a potential customer, “…and this is the front brake lever…” But before he Read more about Should You Use That Front Brake Lever?[…]
“HOW COME YOU RIDE A MOTORCYCLE?” How many times have you been asked that question? Or, the more direct one that will be asked is, “Aren’t motorcycles dangerous?” I will often reply, “Of course motorcycles are dangerous. And that’s why they are not for everyone.” If the person is actually interested in taking the discussion Read more about We Don’t Need More Motorcycle Riders[…]