Find a Motorcycle Trainer
*Be careful when riding past petrol stations -why do you think?
*Be careful when riding around roundabouts- why
*Practice emergency stops when safe to do so - know your bike braking limits
*Look further down the road and you'll ride smoother
*Dress warm in the cold- numb hands=loss of an important sense
*Keep an eye on your chain tension.A Scottoiler saves you having to do this
as often
*Before a long journey, make sure your kit is perfectly comfortable with
no rubbing ..That gentle pinch on your left thumb when you start ends up
feeling like your hand is in a vice.
*On a cold day, load the bike, then go back indoors and put all your gear
on, including lid & gloves. Then go back out, start the engine- then
set off
*Slow in, fast out of bends- NOT the other way around
*Never push hard when trying to stay with someone: you'll push harder than
you would if you were by yourself and either scare yourself silly or crash.
*Treat every other road user with respect.
*Don't rise to the bait of badly driven vehicles doing daft things in front
of you, just get past as soon as it is safe to do so, and clear off sharpish.
*Keep an eye on what's going on behind you - whatever your situation (but
it's about 5th on your priorities... ) If you're stopped in the road, traffic
lights, pedestrian crossing etc, move this up to number two, maybe even
joint number one.
*Keep your visor clean. Do NOT scrape it clear with your gloves, they're
covered with dust and road grit and will scratch it. Vision is the no 1
most important thing in keeping you safe. (imho anyway)
*In hot weather, be very aware of dehydration.
*Does your bike have a screen? In wet weather, duck down behind it a moment
or two before the truck going the other way passes you - let the screen
take what would otherwise have been a face-full of spray.
*On a really long run, remember to take a break before you start to feel
tired.
*Rather than thinking of your fellow road users as incompetent idiots out
to get you, think of them as ordinary people who cock things up now and
again. A lot like you, in fact. Now think how often you make mistakes and
get away with it .. .
*Have several pairs of gloves. They never dry overnight.
*never eat yellow snow
*Make sure the side stand is properly down, before you try to use it.
*If a car turns off the road to the left, be aware that often the car behind
will swing out wide to the right to get round it.
*Try to suss-out what sort of person is driving the car in front/behind
of you and try to predict how he may behave.
*Most BMW drivers are gay- or from Malton
*If you are behind a lorry with a car or two in front of you, don't overtake
the two cars and sit behind the lorry waiting to overtake it. The best thing
to do (providing you have a powerful enough motorcycle) is to wait for enough
clear road and overtake the cars and lorry in one go. If you're stuck right
behind a lorry you can't see the road ahead, if your further back behind
the cars you can get a better view. BE SURE THE 2 CARS ARE NOT PLANNING
AN OVERTAKE
*No matter how waterproof you think your panniers ought to be - they aren't.
Bin liners provide waterproofing - so wrap everything up in them before
packing those panniers.
*Riding in bad weather can be fun, Honest, it can! Go on, try it...Riding
in ladies underwear can be fun too (ask Paul)
*What does a flashing indicator mean? That the bulb works! Wait until you're
SURE they're going to do what the indicator suggests they're going to do.
Or better still, wait until they've actually done it.
*Never assume that you're experienced enough to not do a right turn shoulder
check.
*If you're going to use a wheel lock: get a blank ignition key, attach it
to the reminder-coil and, when you lock up, stick it in your ignition (instead
of putting the band around your handlebar) much less chance of trying to
ride away with the lock still on (which isn't fun).
*Make eye contact with drivers likely to pull out on you, or stare at them
(not so much you do something silly!). People know they are being stared
at and can help them notice you before that fatal happens. But never, EVER
asume that they've actually seen you.
*When overtaking, you don't have to go as fast as possible. Sometimes an
extra 5-10mph is all you need, and you end up past the other vehicle in
good shape and good time, rather than doing 90 on the wrong side of the
road approaching a right hander
*When you go back to the place you lived 10 or 20 years ago you'll feel
as if you're on home ground but it will have changed. Treat it as if you've
never been there before. If you don't you won't notice the sign for the
traffic "calming" chicane and it'll take you by surprise, you
won't be expecting the pelican crossing just rouind that corner where everybody
said only an idiot would put a pelican crossing and you'll also be taken
unawares by all the junctions that have had their priorities changed or
mini roundabouts built. Your local knowledge will be useful in one way though:
the shortest way into town is now buses and taxis only so you need a new
route.
*Put bin bags over your boots before trying to put your waterproofs on as
they slide on a lot easier.
*Bus stops will usually have quite a bit of oil on, so yanking on your front
brake whilst passing over one in the wet will probably result in you doing
best superman impression.
*Next visit to a petrol station, collect some of the disposable gloves (for
diseasal drivers), keeps your hands clean when checking tyre pressures.
In wet weather, wear inside non-waterproof gloves*.
*Purchase an anti-fog visor insert, or invest in a rigid regime of cleaning
and anti-fog prepping your plain visor.
Riding blind is no fun.
*Wear Ear Plugs!
*Warning signs are usually put up following accidents, look for the problems
*Be very careful if there are wet newspapers on the road. They are incredibly
slippery. As are empty crisp packets.