Do Or Doomed – Traits Of An Experienced Motorcycle Rider

Riders come in all shapes, sizes, and types. Right from the local goons to the track veterans, the spectrum is vast. Amusingly, the local goons act as if they’re the experienced ones, while they ride without their helmets and in flip-flops!

Riding a motorcycle is much more complicated than driving a car. It requires more skill, awareness and concentration. While riding, there are certain habits and traits that should be followed in order to stay safe and make the most of the moment.

First things first, wear appropriate gear! This is something a lot of the public take for granted and do the exact opposite. Why, though? We may trust ourselves completely when getting on a bike but, there are a lot of variables that we can’t control. For example, the road surface, other motorists, stray animals, or even populated public places.

It can’t be stressed enough how important adequate gear is. Even if it’s just a helmet, one of the most important parts of the body is protected. Investing in one that is slightly on the expensive side will put you down a couple of bucks but, in return, will keep you safe. We can’t put a price on life!

Basic gear while riding should include a decent, full-face helmet, a pair of lightly padded gloves, full pants, full sleeves and shoes. Wearing this will reduce your risk of injuries, if any.

Riding within our limit speaks a lot about character. Always remember, never ride to impress others; ride for yourself. Staying in our comfort zone and not pushing boundaries will make us more confident in ourselves, as a rider.

What if I feel I can be faster? There’s a time and place for that. Take some time off, rent out a track and an instructor and improve your skills there. We won’t be putting others at risk, at least.

Trying to better our time on public roads will probably lead us into a gutter or on the windshield of an oncoming vehicle. A lot of money will be spent to fix ourselves and the bike!

The majority of the population may not have heard of target fixation, in terms of riding. What is target fixation? How will target fixation help a rider in day-to-day riding?

Training where to look is a critical factor in being a good rider. If found in a difficult situation, it is of utmost importance to look at where the bike has to go, not where the problem is occurring.

Being on a bike, we need to remind ourselves that we can make it out of a scenario even if the tiniest gap is available. This is why we should train ourselves to always find an escape route instead of focusing on the incident ahead.

What is tailgating and why is it bad? Tailgating is sticking to the vehicle in front of you while moving. This gives the rider a reduced reaction time if the vehicle in front has to pull off a quick manoeuvre to avoid an obstacle ahead. Keeping a safe distance lets the rider anticipate their next move, depending on what is in front of them.

While riding in a group, it is always safe to give each rider their space. Sticking to each other can end in a catastrophe. When riding close to each other, if a crash occurs, there is less time to react resulting in an unnecessary outcome.

Riding while leaving adequate space, not only is safer but also so much more freeing. The rider can do what they want, ride however they’re comfortable with, and yet, won’t be affecting another person’s time on the bike.

Keeping a check on our surroundings is key to being a safe rider. We should look as far as the eye can see to be prepared for anything. Even knowing what’s behind us is important as we need to know the positioning of vehicles before switching lanes or turning.

Being on a motorcycle, we always need to remind ourselves that we are the most vulnerable on the road at that point. We don’t nearly have as much safety as cars so, we need to do as much as we can to negate the differences.

We have rear-view mirrors on our bikes, not for aerodynamics or for style, but for safety. We normally see a lot of people fold their mirrors in to look ‘cool’ but, in reality, it serves just one purpose; to assist us in seeing who’s behind.

You cannot call yourself a good rider if your motorcycle is not maintained well. Having a smooth and good running bike won’t only put less strain on your engine, but will make the rider happy as well.

A well-maintained bike will respond smoothly to the rider’s inputs, won’t give problems to the rider and provide an overall safer riding experience. Right from keeping the tyres up to mark, to the suspension running smoothly and the engine giving an ideal response, the bike’s maintenance is paramount.

Nothing in life comes overnight. We have to keep pushing and practicing to achieve and be where we want to be. Becoming an experienced rider is bound to take a lot of seat time and we will have to find ourselves in uncomfortable situations to learn from it.

No one is a perfect rider, though. We all have flaws. Our flaws, however, are nothing but learning opportunities to grow and improve. Always have the right attitude and always be ready to learn!