How to ride a motorcycle safely

A few years ago one of the young guys at the gym asked me about getting his motorcycle license. I asked him if he had ever driven a standard and he said no. I was like oh, then you need to learn two things. You need to learn how to drive a standard and how to drive a standard on a motorcycle.

I guess most cars now are automatic. My first car when I was 15 was a MG Midget. Then right after that I bought a Triumph Spitfire. Those are both standard. I guess my mother was the one that taught me how to drive a standard. We had an old car that was standard for a second vehicle. She had inured her right arm and I had to shift the gears for her when I was young. 

I guess learning to drive standard is something I take for granted. Learning to drive a standard on a motorcycle is a whole next level. At first there's a learning curve. Every hand and foot is doing something. Your right hand and foot control the front and rear brakes. Your left hand operates the clutch and your left foot shifts. It takes a while to learn how to coordinate each hand and foot simultaneously but once you get used to it it's simply instinct. You don't even have to think about it.

That's the first step to learning how to ride a motorcycle. The second most important step is to learn how to ride a motorcycle safely. Someone died in a motorcycle accident recently. That is a common reality we face. Cars don't see motorcycles and it is in that sense dangerous. Driving recklessly makes it 100 times worse. So to learn how to ride a motorcycle safely you need to drive defensively and drive responsibility. 

When I was 16 my parents put me through the defensive driving course with Young Drivers of Canada. They taught you to be aware of your surroundings so you can avoid accidents. Always leave a safe following distance. Don't tailgate. Always leave an escape rote to the right open in the event of an emergency. 

Ground viewing habit - be aware of the front wheel of the car you're passing to see where they are turning. Be aware of what's going on 360s around you for potential dangers obviously focusing on what's in front of you and what's entering your line of travel. 

When approaching a stop sign or drive through residential areas, look under the front cars ahead of you or through the windows parked on the side of the road for pedestrians that might be walking into your line of travel. Give a light tap on the horn at blind corners to let people know you're there. 

On a motorcycle you have to take all that one step further. Assume no one can see you. Don't ride in someone's blind spot and get angry when they cut you off. Avoid the problem by not driving in someone's blind spot. Son't ride beside another car. Speed up or slow down so you always have an escape route open to the right. Drive for the conditions. If the roads are wet, slow down. That brings us to riding responsibly.

Motorcycles are very fast. Compared to a car, the weight to power ratio is significantly different. Sometimes people get swept away in the thrill and ride too fast. That's not going to end well. A lot of people get seriously injured in motorcycle accidents. That full face helmet isn't going to save you. 

We always used to laugh at guys on sports bikes in the summer wearing shorts and sneakers or even worse, flip flops and a full face helmet. That full face helmet isn't going to save you from road rash. Ripping your skin to shreds from falling down on on dry pavement is very painful. 

People think oh the roads are dry I can go faster. For the most part that's true but falling down on dry pavement is very painful. Then there's gravel. Even when its dry out, loose gravel is slippery. Riding recklessly or weaving in and out of traffic is irresponsible. Don't drive like an as*hole. It's really that simple. 

Oh be wise, what can I say more? Motorcycle boots are like steel toes on a job site. Leather helps you slide if you go down. Leather gloves are very important. You know how much it hurts when you fall off a skate board and put your hands out to brace your fall. Multiply that by a thousand on a motorcycle. 

Rain pants are a must. Leather pants are OK but leather is water resistant not waterproof. You need to treat all your leather with mink oil or Dubbin regularly. Chaps are a waste of time. You get drenched in the crotch so they're pointless. Rubber Helly Hanson rain pants from Mark's Work warehouse. When it's around freezing they also serve as a wind break for the cold.

Boots are important because sneakers aren't waterproof but you can also kick yourself up if the bike starts to go down. That's something one of the Ontario village idiots had a very hard time understanding. When I was young and rode in the snow I was much more fearless. I'd kick out with my legs if it started to slide and brace myself with my arms. Now I rope up and am far more technical. I'm feathering the clutch and the throttle. 

I remember a few years ago I was riding home in the fall and my rear tire slipped out on some wet leaves so I instantly kicked myself up again. It is possible. I've done it many times. Couldn't do that with sneakers or on a sports bike.