Motorcycle Safety

Motorcycle Safety
Always Wear a Helmet

Motorcycle safety is in the news today with the injury to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger getting seriously injured in an accident. If you need information on motorcycle safety the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is a great source.

Remember, always wear a helmet. The road is populated with idiots talking on their cell phones who will do stupid stuff.

Keep your motorcycle well maintained.

Wear leather – in case you have to put it on the ground. Gravel and motorcycle riders sliding across the ground are a nasty combination. Wear the proper biker clothing.

Take a motorcycle training course. Watch out for the jackasses who you, by law, have to share the road with. WEAR A HELMET!!!

Remember, always ride defensively. Expect the idiots to do stupid stuff. Apparently the old woman who caused all of injuries “Big Ben” didn’t see him and made a left turn right in front of him. He was riding safely, at a reasonable speed when the accident occurred. He didn’t do anything wrong. Still, that makes a lousy eulogy.

If you are entirely too cool to wear a helmet, be sure you have an organ donor card in your wallet.

Motorcycle Itch

I’ve got the itch. And it is the itch that only a ride on a motorcycle will satisfy. As the weather starts to warm, a man’s fancy turns to riding on the open road with the wind in your face. Now is the time to get your precious ready.

If you haven’t ridden your motorcycle for awhile, change the oil – regardless of the number of miles you’ve ridden. Time and oxidation can do as much damage to the oil in a motorcycle’s crankcase as 3,000 miles of hard riding.

Do a visual inspection of all aspects of your motorcycle. Pay particular attention to the tires and seals. If you are a weekend motorcycle rider you always run the risk of having dry rot from lack of use.

Lubricate everything that is supposed to be lubricated; tighten everything that needs to be tightened. If it has been over 3 months since your motorcycle has been started, you probably should drain the gas tank and put in fresh. See the comments about oil above. Bad gas and weak oil can foil your points and plugs making you prone to an untimely breakdown on some isolated stretch of road.

Once you’re satisfied everything is working on your motorcycle as needed, then and only then should you take it out on the street.

Be careful. That idiot in the SUV who is talking on her cell phone and adjusting her makeup may not see you. You may be in the right, but don’t be “Dead” right.

Headlights on and keep the rubber and not the chrome on the road.