10 Things Every New Motorcyclist Needs to Know

With today's gasoline prices going through the roof, many people are turning to the motorcycle as a more fuel-efficient form of transportation. For those of you who are just starting, or are considering your first motorcycle, here are 10 things you should know.

1. Motorcycle Safety Course.

   Whether you are a first timer, or a seasoned "pro", taking a motorcycle safety class is one of your best investments. These classes are usually held over one weekend and are often sponsored by the Highway or State Patrol. While there, you will attend classroom lectures, field training, and field practice. Things that you will learn include the proper way to brake, take sharp turns, and avoid traffic accidents. There are two other important results. Upon graduation, you will receive a certificate of completion. This certificate will get you a discount on your motorcycle insurance, and in many states, successful completion of the course means you don't have to take the DMV riding skills exam. All you have to take is the written exam.

2. Practice

   Once you get your license, take it easy and practice the skills you learned in the motorcycle safety course. Find a nice big parking lot and practice riding. Spend a lot of time practicing your braking technique. Braking is important because motorcycles don't brake like automobiles. You will only have two wheels, so if you brake incorrectly, you are going down.

3. Turning

   When a bicycle rider wants to make a turn, they turn the front wheel in the direction they want to go and keep pedaling. As unintuitive as it may seem, motorcycle riders have to do the exact opposite. If you want to make a left-hand turn, you look to your left, turn your handlebars slightly to the right, and lean into the turn. Trust me on this. It's a physics thing; don't ask me for a better explanation. You can always spot a new rider by the way they struggle to make a turn at an intersection.

4. You're a Target

   Once you are out in public, riding with traffic, remember this. Everyone in a car is out to kill you. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but if you keep that mindset, it will help keep you safe. Pay attention to where you are in regards to the car driver's blind spots. If you can't see the driver, the driver can't see you. Watch the direction the front tires are pointed when the vehicle is stopped. Far too many people don't use their turn signals, but if you see where the car is heading, you can anticipate their movement.

5. Safety Gear

   I see so many riders wearing nothing but shorts, a shirt, tennis shoes, and a helmet. I used to work as an EMT, and I have seen my share of motorcycle accidents. Road rash is extremely painful, takes a long time to heal, and leaves some good scars to brag about. Frequently, the first thing to hit the ground during an accident is your feet. The bones in your feet are actually quite fragile. Wear steel-toed riding boots that go above the ankle. I've seen first hand how much those kinds of boots will protect you. Sometimes, it is your hands that will hit the ground first. Wear gloves all the time. Even fingerless gloves are better than no gloves at all. There's a reason bikers like to wear leather. Not only does it make them look cool, but it also helps them keep their skin attached if they are in an accident. Finally, get a good quality, well fitting helmet and wear it whenever you ride. Personally, I think mandatory motorcycle helmet laws are stupid, but even without the law, I would wear my helmet. Broken bones and ripped up skin can heal. A smashed brain will not.

6. Glasses

   Face shields and Windshields. Besides making you look cool, sunglasses and face shields are meant to protect your eyes from debris. I once had some kind of big bug splatter on the left lens of my sunglasses. It was such a huge splatter that it covered the entire lens. Can you imagine if it had hit my eye instead? Another time I had a wasp fly inside my jacket. He stung me about 7 times before I could safely pull over and end its miserable life. That's when I went out and got a small windshield for my bike.

7. Gasoline

   Motorcycles get great gas mileage because their weight and mass is much lower than that of a car or truck. But be aware that some high performance motorcycles like Harley-Davidson require Super-Premium gasoline to run properly. Super-Premium is the most expensive of the three grades of gasoline. Just keep that in mind while you are shopping for your next motorcycle.

8. Etiquette.

   Most non-motorcycle riders are totally unaware that there is motorcycle etiquette. When passing another rider, giving a "biker wave" is traditional. You don't wave your arms in the air, or do the Queen Elizabeth parade wave. Just a quick wave of your left hand, held low, is all it takes. Skip the wave if you are in the middle of shifting gears. Be aware that some riders are prejudiced against other riders based on the type of motorcycle they are riding, and may not wave back at you. Don't worry about it if they don't return your wave.

9. Road Runs

   Also known as "road rallies", is where a group of motorcycle riders get together and ride in a pack. This can range from small groups, to huge groups of a hundred or more motorcycles. These are lots of fun, and a great way to meet other motorcycle enthusiasts. If you are riding in an organized road run, it may also be called a "poker run." In a poker run, the sponsor will collect a small fee from each participating rider, and put the money into "the pot". During the ride, there are designated stopping points where you pull a card out of the deck, doing so at each stop. At the end of the ride, the player with the best poker-hand wins the pot. If the ride is for a charity, the pot may be split between the charity and the winning rider.

10. Bad Weather

    One advantage automobiles have over motorcycles is that they can be driven pretty much without regard to the weather. But riding a motorcycle in the rain can really take the fun out of things. Some people do it, but I won't. Rainy weather means slippery roads, reduced visibility, wet clothing, and dirty water splashing all over my shiny, clean engine. In the colder parts of the country, you will most likely have to put your motorcycle in storage until Spring comes along again. I live in California, so I ride all year long. Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, I ride a Harley-Davidson and I will wave to sport bikes.