How To Prevent a Motorcycle Crash
Every motorcyclist has thought about what might happen if they end up in a crash. It’s hard to not think about it, especially when you’re on a busy highway with reckless car drivers around you! However, there are ways that you can proactively protect yourself from this danger, even if you can’t account for every potential obstacle in your path.
Sky Powersports Sanford is your Florida motorcycle dealer. Read on to learn some strategies to help you prevent a motorcycle crash so that you can ride safely with confidence.
Keep Yourself Visible
First and foremost, it’s essential that you be as visible as possible on your motorcycle so that other drivers can see you and make room for you. If you’re dressed in black leather on a black bike at dusk, you’re going to be extremely hard to see and a car might switch lanes without realizing you’re there. While the onus is on other drivers to be watchful, you can do your part by increasing your own visibility and avoiding their blind spots.
Swap out your all-black ensemble for light-colored riding gear: white or neon colors are much more likely to stand out, especially during cloudy or dark riding conditions. You can even find reflective riding gear that will make you shine or apply reflective tape to your jacket, helmet and bike. A blaze-orange safety vest like the type you’ve seen on construction sites is another affordable way to make yourself stand out. You can even add more brilliant lights to your bike to help other motorists see you.
Sharpen Your Riding Skills
If you’re not a responsible rider, then you’re much more likely to get yourself involved in a crash. Brush up on safe riding tips and techniques. In fact, you can look up advanced riding courses in your area and take a class to learn from the pros. A class is much more likely to stick in your mind than some cursory internet research, too.
Make Sure You Can See
Your ability to ride your motorcycle safety is often hampered by limited visibility. If you can’t see obstacles in the road ahead, then how can you react to them? If your bike has a windshield, make sure that it’s at the right level so that you aren’t trying to look through the top of it, and keep it clean of bug guts and debris. Swap out lights on your bike for bright LED headlights that will illuminate more of the path ahead. And make sure your face mask or goggles have anti-fogging capabilities to prevent condensation that clouds your vision.
Remain In Control of Your Bike
Maintaining control over your motorcycle while riding is another good way to keep yourself safe. There are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t lose control:
Wear riding gloves with good grip that will help you manipulate controls and maintain a hold on the handlebars, even in wet weather.
Adjust your bike to suit your height so that you can ride it easily without struggling.
Ride defensively in poor weather conditions that could cause you to lose traction; you’ll want to slow down your speed when taking turns and brake with care.
Perform Regular Motorcycle Maintenance
Finally, one of the best ways you can stave off a crash is to ensure that your motorcycle is always in good working order. Perform regular tune-ups at home with the tools you have and make sure that you’re always filling up your tank, inspecting your tires and checking your oil before your rides. Also, keep regular maintenance appointments with your local mechanic. The service department here at Sky Powersports Sanford is always here to help, so get in touch with us whenever you want some professional attention for your bike.
Seeking motorcycles for sale in Florida? Stop by your local motorcycle dealership in Sanford to check out our wide array of new and used motorcycles for sale. Talk to our staff about our quick pre-qualifying finance options, too. Sky Powersports Sanford is part of the Sky Powersports collective of sister dealerships throughout Florida, serving the cities of Daytona Beach and Deltona, FL.