Safety TipS
RIDER SAFETY
majority of motorcycle
crashes occur in busi-
ness or shopping areas. These
crashes are on sunny days, on
dry, level roads at speeds less
than 40 mph. Over fifty percent
of crashes are with other vehi-
cles. What you may not realize is
that most crashes happen within
the first twelve minutes of the
intended trip or on trips less than
five miles from your home. The
old joke about moving to avoid
crashes near your home is not a
good way to avoid crashes. There
are three strategies that can
reduce the risk of a crash when
starting out from home.
The first thing we should do is
make sure the bike is ready for a
ride. A thorough exam of the bike
only takes a couple of minutes.
Tire air pressure may not look
low when the bike is parked on a
side stand, especially for bikes
that have mufflers and saddle
bags that cover most of the rear
tire. The only way to check tire
pressure accurately is with a tire
gauge. Check all fluid levels. Be
sure the fuel supply valve is in the
proper position. Manipulate the
controls to be sure they are all
working properly. Warm the
motor up before you ride.
The next step is to get the
rider ready to ride. Spend a cou-
ple of minutes outside to get
your body used to the weather.
Make sure your gear is adequate
for the weather conditions.
Adjust your gear before you start
T HE
riding. Mirrors, radio, GPS, wind-
shield, and any other adjustment
on the bike should be made
before the ride starts. I have wit-
nessed many riders adjusting
gear, electronics, and bike parts
while riding down the street.
Many of these instances resulted
in a bike going off the road,
falling over, or a near crash.
Adjusting things while you are
riding takes your eyes off the
road, your hands off the controls,
and your mind off safety.
The next step in avoiding a
crash is to get your head in the
ride before you start. Crashes
occur close to home because we
are comfortable in our surround-
ings. We have driven this road so
many times we know it com-
pletely. Our mind tells us nothing
ever happens on this stretch of
road. We start thinking about
that twisty road or the rally we
are headed towards and we do
not think about the distance we
have to travel to get there.
Familiarity breeds complacency.
We let our guard down on famil-
iar roads, when first starting out
on a ride, or when returning from
a ride.
Take a minute to set your mind
on safety before you start. This is
the time to clear anything but the
ride out of your mind. Many
crashes occur because the rider is
not thinking safety first. Thinking
more about a joy or concern than
the ride when starting, takes your
mind off safety. I remember the
experienced rider who picked up
his new bike from the dealer. He
was so excited about the new
bike, he was not paying attention
to safety. He went three miles
before he ran off the road in a
curve totaling out the bike.
Rider training and practice are
important for developing physical
skills to avoid a crash. Physical
skills alone will not prevent
crashes. Most crashes are caused
by poor judgment such as riding
too fast for road conditions, poor
attitudes like I can’t stand to ride
behind another vehicle, and poor
crash avoidance behavior such as
improper search techniques.
Riders should evaluate the risk
involved in riding with the skills
they possess. Honest self assess-
ment is critical to crash avoid-
ance.
The most important thing you
can do before starting a ride is to
clear your mind of all things but
the ride. Take a moment to cen-
ter your mind on a safe ride. The
best way for me to do this is say
a prayer before I ride. I pray for
safety for me and all those I ride
with. I pray I may be open to any
opportunities God may present to
me during the ride. You cannot
help anyone else if you crash
during a ride. Your mind is your
most important piece of safety
gear you can take on a ride.
Check all your gear. Make sure
everything is operating properly
for a fun safe ride. CMA
Mike Phillips is a certified Motorcycle Safety
Foundation (MSF) instructor in Arkansas.
By MIKE Phillips