SAFETY TIPS
DEMO RIDE and motorcycles
PEOPLE have a lot in common . They both come in different shapes , sizes , and colors . They both come from many different countries . All people have some things in common as all motorcycles have some things in common . People , even identical twins , have some differences between them . People have different skills and talents that make each one special . Motorcycles have different designs , purposes , and characteristics that make each one unique . Motorcycles of the same brand and model may have slight differences . When we first meet people , it takes a little time and effort to learn about them and get to know them . The first time you ride a motorcycle , you should take a few minutes to learn about that bike . When we become acquainted with people , we find we have many things in common . Learning about motorcycles makes that first ride safer and more fun .
The basic rider course , where I teach , has a fleet of 16 HD Street 500 bikes . They are all within two years of each other . Each bike feels slightly different from the others . This is one reason students ride the same bike during the entire class . The friction zone is somewhat different . The angle of the rear brake pedal , clutch lever , and front brake lever is almost the same but not exactly . The tension of the clutch and brake levers is slightly different . There is a huge difference between dirt bikes and street bikes , sportbikes , and cruisers . Take the time to check each bike you ride for those differences .
For the last several years , I have led factory-sponsored demo rides of new model bikes at rallies . I have seen over a thousand riders take demo rides . All of the riders had a motorcycle license and were experienced riders . Most of the riders were riding a different brand , size , or style of bike than they usually ride . I saw many riders have problems that could have been avoided if they took a few minutes to learn about the new bike . Anytime you ride a bike for the first time on a demo ride , a pre-purchase ride , or you are just hopping on a friend ’ s bike , there are some things you should do before you start off .
Make sure you fit the bike . Check the seat height . Sit on the bike while it is on the side stand with your hands on the bars and feet on the footrests . Handlebars need to be at a comfortable height and position . Foot controls need to be easy to reach . Check the angle of the clutch and front brake levers . Feel the tension of the clutch and both brake levers . Compare that to your bike . Rear brake and gear shift levers may be in a different position than your bike . A bike may have a heel-toe shifter or a toeonly shifter . Foot controls are in a different position on cruisers than on sportbikes . In an emergency , you will reach for the controls in the position you are familiar with , which may be different from the bike you are test riding .
Stand the bike up off the side stand to feel the weight . Lean the bike each way to be sure you can handle the weight . Weight matters most when you are starting , stopping , or when your feet are on the ground . I have been in the middle of several demo rides when a rider said the bike was too big or uncomfortable for them to continue the ride . Test the friction zone on the bike . Riders can find the friction zone by rocking the bike in first gear . Start the motor and ease out the clutch until the power goes to the rear wheel . Stop the bike by squeezing in the clutch and using the front brake . Repeat this several times until you have a feel for the friction zone and the tension of the clutch lever . Many experienced riders stall a bike when they first ride it because the friction zone is different from their personal bike .
Test the brakes before you ride . Press on the rear brake as you ease out the clutch . This can test the rear brake ’ s strength and give the rider a feel for the pressure needed on the brake . Test the front brake by easing out the clutch while holding the front brake . Apply very little power while testing the brakes because a mistake may lead to a runaway bike .
Adjust everything you can before you start the ride . This is especially important for mirrors . I have seen riders run off the road because they were adjusting mirrors , radio , or GPS while they were riding a different bike . A demo ride is not the time to learn about bike electronics . There is plenty of time for that when you stop .
A demo ride is not the time to test the limits of a bike ’ s performance . This is a time to get a general
27⎪June 2021⎪www . cmausa . org