Motorcycle Lessons - Preparing To Ride Part 2 - Know Your Motorcycle

In this article on preparing to ride for your motorcycle lessons I will help you to know your motorcycle, select the right motorcycle for yourself and how to get familiar with your motorcycles controls.

When you are just getting started with your motorcycle lessons it is important that you really know your motorcycle. Here are a few things you should do to really get to know your motorcycle - Read your owners manual, make sure you pick the right type of motorcycle for yourself, get familiar with your motorcycle controls, check the motorcycle each time before you ride, make sure that its in safe condition between rides and stay away from modifications that make your motorcycle more difficult to handle.

Selecting the right motorcycle for yourself isnt an exact science but here are a few tips to get you on the right path. Firstly, make sure that your feet can reach the ground when you are seated on the motorcycle. Work out which type of motorcycle you prefer and whether that suits your main use of the motorcycle. Different types of motorcycles include standards, cruisers, sportsbikes, touring and sports touring bikes, dual sports bikes, sidecars & trikes or scooters. Whichever you choose make sure it atleast has a headlight, taillight and brake light, front & rear brakes, turn signals, a working horn and two mirrors.

Getting familiar with your motorcycles controls is essential to becoming a safe and responsible motorcycle rider. As very motorcycle is different in its own way you should familiarise yourself with the owners manual which is incredibly important if you are riding a borrowed or unfamiliar motorcycle. Make sure that you do all the checks that you would do on your own motorcycle, discover where everything is, including the turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel supply valve and engine cut off switch. Once you know where each of them are learn how to operate them without having to look for them. Get to know the gear pattern for your motorcycle as all controls react in different ways. Ride cautiously to begin with and pay close attention to your surroundings, take off gently, take turns more slowly and give yourself extra space to stop.

Stay tuned for more motorcycle lessons when I release the third part of preparing to ride your motorcycle which includes what you need to remember when you borrow or lend a motorcycle and the nine point checklist to do before you get on your bike.

Cheers

Steve Mcless

Motorcycle Lessons - Preparing To Ride Part 1

The first thing you need to do before you start motorcycle lessons is to be sure that your wearing the right gear. The right gear means wearing an approved helmet, face or eye protection and protective clothing.

Selecting the right helmet firstly involves a choice between two different types of coverage, a full face helmet or a three quarter helmet. Whichever you choose make sure that it meets US Dept of transport and state standards. Also make sure that it fits nice and snug and that it doesn't have any obvious defects like cracks, damaged padding or straps. My personal choice is the full face helmet as it provides a bit more protection in the event of an accident and always remember that whenever you ride make sure your helmet is securely fastened to your head because you don't want it flying off in a crash before your head hits something!

Eye and face protection requires a bit of a common sense approach when you purchase a motorcycle helmet. With full face helmets its not really a problem as they have the required plastic shatter resistant face shield and meet US Dept Of Trans standards but always check they do before you buy. If you get a three quarter helmet try to get one with a full face shield which will provide you with better protection than goggles or glasses. The problem with goggles is that while they protect your eyes, they don't protect the rest of your face from dirt, dust, rain, insects and pebbles. Glasses won't do much for your either and they might even blow off when you turn when riding your motorcycle at speed. The features you should look out for in an effective face shield or eye protection are - make sure its free of scratches, is resistant to penetration, gives you a clear view, fastens securely so it doesn't blow off, lets air pass through to reduce fogging and make sure it has enough room your glasses or sunglasses if you want to wear them at the same time.

Wearing the right clothes is an essential part of being safe on your motorcycle and especially during your motorcycle lessons. The right motorcycle clothing can be broken down into 3 parts - Jacket and Pants, Boots or Shoes and Gloves. When you select your jacket and pants get a set that covers your arm and legs completely and that it fits snugly enough to give you good freedom of movement, but doesn't flap in the wind. The Boots or shoes you select should be high and sturdy enough to cover your ankles and give them support. The soles should be made of hard, durable slip resistant material. Remember to tuck in your laces so that they don't catch on your motorcycle. Gloves can give you better grip and protect you r hands from injury. You should get gloves that are made from leather or a similar durable material.

I hope this helps you understand just some of what you need to know when you are preparing to ride your motorcycle, stay tuned for more motorcycle lessons.

Cheers

Steve Mcless

Motorcycle Lessons - Discover How To Get Started

Are you just getting started with your motorcycle lessons, then look no further as I help you get started with all the info that you need to know before you get started or if you just got started learning to ride your motorcycle.

Riding a motorcycle requires some special skills and knowledge and I put together this blog to help you reduce the chances of you crashing your bike and to help you get your motorcycle license!

One of the question I get asked most is -

What do I really need to know about motorcycle riding when I'm getting started?
I thought I'd give you a bit of an overview about what is required and then give more detail down the road via my blog.

The first part involves Preparing To Ride Your Motorcycle the right way. In this section I'll cover what is the right gear to wear including picking the right motorcycle helmet, why you should use your helmet and what is the best clothing to wear when you ride your bike. Also I will tell you what you need to know to really know your motorcycle including selecting the right motorcycle for yourself, what to remember when borrowing or lending a bike, getting familiar with your motorcycles controls and what checks you should do and when you should do them. Plus I will cover the key responsibilites that you need to know when riding a motorcycle.

The second part involves teaching your how to Ride Within Your Abilities. This is the nuts and bolts about how to ride your motorcycle and how to go about it during your motorcycle lessons. I'll let you know about basic motorcycle control, keeping your distance, how to deal with intersections, how to increase you visibility, how to avoid crashes, how to handle dangerous surfaces, how to deal with mechanical problems, how to deal with animals on the road, how to deal with flying objects, what to do when you have to go off road, what you need to know about carrying passengers and cargo. Also I will let you know how to safely and effectively ride in groups.

The third part about getting started with motorcycle lessons is all about Earning Your Motorcycle License which includes the knowledge test and your on motorcycle skill test.

I hope this helps you understand just some of what you need to know when you start learning to ride your motorcycle, stay tuned for more motorcycle lessons.

Cheers

Steve Mcless