Motorcycle safety

For the past few months you have been reading my motorcycle safety tips each week here on wyrk.com.  I hope that you have been enjoying these tips.  Maybe you have learned something new. But even if you haven't, hopefully these blogs have at least made you think a bit more about being a safer motorcyclist.  As I ha...

Over the years, helmets have been given quite a few nicknames, probably the most common being "brain bucket". Think about it, your helmet does protect your brain. Would you ever want to ride your motorcycle without protecting your brain...

You can do all the basics to keep your self alive on a motorcycle: own a well-maintained bike with great tires, brakes, lights, etc. Have all the proper protective gear: leather boots, jacket, gloves and proper eye wear, etc. You can even take a motorcycle safety training class...

Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I take motorcycling very seriously. It's been in my blood since I was a kid. If I didn't have to work, I would be spending even more time on my bike. When I ride, I always make sure I am wearing the proper clothing: boots, gloves, long pants and in colder conditions; my leather chaps and jacket...

It often surprises me to see how many motorcyclists are riding around with un-inspected bikes. Living here in New York State, that alone can be a financial mistake. Last time I checked, a motorcycle inspection ticket is a least a $100 fine plus that good old NY State surcharge...

My love of motorcycles goes back to my childhood. I was always captivated by these two-wheeled works of art. When I was about 9 years old, I took a photo of a Harley-Davidson FLH motorcycle that was parked up at Niagara-On-The-Lake Ontario. I still have that photograph to this day. Coincidentally, my Heritage Softail looks very similar to that Harley that I photographed in 1969.

One of my Harley buddies in England would always tell me, "John, it's not the speed.....it's the sudden stops". It's fun to sometimes go fast under the right conditions when motorcycle riding, but you need to use your head.

When was the last time you checked your tire pressure in your car? If you drive a newer vehicle, you may be able to get that information from your dashboard readout. Motorcycles are advanced, but not quite to that point. We motorcyclists pretty much have to check our tire pressure the old fashioned way with an tire pressure gauge...

I'm sure you have seen this before, drivers in cars and trucks who for some reason do not use their directionals.  It is so frustrating to be following a vehicle and all of a sudden the driver makes an unexpected turn. I am positive many accidents are caused by this type of driving.