Riding a motorcycle is quite risky. Whether you are a fresh beginner or have been riding for many years, there is always something new to learn about riding a motorcycle. There are many motorcycle riding tips and tricks that will make you a smarter and safer rider over time. Learning to maneuver the motorcycle safely is one of the most important riding skills you should develop. One needs to learn new riding skills regularly while being conscious of what he is doing. Here are some motorcycle riding tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your riding skills and become a safe rider.
Turning Left And Right In Circles
This may seem like a basic riding skill, but it will help improve your balancing skills over time. Right-handers find it easier to turn left on the motorcycle than turning right. It’s easier to push the handlebar away from your dominant hand than the other way around. The rear brake lever of a motorbike is usually on the right. Hence, right-handers find it more difficult to brake when turning right. A left-hander is better able to brake and keep his balance when turning right. But a left-hander may find it difficult to do the same when turning left. That’s why all riders should practice turning left and right in circles to improve their balance while turning. Practice this skill in an empty parking lot so that you can use the painted lines in the lot as a guide. This exercise is important to improve your balance and tight-quarter maneuvering ability.
Hard Braking
Hard braking helps discover how soon your motorbike can stop in case you have to slam on those brakes in an emergency. Accelerate to different speeds and try to stop as quickly as you can. Notice how much distance it takes to bring the bike to a complete stop. You should practice this skill in an empty parking lot or an open road with no vehicles. Stopping the bike at 25 mph will be much easier than stopping it at 75 mph. Stopping quickly from faster speeds should disturb the motorcycle’s balance. You will notice that the bike will react and respond differently when stopping at higher speeds. You can familiarize yourself with what to expect if you have to stop the bike suddenly by practicing this skill.
Look Where You Want To Go And Not Where You Are Going
Target fixation is a natural phenomenon and one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents. Your motorbike will go where you are looking. So, you need to always look where you want to go. With practice and repetition, you can easily become a smart and safe rider over time. But you need to consciously force yourself to practice this skill while riding the bike.
Figure Eight
Performing figure eight is similar to turning left and right in circles. Now you will be linking the left and right-handed turns back-to-back. You need to start as wide as you can and narrow down the circle with practice. Start slowly and increase the speed as you master the skill. It helps improve your balance and turning abilities over time.
The Correct Lane Positioning
This is one of the most commonly ignored practices in riding a motorcycle. A motorcyclist should position himself in the correct lane so that they are easily visible to other drivers. This will give them more space to maneuver the bike. Position yourself in the left portion of the lane to be more visible to others on the street and have more visibility yourself. At an intersection, try to position yourself in the left portion of the lane without impeding traffic.
Ride On The Balls Of Your Feet
When you practice riding on the balls of your feet, you can control the motorcycle better. It will help you balance the bike and become a better rider over time. On the other hand, riding on the balls of your feet adds more suspension so that your body acts as a part of the suspension. It will also give you more ground clearance so that the pegs will touch the ground before your feet do.
Stay Loose
Motorcycles are subject to the same laws of physics as humans are. A death-grip won’t help you relax and be at ease while the motorcycle is moving. The most important thing is to practice staying loose while the bike is moving. Once the bike is in motion, the wheels’ gyroscopic effect will keep the machine stable and tracking in a straight line. Learn to trust your machine, and it will take care of the rest. The aforementioned article highlights important motorcycle riding tips, tricks, and techniques to improve your riding skills and become a safe rider.