Get the basics for your motorcycle ride

In the beginning of 2008, as gasoline prices jumped to $4 a gallon or more across the nation, tons of people gave up their SUV and bought motorcycles. People who never considered life on 2 wheels ran out to get a fuel-efficient chromed out bike. And most of these new riders had no idea what they were doing.

Now there is nothing wrong with owning a motorcycle. I rode for many years, and only had one accident - a drunk driver hitting me on a L.A. street. I loved the feel of the air on my face. The ability to see the road I was on. The rush of my bike (a 1972 Honda) as it thumped away as I started it up.

Riding a motorcycle is a freedom that many have learned is unlike any other means of transportation. And there are more than a few that understand this as a way of life. Just go to Sturgis and you will see what I mean.

But now there are drivers out there that are a danger to themselves and others on the road. They think it's about speed, or doing stupid tricks. They think they have to impress somebody just because they are on 2 wheels. Honestly they have just watched too many movies and cheap music videos.

What these new motorcycle converts need are lessons in driving. Take the extra money that is being saved from gas (even at these far lower prices now) and use it at a place like Skip Barber Superbike School Powered by KTM at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. That is, when they open in 2009.

Why a school that is geared towards motorcycle racing? Well in my opinion it gets all that need for speed drivel out of their heads. You want to go fast, do it on a road built just for that. This way if you drop you don't take out school kids and crossing guards.

More importantly all these newbies will get to learn how to respect their bikes. They will learn to handle their bike, and how to pay attention to what is happening on the road.

Jeff Haney says it far better than me when he describes what he will be doing as instructor at Superbike School

"Even if it's not your goal to be a World Champion or race motorcycles, the understanding that allows World Champions to become consistent and successful (without falling down) is priceless to everyone who aspires to become a better, smarter and safer rider."

Now newbie riders don't need to go to Skip Barber. That's just an example I wanted to point out. The big picture is that as part of a far larger community of motorcycle riders there are things you need to know. For your safety and our own. And so we all can enjoy the ride.

I know too many riders that have been annoyed with the newbies already. I can only imagine what will happen when the economy improves again and oil surges back to far loftier prices again. So do everyone a favor, go to school. And for those that really need to do the dumb people tricks on their bike, read up on these items that you will likely need more than the rest of us - Motorcycle Airbags

Thought for the new motorcycle converts

With the warmer weather hitting the nation, the seasonal flux of new and occasional motorcycle riders is in stride. But in this year a new trend is also coming to fore. New motorcycle riders that converted from cars, trucks and SUV’s due to the increased cost of gas. Already record numbers of motorcycles are hitting the roads.

“Motorcycle registrations in Minnesota are at an all time high, up 89% in the last 10 years. Local instructors have had to double motorcycle training courses to accommodate the increase.”

This says nothing of places like California, Texas, the mid-west, and other locations around the nation with pleasant weather conditions and good roads. Considering that gasoline will continue higher, with some pundits targeting a top price of $7 per gallon by next year, converts to motorcycles may become a trend of unforeseen levels.

But that isn’t entirely a good thing.

As a former rider myself, one thing is consistent in every state of the nation. Drivers in cars and other 4-wheel vehicles are as much, if not more, dangerous to those on 2 wheels as every other issue combined. So for all those new motorcycle riders I want to mention a couple of things to keep in mind.

Car drivers tend to change lanes and make turns without ever using blinkers or hand signals. It’s one of the bigger problems. They just turn and assume everyone will know what they are doing. They don’t take into account the stopping distance of a motorcycle, nor the potential danger in having to serve out of the way.

Car drivers don’t look for or recognize motorcycles. It’s almost like you are invisible. I can recall a couple of times when a guy with his wife and kids drove up along side me on a highway in the same lane. I was on the left side of the lane to avoid the oil on the highway, and to allow drivers ahead of me the ability to see me in their mirror. I wasn’t turning or swerving in the lane. So he thought the extra space was just meant for him to drive along side me, maybe a foot way. My comments changed his mind, thankfully, but had anything had caused my bike to move over I’d have been the one hurt.

Infrequent rain in some areas brings up lots of oil on the road. This happens a lot in California, especially in the Los Angeles area. The first rains of the spring/summer season brings up lots of oil from the traffic and makes for slicker roads, especially if you are in the center of the lane.

Car drivers invariably never get your speed right. As such they will turn or cross in front of you, or pull out, just in time to hit you or cause you to swerve. See the change lanes section above.

So if you are a new motorcycle driver I would suggest getting lessons. Take a defensive driving course. Wear bright reflective clothing. Keep an eye out on what cars ahead of you are doing, not just the one in front of you but 2 or 3 cars up.

Given these things I’m sure you will love the freedom and virtual feeling of flying that a motorcycle provides even more than the gas you will save. Just drive safe and please don’t try to impress anyone on the road.

As I was once told by an older biker named Preacher out by Fallbrook California,

“No need to impress them. They are in the car looking up and out at us. They want to be us. So why drive faster or crazy?”

And I’m sure other experienced motorcyclists out there have a few thoughts and tips for new drivers as well. Please leave a comment to help the newbies out. It’s one road out there and we all can enjoy it together.