Motorcycle Safety Tips

Safety Tips

Don't Let Scammers Be Your Scrooge

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

According to the Better Business Bueeau, the holiday season is high time for scams. Don’t fall prey to any Scrooge out there – See the suggestion below for spotting and avoiding a holiday (or year-round) racket. • Beware of websites that sell puppies. Ensure via multiple sources that the business is credible – and consider adopting a rescue instead. • Avoid any scheme that looks ‘too good to be true’. • If you receive a call asking for personal information of any kind, be wary. • It’s the season of giving, but before you make a charitable contribution to any organization check for its rating on websites that report on nonprofits transparency, outcomes, and financial disclosures. • Don’t be pressured to act immediately. If you are directed to do anything over the phone or online it’s better to do due diligence first. • Be careful about what you share on social media! • Sign up for scam alert emails from the Federal Trade Commision (FTC). • Ask for the name and number of anyone new you speak with over the phone. • In most circumstances, avoid depositing checks from people you don’t know.

Safety Tips

Staying Cautious In The Cold

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Winter Warnings Winter has begun with some unusual weather events around the country. With all that strangeness going in, let’s review some standard winter warnings. Beware of black ice which forms from vehicle exhaust as well as fog. Slow down if the road ahead looks shiny and take special care at intersections, ramps, and bridges. Dress for the weather in layers and consider using heated gear. Always wear gloves because cold hands don’t work very well, and you need them to control your bike. Remember that you’re less visible in blowing snow and that days are shorter, so do whatever it takes to be visible. Wear bright, reflective colors and stay out of blind spots. The salt that is meant to melt ice can be a real hazard for you—just like gravel scattered across pavement. Slow down if you see salt in the road, or when you suspect it.

Safety Tips

Park It!

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week The Art Of Parking Even when we get the law amended so we don’t have to parallel park, parking a motorcycle isn’t always easy. Keep these things in mind, especially if you have a heavy bike: Don’t rush into any old empty spot. Be sure you’ll have enough room to reverse and ride back onto the roadway. Check the road camber. If you park on the right side of the road, too much camber will prevent the bike from leaning over far enough to be secure; too much camber when parking on the left side might make the bike lean over too far. Keep the bike in gear so it won’t roll off the stand. Rock it back and forth to be sure it’s secure. Avoid parking on slippery surfaces, including loose gravel.

Safety Tips

Tire Pressure Decoded

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Under Pressure Did you know that for every ten-degree drop in temperature, the pressure in your motorcycle tires drops by one to two pounds? How much colder is it today than the last time you checked your tire pressure? What happens when your tires are underinflated? • Your motorcycle cannot handle as much weight and becomes sluggish and hard to steer. • You have less room between the bike and the road, so bumps and potholes and junk in the road become more serious hazards. • The tire can have internal damage and/or uneven tread wear. The tire can separate from the rim and cause an accident. So check your tires’ pressure when they are cold (at least three hours after riding). Then inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. While you’re at it check for tread depth, embedded stuff, and wear and for bulges, sidewall cracking, weathering, and uneven seating on the rim.

Safety Tips

Slip n' Slide Roads

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Black Ice: Don't Be Tormented Black ice can form from melty snow, sleet, rain falling when the pavement is at freezing temperature, and even from the moisture in vehicle exhaust. The only thing the driver of any vehicle can do when on black ice is ride it out without braking or turning. It’s easy to think of a situation where this could lead to disaster. And, though we’re writing about motorcycles here, the tips apply to all drivers. If you can spot black ice in the road ahead, you have a chance to avoid it or at least to slow down before you are on it. Black ice isn’t actually black; it’s clear and the road beneath it looks normal. Start before you get on your motorcycle. Does the pavement seem dry, but with some shiny patches? Those patches are apt to be black ice. Black ice can be found at any time, but it’s most common at sunrise and sunset and through the dark night, when it’s hardest to see. Shaded places, overpasses, and bridges are the most likely places to find black ice. Intersections can often have black ice due to exhaust. Keep a good following distance between you and other vehicles. If you do find yourself on black ice, don’t brake and don’t over-correct when steering.

Safety Tips

What Not To Wear

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week How To: Avoid The Worst Dressed List We write a lot about what gear can help save you from injury when you’re riding. But today, we’re looking at what not to wear. Now, you’re not going to be tempted to ride in shorts for a while, but when it’s hot, it can be tempting. However, not only do you risk major road rash if you spill or crash, but the exhaust on your bike gets hot enough to give you second- or third-degree burns if your legs brush against it. Baggy pants aren’t a good idea either. They can flap against your legs and be a distracting irritation. They can also get caught on any part of your bike that sticks out, such as the foot pegs. Don’t wear just a T-shirt. We call it road rash, and that doesn’t sound so serious. But it means your skin is scraped by the asphalt. Even a slow-speed wipeout can mean skin grafts, scars, and plenty of pain. Wear boots or shoes that grip tight to the foot pegs, that protect your feet from road rash and other injury. All in all, wear leather gear, like the fashionable jackets you’ll see at the Eagle Leather Fashion Show.

Safety Tips

Helpful Refreshers

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Spring Transitions Spring will come—honest! And when it does, you’ll be ready to hit the asphalt (well, that’s an unfortunate choice of words) with your beloved motorcycle. One thing to consider before then is a refresher course in motorcycle safety. Or maybe you want to increase your skill level, add a sidecar, or have switched from a bike to a trike-style vehicle. The Washington State Department of Licensing has a list of approved motorcycle training courses and as similar list for sidecar and trike training schools. You’ll find several schools in our Tacoma area, so you can shop for the one with the right course at the right price for you.

Safety Tips

Where 20% of Accidents Occur

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Parking Lots: The Forgotten Safety Hazard Most of us are pretty well aware of safety issues when we’re riding on the road. Parking lots, however, pose their own set of problems, even though we’re not going fast. Because you’re moving more slowly, you might be tempted to loosen your helmet strap. Please don’t. The asphalt is just as hard in a parking lot as it is in the street. Similarly, keep your gloves on. Remember that drivers are often not as alert in parking lots and may not expect to see a motorcycle. Keep an eye out for occupied driver’s seats and be sure the driver knows where you are before you pass behind them. One way to do that is to use turn signals—lights or hands—whenever you change direction. When you stop, use both the front and the rear brakes at the same time, just as you do when you’re on the road. And lean into turns just as you do elsewhere. Keep your eyes open for drivers about to pull into a spot or back out of one. The ends of rows are especially dangerous; drivers can come from either direction. Signal your own intentions early. Be wary of potholes, debris, speed bumps, and slick spots for fluids like leaked oil.

Safety Tips

Gearing Up

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Protecting The Skin You're In The Law Tigers website has a section devoted to safety gear. They point out that, if you make impact on the road surface, you lose one mm of skin for every mile-per-hour over thirty mph you’re going. If you’re going fifty mph, you loose 20 mm, or 2 cm, or almost an inch in depth of skin. And that’s a serious matter. They remind us to be sure our jackets and gloves are comfortably snug but allow room for movement. You want to be sure neither jacket nor gloves will fail to protect when we need it. In addition to a helmet to protect your head, remember to protect your eyes. If you don’t have a full-face helmet, wear glasses. The Law Tigers recommend that you have two pairs: one with UV protection for daytime use and clear glasses for night riding. Glasses should always allow you wide peripheral vision, have comfortable straps, and fit nicely under your helmet.

Safety Tips

What Won't Keep You Safe

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Don't Sound The Alarm We bet you’ve heard it said that “loud pipes save lives.” Sorry, but that may well be a myth. When a sound source is moving toward the observer, the frequency shifts upward. When the source is moving away from the observer, the frequency shifts downward. In astronomy, this is the “red shift” that shows galaxies moving away from our Milky Way. For the motorcycle enthusiast, it means that the sound from those loud pipes doesn’t resonate when the motorcycle approaches, but only when it’s past. And by then it can be too late. Loud pipes can contribute to hearing loss and have been shown to delay reaction time. And, in some venues, they’re not even legal. A better idea is to wear reflective, bright clothing. And add some lights or reflective decals to your ride.

Safety Tips

For The Moms

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Mom: Your Safety Inspiration Mothers always worry, no matter how old or experienced their children might be. These are a few of the things mothers, and their motorcycle enthusiast kids, should worry about when spring rolls around—finally. The first heavy rain will bring to the surface all the oil that seeped into the pavement or asphalt during the winter. This makes for slick road surfaces. Until more rain washes the oil away, go slow and give yourself extra space and time to react to trouble. The same things goes for salt and sand that have accumulated over the winter. Until rain washes them away, take it easy. Animals can be a danger for several reasons. For instance, deer are attracted to the roadside where the grass is new and green and tender. And young critters have no sense about crossing the road. You’ll give deer the right of way, but remember that hitting even a small animal can cause an accident with a motorcycle. And, thinking of naïve creatures, spring sees an influx of inexperienced motorcyclists. Even experienced riders need some time to remember all their skills. So, be aware of who’s around you, keep an escape route in mind, and focus. The spring temperatures can vary wildly during the day, so dress appropriately with liner that easily zip in and out. Wear layers when you can. Be sure to pack your rain gear and your sunglasses. It’s that time of year!

Safety Tips

Sound=Safety

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week The Loud Pipes Debate We wrote a safety tip about loud pipes recently and it has stirred considerable comment. Let’s clarify a bit. In the state of Washington, it’s illegal to modify a motorcycle’s exhaust system to make it louder. You can see what’s legal in your state in this compilation by the AAA here. You might also want to check local regulations. Of course, no one would suggest that motorcycles run silently, or more quietly than the manufacturer provides. Electric motorcycles need noisemakers to be safer for riders and for pedestrians—who can’t hear them coming otherwise. If you’re wondering about how the Doppler effect changes the perception of muffler noise, well, that’s above our pay grade. But you can read the Doppler effect here. There’s even a video. No matter how loud your pipes are (as long as they’re legal), that’s up to you. We do, however, suggest that additional visibility is a good thing. So consider bright, even reflective, clothing, decals, patches. Where they are legal, you might also add LED lights to your ride.

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