Motorcycle Safety Tips

Safety Tips

Safety Issues from Consumer Reports

Aug 1, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Consumer Reports Tips Is a new motorcycle your Valentine’s Day gift? No, but I want one, right! Here are some safety issues to think about from Consumer Reports: Choose a bike that fits. Be aware that even small-displacement engines make bikes more nimble than they used to be—so test drive. Be sure your feet are flat on the pavement when you’re sitting on the bike. Can you reach the handlebars and controls easily? Does it feel heavy when you’re getting on and off? Motorcycles with anti-lock brakes (ABS) are about a third less likely to be involved in a crash than those without. ABS helps you keep steering control while braking and helps prevent skidding. ABS is standard on higher-end bikes, but even if you have to pay extra, the added safety is worth the price. It may even save you money on insurance. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Safety Tips for Lane-Splitting

Jul 31, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week How to Lane-Split Safely Now that lane-splitting is legal in California, you should know how to do it in the safest possible manner. You do run the risk of being hit by cars changing lanes. Here are some tips to avoid that when you’re riding in California: Start to lane-split slowly and ensure both lanes of traffic are traveling at the same speed or are stopped. If one lane is going faster than the other, drivers are apt to switch lanes and you could be in the way. Keep your headlights on and wear reflective clothing. Do whatever you can to be visible. Stay alert. Watch the cars beside you and ahead of you. If a driver is checking the mirrors, he/she may be ready to change lanes, so give him/her space. Be especially careful when you are in a driver’s blind spot. When cars are too close together, honk, then stop and wait for the gap to widen; don’t try to force your way through. Drive just a little faster than the slow traffic. Don’t zoom or weave. When traffic speeds up, get back into a lane. Remember, lane-splitting is not legal in Washington. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Hazard of Wet Intersections

Jul 2, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Rain and Intersections You know that you have to ride more smoothly if it’s raining. Intersections pose some special problems in wet weather. Anywhere cars idle will have some oil residue in and on the pavement. Rain just makes this even more slick. Slow down well ahead of intersections. Don’t try to run the yellow light when it’s raining. Because of the oily slipperiness, you could easily lose traction if you have to turn or brake in a hurry. When you’re stopped at a red light, keep an eye on vehicles approaching from behind you. They might have trouble stopping, too. And you should double the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you when it’s raining—especially as you approach intersections. In case you do find yourself having to turn on a slippery bit of road, lean only as far as necessary and keep your grip relaxed. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Safety Checks for Your Ride

Jun 7, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Routine Bike Checks No matter what you’ve named your motorcycle—and even if you haven’t—you should make some checks before you get on your bike: Check tires for cracks, bulges, or signs of wear. Check tire pressure. Look under the bike for any grease or oil, which would be a sign of leakage. Test you high- and low-beam headlights, turn signals, and taillight. Weekly check hydraulic and coolant levels. Once you’ve mounted your ride: Make sure the clutch works smoothly. Test the throttle to see that it snaps back when you release it. Clean the mirrors and adjust them. Test the horn. Be sure both the front and rear brakes feel firm and hold the bike stopped. And away you go! Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Riding Courses

Jun 4, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Sharpen Your Riding Skills Spring is a good time to sharpen your riding skills. And Mother’s Day is a great time to think about riding safety for the women in your life. If a woman often rides pillion with you, a basic motorcycle safety course will help her understand how to be safer when riding, and that will make every ride more enjoyable. Maybe you know a woman who wants to hone her skills at street riding, or get into off-roading, or learn to do basic or advanced maintenance on her bike. Think about giving her a “gift certificate” and taking the course with her. The Washington State Department of Licensing lists the approved schools. In Auburn, you’ll find Pacific NorthWest Motorcycle Safety (www.pnwmotorcyclesafety.com) at the Outlet Collection/Seattle mall. The location of their classroom there just changed at the beginning of February. You go into the mall at the door next to LA Fitness and go toward the kid’s play are in front of Book Warehouse. Turn right and pass Zumiez. Their new classroom is the second door on the right. They offer basic, intermediate, and advanced rider courses. Their “First Ride” course lets folks ride PNW’s bikes and get a taste of riding a motorcycle. It’s a great choice for someone who will ride pillion. They also offer additional riding hours with an experienced instructor and an on-street course. Puget Sound Safety’s Lacey/Lakewood branch is open only by appointment. They offer courses in basic, intermediate, and experienced motorcycling, as well as advanced street skills and two levels of total control training. They provide two levels of training in motorcycle care and maintenance and courses, a camp, and training tours in off road riding. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Eagle Leather Tips for Riding in Groups

May 3, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Eagle Leather Group Riding Safety Tips The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has some excellent tips for safe and successful riding in groups, and we’ve added our own thoughts, too. Several of them apply before your group sets out. Gas up ahead of time. Be sure your gear and your motorcycle are ready for a day on the road. Bring raingear if the forecast includes rain; bring water and snacks if you need them. Don’t forget your cellphone! Keep your group small enough. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends five to seven people. Each group should have a designated lead rider and a designated sweep (last) rider. Of course, many group rides are much, much bigger. So, think about forming sub-groups, each with their own lead and sweep, so that you can look out for one another, share stops, and so on. Hold a group meeting before you set out. Name your lead and sweep riders and talk about the rules of the road. The lead and sweep should be experienced group riders. The lead rider should know about the skill levels of all the other riders so he or she can take that into account in setting the speed and length of the ride. Demonstrate any hand signals your group will use. At least one rider should have a first aid kit. Once you’re on the road, you can communicate using hand signals. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has illustrated instructions for fourteen of them. Yes, fourteen different hand signals. Or, you can use communication devices like the ones we discuss in this week’s blog. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Beware of "Inattentional Blindness"

Apr 30, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week “Inattentional Blindness” Because you’re sharing the road with automobile drivers, you should know about “inattentional blindness.” It’s a special concern during heavy rush-hour traffic, but it applies under any traffic conditions. Inattentional blindness, or perceptual blindness, is what makes sleight-of-hand tricks work. It has nothing to do with physical blindness or even with poor eyesight. It comes into play during the day or at night. It’s psychological, but it’s real—often tragically real. Inattentional blindness occurs when a person doesn’t see something that’s in plain sight, but wasn’t what the person expected to see and when their attention is engaged elsewhere. For example, in one experiment on inattentional blindness, participants were asked to watch a film of a basketball game and count the baskets. After they’d seen the film, over half the participants said they hadn’t seen anything unusual. But, during the film a woman dressed in a gorilla suit walked in, turned to the camera, did that gorilla thump on her chest, and walked off! Inattentional blindness is often a good thing. It is an efficient way to use our mental energy by concentrating on what’s important at the moment and expecting the rest of the world to behave as it usually does. It’s similar to the reason you can read ths. We see what we expect to see. And we don’t see what we don’t expect to see. Here’s an example that’s more important than a gorilla at a basketball game: When drivers come to an unmarked intersection, they expect to see a car or a truck. It’s quite likely that they won’t see a motorcycle at all. And that can have tragic consequences. Remember the saying, “Ride as though you’re invisible.” You can also up your odds of being visible by wearing neon colors like orange, yellow, or green. Those colors are used for traffic cones and worn by highway workers, so drivers are used to seeing them on the road, paying attention, and driving more carefully. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Dangers of UV Radiation

Apr 1, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week UV Radiation Is Very Dangerous The New Product featured this week has a dual lens. The outside lens is a full-face shield, just like you see on other helmets. The other lens has a smoke tint and coating to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays. We know that UV radiation could cause skin cancer—that’s why we wear sunscreen. But, according to the American Optometric Association—and they should know—even short-term exposure to too much UV radiation can cause photokeratitis. Symptoms of photokeratitis include red eyes, a sensation like having grit in the eye, extreme sensitivity to light, tearing, and even pain. Luckily, these symptoms go away. But the longer you’re exposed to solar radiation, the more danger of cataracts or macular degeneration later in life. Cataracts can usually be removed surgically. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss and blindness among adults in the developed world. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially at the beach, in the mountains, or skiing; if you live in the mountains; if you use a sunlamp or tanning parlor; if you’re a welder, or work making electronic circuit boards, or work in the graphic arts; if you’ve had cataract surgery; if you take prescription or over-the-counter drugs that increase your sensitivity to UV rays (ask your doctor or pharmacist) than you are at higher risk than most of harm. It’s even more important for you to shield your eyes from UV rays. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Increase Visibility in the Dark

Mar 10, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Make Yourself Visible As the days grow shorter, it becomes more important for us motorcyclists to make ourselves as visible as possible. Before you ride, check your lights and reflectors. If they are dirty, clean them up so they do their job. Many Eagle Leather products—jackets, pants, chaps—are made to include bright colors. Many others come with reflective stripes. You can also buy reflective tape and add it to your wardrobe or your bike. You’ll find many products, such as jackets and vests, with reflective safety features in the Eagle Leather Semi-Annual Clearance Sale that’s going on right now. Remember to be aware of drivers’ blind spots and spend as little time in that zone as possible. When you’re stopped at a stoplight or a stop sign, check on vehicles approaching from the rear and avoid being rear-ended. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Sidecar Safety

Mar 7, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Sidecar Safety Driving a motorcycle with a sidecar is very different from riding a motorcycle. At first blush, it may seem that the sidecar makes for a safer ride. But that’s not necessarily so, especially when the vehicle is moving. The sidecar has more drag than the bike, so it will pull the bike toward itself. The driver must adjust, and the adjustments are more tricky on highly cambered roadways and for turns. The combination of cycle and sidecar is a lot wider than just the motorcycle. If you’re used to riding a motorcycle, that will take some getting used to. This is just skimming the surface. If you google a query about sidecar safety, you’ll find lots of information. You can study and practice on your own (maybe in an empty parking lot or similar space). Or, you can simplify your life and take a course in sidecar safety. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Break In New Leather Boots

Mar 4, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Make Your Boots Comfortable Leather boots need to be broken in. When you get your new motorcycle boots, wear them. They will be stiff at first, but eventually they will soften just enough to conform to your feet and legs. Walk around in them before you ride in them, because any annoyance is a distraction. Walk up and down stairs and try standing on the bottom step and flexing the boot boots over the edge of the step. Use lots of leather conditioner. Eagle Leather has that for you--click here. When you are not wearing your boots, use stretchers in them and expand the stretchers as far as you can. DoItYourself.com also advises: Flex and bend your boots every which way and do it a lot. This will help the boots feel comfortable when you walk in them. Wear your motorcycle boots every time you go outside—wear them inside, too. With your boots on, rub the heel and bridge areas with rubbing alcohol and let that dry with the boots still on. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Safety Tips for Beginning of Summer

Jan 3, 2017 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Summer Safety Tips You know summer’s almost here when Eagle Leather announces its summer hours, beginning on Monday, April 3. The store hours will be: Monday thru Friday: 10 AM to 7 PM Saturday: 10 AM to 6 PM Sunday: 10 AM to 5 PM Summer also means children might be waiting for the school bus or walking to school in the predawn darkness, so watch for them. And the light lasts longer in the evenings as we move from spring to summer. And that means children are outside playing longer. As you ride through residential areas or near schools or playgrounds, keep a long view. If you see kids playing, slow down! And if a ball rolls into the street, expect a child to come running after it. Stay safe out there! - Mike

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