Motorcycle Safety Tips

Safety Tips

Winter Weather

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Winter Weather Advisory With the weather as variable as it seems this year, it might be a good time to give some tips for riding in winter weather. Start by wearing the right gear: something to wick away moisture and either layers or heated gear, including gloves. Be sure your antifreeze is fresh and adequate for the temperature and check your hoses for wear and cracks. A windscreen that won’t fog up is good. Be sure your tires have lots of tread to help avoid skidding and hydroplaning. Remember that cold decreases tire pressure and check it before every ride. As you ride, the air in your tires will expand, giving you more traction. Accelerate and decelerate a few times (on a dry road surface) to speed that process. Watch out for salt—you can easily skid on it—and for black ice, which is caused by car exhaust, not precipitation. Keep more distance between you and other vehicles. Look ahead farther than you would in summer. Both these things give you more maneuvering room and braking distance. If there’s a snowstorm, stay home or find somewhere warm to stay. Don’t risk hypothermia, loss of digits due to frostbite, or even worse. As you’re getting to that safe place, go slow, be easy with braking and turning, and keep a safe distance front and back. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Keeping Your Sanity in Winter

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week How to Stay Sane While Staying Off the Road this Winter How do you keep sane when you can’t ride during the winter months? For your own safety, so you stay off the road when that’s necessary, here are some tips: Plan rides you’ll take when the weather allows. This is the time to forget the GPS and pull out the maps. Invite buddies over and make a party of it. And remember, if you disagree on which turn to take—you’ve got all summer—do both. Use Utube to ride vicariously, get tips to be a better rider, even how to fix your bike. Spend the time to research your next gear purchase. Stop by Eagle Leather and pick the brains of our expert staff. You’ve got time—no need to rush. Do some bike maintenance. You can change filters or spark plugs, or even tackle bigger jobs. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Be Mindful of Your Mindset When Riding

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Your Mindset Matters State of mind has a lot to do with riding safe. If you’re angry, you aren’t in control of yourself, let alone your machine. You’re thinking about what you should have said, or how you’ve been wronged, or whatever, and you’re not thinking about what’s coming up ahead on the road. Take the time to calm down, then ride. Any kind of distraction can get you into trouble. Leave the daydreaming and the texting and any other distractions behind. You have only seconds to save yourself from an accident, and distractions take that time away from you. Drowsy riding is at least as dangerous as drowsy driving. On longer trips, get off your bike and walk around, have coffee, eat an energy bar, take a nap, do whatever it takes to feel refreshed and alert. Lots of people have sleep apnea or other disorders than disturb sleep at night. This can lead to falling asleep for short periods whether you want to nap or not. That’s dangerous for motorcycle riders. Motorcycle riding is a joyful, exhilarating experience—when you’re in the right frame of mind. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Motorcycles in Traffic

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Tips for Safe Riding in Traffic Riding in traffic is tougher than riding on the open road. Motorcycle only magazine offers some tips to help you do it safely. Keep an eye on the head movements of drivers around you. Most people turn their heads before darting left or right—even though they might fail to even glance in their side mirrors. A quick glance over your shoulder should become a habit when you check your mirrors so you know what’s in your blind spot and behind you. If you ever must pass on the right, do it between freeway exits. A driver on your left is very apt to go for the off-ramp and not notice you. You won’t have time to fumble around for the brake lever or rear brake pedal. In traffic, keep a finger on the brake lever and keep your toe close to the pedal. Seconds count! Do whatever you can to be more visible. Ride with high beams on. You can always turn them off when you’re stopped behind a vehicle at a stoplight. Wear gear that’s visible. If you don’t like bright colors, add a colored reflective stripe or decal to your leathers. We’ll have more of these tips in future newsletters. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Riding Safely in Traffic

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Tips for Riding in Traffic More safety tips from Motorcycle online magazine. These are about riding in traffic. When you’re riding in traffic, drop down a gear. There are two reasons for this. First, it gives you the option of jumping forward out of danger as well as braking. Second, the extra noise can make drivers more aware of your presence. Take advantage of the fact that you’re riding a motorcycle. You can accelerate and maneuver better and faster than other vehicles, so find the gaps in traffic and ride in them. Change lanes when you need to. Always have an escape route in mind. Keep scanning and planning. You might need to get clear off the road to escape a collision. Whatever evasive action you need to take, it will be easier if you have a plan. When traffic slows down suddenly, get behind one side of the car ahead of you. Then you can escape by moving alongside the car if the vehicle behind you fails to stop. Hold that permission when you’re stopped and be ready to move with your clutch in, the bike in gear, and a wary eye on the mirrors, just in case something happens. When the stoplight changes and it’s time to go again, let another vehicle go first. If someone blows through on the “orange,” the driver of a car or truck is more apt to survive the collision than you are. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Group Riding Safety Tips

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Group Riding Safety Riding in a group is challenging simply because you’re in a group. Be sure to stay in your own lane and keep a safe distance from riders ahead of and behind you. Signal your moves well ahead of time. If you’re riding with a club, it probably has a set of signals—learn them. If not, agree on signals, route, stops and so on before you set out. The group leader and the last rider should be experienced in riding with groups and, ideally, should be very familiar with the route. That familiarity allows the leader to signal turns and stops well ahead of time so everyone can slow down gradually. The last rider, or sweep, is responsible for helping riders who run into problems. That rider should have a cell phone to use to call for help if need be. Before the season starts is the best time to set up signals and decide who will ride lead and who will ride sweep. It’s also a good time to discuss the “rules of the road” your group would like to use. For example, will you wait til the end of the ride to enjoy alcoholic beverages? We’ll have more about riding safely in groups as summer nears. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Safely Riding an Eye Catching Vintage Bike

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Riding a Vintage Bike Riding a vintage motorcycle is becoming more and more popular, but the Ridewell blog lists some things to be aware of: Older bikes wear out and break down. The more rare a bike is (and so desirable for collectors), the harder it will be to find parts. On the other hand, these bikes were made for hands-on owners, so things are easy to find, replace, and repair once you have the necessary replacement. Because a vintage bike, including a restored vintage bike, is more apt to break down, you’ll need to keep more space between you and other vehicles. Try to know where you’ll be able to get off the road safely if something starts to go wrong. Older motorcycles are sometimes heavier than newer models, so be sure you’re in physical condition to handle the bike. Know that both other motorcycle enthusiasts and drivers will gawk at your vintage darling. While we can all hope they do that when you’re parked, it’s also apt to happen on the road. Be aware, and keep a safe space between you and the lookie-loos. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Maintaining Visibility in the Rain

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Visibility in the Rain Riding in the rain can be safe if you have the right gear and ride safely. One of the biggest problems is visibility. We looked at some experts on the Internet and culled these tips you can try to enhance your ability to see the road when you’re riding in the rain. Most face shields and visors fog up when it rains. According to Wes Siler on the RideApart website, Icon brand shields don’t fog up. See Icon’s Proshield Fog Free Clear shield here, for example. Use a clear visor or, even better, a yellow or orange one. The yellow or orange color enhances the contrast between dark and light and thereby enhances visibility. Wes recommends using one of the products that you can spray on your face shield which cause water to bead quickly and run off. Shield manufacturers recommend against it. If the product contains ammonia, as most do, that will craze plastic. So that’s up to you. We’d rather you used a more rain-resistant face shield and we’re happy to help you find one. And speaking of visibility, make sure you’re visible to others on the road. Bright colored rain gear is a good idea. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Tips for Handling Deer on the Road

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Watch for Deer Depending on where you live, you may or may not encounter cows on the road. But deer are everywhere nowadays, even in suburbs and cities. A collision between a motorcycle and a deer can cause serious injury, even death. In Wisconsin, for example, while only 2% of deer-car crashes caused a person to die, 84.9% of motorcyclists who hit a deer died. If you see a sign indicating a deer crossing area, be hyper-vigilant. Deer generally lie low during the day. They feed and move about from dusk to dawn. This means that you must be especially vigilant when it’s dark or nearly dark. Drive with your high-beams on. The brighter the light, the farther you can see. Deer eyes reflect the light from headlights, so scan the sides of the road for those reflections. Slow way down or stop and wait for the deer to cross. Deer rarely travel alone. A typical group is Momma, baby, and last year’s baby. So be sure the entire group has crossed the road before you proceed. If a deer stands frozen in the road, try flashing your headlight. It’s the light that seems to hypnotize them. If it looks like a collision is unavoidable, keep braking as long as you can and don’t swerve. Head-on is safest. If the deer is injured, but alive, stay away from it. Call the highway patrol to dispatch the animal. Even when they don’t have antlers, deer have sharp, pointy feet and they can do a lot of damage when they are hurt and scared. Stay safe out there! - Mike

Safety Tips

Stay Cool This Summer

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Summer riding can be exhilarating, but the heat brings its own challenges. Learn essential tips to prevent heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps. Stay safe and enjoy your rides by understanding the symptoms and first aid measures, and by taking proactive steps to stay cool on the road.

Safety Tips

Protective Gear 101

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Protective Gear 101 Caring for D3O® protective inserts is easy as pie. Just follow these simple rules: Check the instructions on the package for any special needs your insert might have. While it’s still in the package, be sure not to “bend, fold, or mutilate” the insert. Always store your insert in a dry, ventilated, room-temperature space away from direct sunlight. Don’t put it under heavy stuff. You might have to twist and fold a bit to get the insert into place. That’s okay, but keep it to a minimum and, once in, don’t fold or twist the D3O® insert. When you wash the garment, carefully remove the D3O® protectors. They shouldn’t be washed or dry-cleaned. Just wipe with a damp cloth. Remember to keep them out of sunlight.

Safety Tips

Expert Advice: Sturgis Safety

Oct 30, 2019 Eagle Leather

Safety Tip of the Week Protect Your Bikes...And Your Bling Considering that thousands and thousands of people are at Sturgis, it’s relatively a very safe place. Last week we wrote about preventing motorcycle theft. This week, we’ll look at some ways to keep your other valuables safe. Who better to guide us than Rick Steves? We’ve culled some advice from his writings about travel. Leave your valuable jewelry at home, where it’s safest. Concentrate on showing off your bike, not your bling. This goes for electronic gear, too. Do you really need your laptop? Your most expensive camera gear? And if you must bring something expensive, hide it in your hotel room whenever you can get by without it. Use a money belt for your credit cards and extra money. Be even a little more difficult to snatch from than the person next to you. You might loop your purse or daybag over your arm, for example. Don’t just put phones or cameras on the table, where they can be grabbed. Keep them stowed in your pocket. Keep alert and stay away from commotions. You don’t want to be drawn into a melee, and pickpockets thrive in crowds of people who are intent on the spectacle in front of them. Whether you’re going to Sturgis or just downtown, these tips will help keep your valuable safe.

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