If you’re thinking of buying your first motorcycle, you’re probably imagining yourself tearing down highways, looking cool as you do so. That’s an achievable goal, as long as you take the right steps to get there. To help you do that, we at Bright Power Sports have compiled this guide on tips for new bike riders and owners. If you want to check out motorcycles for sale in Lincoln Park, MI, visit our dealership to get a tour of our wide inventory. We’re the preferred motorcycle dealer for our friends from Detroit, MI and Wayne County.
The biggest challenge in front of a new motorcycle rider is, of course, learning how to ride a bike. One way to do that is to get help from someone who has a good amount of experience with that. You may know how to ride a bicycle, but riding a bike is vastly different. There are more intricacies involved that you’re better off learning before you hop on a motorcycle. Fortunately for you, there is no shortage of available training programs for this very reason.
There should be plenty of beginner classes around you where you can practice. You’ll learn various essential techniques involving the throttle, clutch, brake control and much more. You might even be able to find a program in your area that offers different classes based on your skill level such as beginner, intermediate and advanced.
As with any other skill, the more you practice riding a motorcycle, the better you’ll get at it. While a riding class will give you all necessary information and get you started, practising will ensure that your riding skills get good enough to avoid mishaps and handle surprises. Don’t get discouraged if your first few rides aren’t as smooth as you hoped.
Find an empty parking lot to keep at it. You should practice your stopping by squeezing the brakes with a little more force each time until you are familiar with maximum braking. It might take some time to get used to the front brake contributing more to a fast stop than the rear brake does.
Once you’ve practiced enough in isolation, it’s time to take your motorcycle on the road! Riding a bike is a more vulnerable activity than driving a car, and often those in cars aren’t as alert as bikers so you have to be doubly vigilant. There are many distracted drivers on the road and your awareness of your surroundings directly contribute to your safety on the road.
Ride defensively by going a little faster than traffic in order to stay out of blind spots. Try to anticipate drivers’ moves and have your finger on the brake when you see cars slowing down or stopping. Make sure you use your lights and signals and that you always check multiple times before changing lanes because a driver still may not see your motorcycle. Be very cautious around big trucks because of their significant blind spots. Assuming that drivers cannot see you at all encourages you to take preventative actions that will keep you upright on the road.
When you start to get confident about your riding skills, you might want to share the experience with a friend or partner. Hold your horses! Before you can add a passenger to the equation, you need to get many hours of practice under your belt. Your bike’s dynamics will change significantly with the addition of another passenger or even with loaded-up saddlebags.
Attempting to add more to the riding experience before you’re ready for it may make you doubt your skills before you’ve had the chance to truly develop them. It could also lead to a terrifying experience for both you and your passenger because you couldn’t adequately anticipate how much the ride might change!
One rather important factor when you get your first motorcycle is to also get proper riding gear. You’ll need a good helmet to protect your head in case of a fall. You also need to keep your skin in mind. A proper riding jacket and pants will protect you from road rash if you fall. If you want to go the extra mile (and as a beginner, you should) then you can invest in riding boots and gloves as well.
Your new motorcycle is going to provide you lots of fun and utility, and in return you need to take proper care of it. You’ll want to keep your eye on the tire tread, chain, oil and fuel levels, brake and turn signal lights, and so on. Always do a pre-ride inspection before hitting the road. From time to time, you need to bring your motorcycle down to professionals for expert servicing. This will all ensure that you don’t face unexpected issues while you’re out on your bike.
We hope you find these tips helpful! When you’re ready to check out some quality motorcycles for sale, visit Bright Power Sports at our location in Lincoln Park, MI. If you’re looking for motorcycles for sale in Detroit, MI or Wayne County, get in touch with our sales department for a tour of our wide selection.
