Ten Objective Things You Can Do To Stay Alive On Your Motorcycle

Ten Things That Make Motorcycling Safer

Riding a motorcycle may be one of life’s most fun and rewarding activities, but it’s also dangerous. So, if you’re going to ride, it would be smart to try to be as safe as as possible. So, here are ten things proven to help make motorcycles safer.

It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that motorcycling is the most dangerous thing that still legal. You can’t really make bikes “safe.” Riding a motorcycle is like driving a car up on two wheels while not wearing seatbelts, or skiing downhill at 70 MPH for several hours at a time. The danger is inherent and crashing hurts like hell — or worse.

Much of the advice riders get is fairly nebulous and vague: Ride like you’re invisible — Drive defensively — Be more careful than you think you need to be. Good advice an’ all, but do you know what that really means in practice? Even specific riding tips can be tough to follow all the time: Look at least 10 seconds ahead — Look where you want to go — Don’t look at any one thing for more than two seconds— Watch oncoming cars’ front wheels. Maintaining that sort of hyper-aware mental attitude every moment of every ride is at the very least exhausting and perhaps even impossible. It’s tough to know how safe is “safe.” So, what concrete, objective, verifiable steps can riders take to decrease their risk of accidents, and survive in one piece should they have one?

1. Wear a full-face helmet.
This should be obvious. Helmets save lives, no question. It doesn’t need to be made of kevlar, cost $500 or be Snell approved. It just needs to be fairly new (less than 5 years old), and fit you properly. And those “novelty” skull helmets? Forget it, they’re worthless. It’s not the hard shell that keeps you alive, it’s the thick, crushable polystyrene liner that saves your brain from rapid deceleration. And make sure it’s a full-face or modular helmet. That visor and chin bar can save your face and teeth not only from an unfortunate meeting with the pavement, but from an airborne june bug or lug nut as well.
2. Wear high-conspicuity clothing.
If you’ve ever ridden with someone in a hi-viz yellow jacket, you know how dramatically they jump out of their visual surroundings. Some retro-reflective patches or trim for night riding is a nice bonus. People ride motorcycles to look cool; I know some people don’t want to dress in lemon-lime when they ride. But fortunately, thanks to people like Andy Goldfine of AeroStitch, hi-viz clothing is slowly being recognized as savvy road wear for experienced moto pilots, not Chicken Little nerdniks. Your jacket and helmet are 50% of the surface area people see, and the highest point of the vehicle/rider unit. Furthermore, most bikes are small, dark and handsome. Even if you have brightly colored sportbike with a fairing, what oncoming traffic sees of your bike is mostly the headlight, forks and front tire. One more thing: go for a jacket that is all high-viz, including the sleeves (such as the Olympia Bushwacker shown); vests or jackets with just some hi-viz accents are much less effective.
3. Wear body armor.
If you have a high-quality riding jacket like the Olympia, you probably already have armor and an articulated back protector built in. If not, under-the-jacket armor can be worn under anything. Adding armored pants is even better. Look for “CE-complaint” armor, especially for the spine. Your outerwear should be leather or ballistic textile (Cordura). Your cotton hoodie and jeans won’t provide pavement abrasion resistance for more than a moment. Cheap plastic rainjackets are especially bad; they don’t tear, they melt, embedding themselves into wounds (yes, that’s as grizzly as it sounds).
4. Get formal rider training.
No matter how new or experienced a rider you are, you probably overestimate your skills. There are certain things you need dedicated training to learn. Take the MSF RiderCourse at a bare minimum. The just-annunced MSF CORE advanced classes look like an awesome improvement. If you really want riding skills you can be proud of, you’ll be amazed what a street-oriented track class can teach you.
5. Obey traffic laws.
This one is obvious, but one of the least followed. Bikers tend to be swaggering young guns and thrill-seeking hotshoes. But the fact is that obeying speed limits (including cornering advisory speeds), as well as no-passing zones, etc., all lower the accident risk dramatically. The occurrence of single-bike fatalities rises alarmingly beyond the posted limit.
6. Don’t drink alcohol.
Notice that I didn’t say anything about being drunk. Sure, we all know that riding while legally drunk is the #1 way to become a smear mark on the pavement. Statistically, however, even just a drink or two does effect your riding performance without being illegal, and often without making you feel drunk. Besides, I said this was an objective list; exactly what point alcohol starts affecting your abilities is a very subjective call (and the first thing to go when you drink is your ability to judge the situation with objectivity). For those who do drink alcohol, the best — though admittedly uncommon — rule is that a drink and a ride should always have a good night’s sleep in between them.
7. Ditch your alarm clock.
Fatigue can be as debilitating as a couple of beers. Americans routinely cheat ourselves out of adequate sleep, and the effects (like a couple of beers) are easy to ignore. A proper night’s sleep is at least eight hours, but perhaps as much as 9-1/2 hours for some people. Ironically, teens and young adults need more sleep, but often get the least. How do you know if you’ve gotten enough sleep? Toss your alarm clock and let your body tell you when its time to get up. Your brain will be able to process more information and react quicker out on the road.
8. Ride a boxer.
Highway bars are useless in preventing lower-leg injuries, but it turns out that a big cylinder sticking out in front of your leg does just that. Riders of BMW boxer twins and Gold Wings have accident statistics similar to other large touring and sport-touring motorcycles, except for a notable decrease in ankle, foot and lower-leg injuries.
9. Ride a bike with ABS.
Many motorcycle riders are uncomfortable with the perceived “nanny-ism” of anti-lock brakes, even if they are okay with ABS in their car. But motorcycles need ABS technology much more than cars, because they depend so critically on wheel rotation to maintain their dynamic balance, and the loss of rotation is so often unrecoverable. The true meaning of recent statistics on ABS use is still being sorted out, but it is clearly one of the most dramatic advances in motorcycle safety in many, many years. One important note: ABS doesn’t prevent low-sides; braking deep into a turn is still a no-no.
10. Install a headlight modulator.
If its legal where you live (in other words, if the local constabulary won’t hassle you), get a daytime headlight modulator. Research demonstrates that otherwise inattentive drivers take notice of a pulsing headlight sooner and continue to pay more attention to the vehicle. Brake-light modulators are also effective, but since more than three-quarters of traffic dangers are located in front of the bike, the headlight is the more critical addition.
BONUS: Move to the desert.
Okay, this one isn’t practical for everyone, and if we all did it it wouldn’t be an advantage. But people who live in wide-open rural areas in states from Montana to Arizona have fewer non-at-fault accidents. In other words, there are fewer cars around, and those that are around are easier to see from a distance.

It should be noted that many of these states have proportionally higher at-fault rider fatalities due to excessive speed and alcohol consumption among motorcyclists. It seems all that being all alone out on the open range makes people believe that they don’t have to follow the other rules listed above.

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33 responses to “Ten Objective Things You Can Do To Stay Alive On Your Motorcycle”

  1. Dr_Dangerously Avatar

    Also, I would add for beginners, to start with a bike that is 750cc or under. Nothing worse then an inexperienced rider with tons of disposable income rocketing down the highway on a 1000cc+ bike.
    Massachusetts Rider Education Program: http://www.mass.gov/rmv/motorcycle/training.htm
    Motorcycle Permit only costs $15 if you hold a license.

  2. Black Steelies Avatar

    Probably going to take the NYS permit this summer. I'm not sure about lessons but ik they are offered at the local Harley shop for a couple hundred bucks. I would opt for that unless starting on something real small like under a 350. I've been scouting craigslist all winter…

  3. bzr Avatar

    Squids on liter-bikes make my skin crawl. Even moreso if they're in tank tops (or shirtless!) in shorts and flip-flops.
    Though it's usually the character of the bike that influences things as well. Bikes are different than cars in that engine size isn't the be-all, end-all argument of performance: a trigger-finger 500 can be more frightening than a torquey 1000cc. It's a good rule of thumb, but GSX-Rs and Katanas can sometimes be a handful at any size.
    And stay the hell away from two-strokes! I tell my beginning friends that all the time. I love convincing them to get motorcycles, it's so touching.

  4. 1300ccsoffury Avatar
    1300ccsoffury

    Thanks to the new slam-brakes-at-first-sight-of-yellow-lights mentality brought to us by stop light cameras, I'm a big fan of #9. Especially after locking both brakes and going down last Saturday. Ow.

  5. CaptainZeroCool Avatar

    I wouldn't recommend anything above a 500cc bike to beginners. A lot of 600cc bikes are homologation specials and 750 is just to damn big and heavy for someone starting out.
    I'd start with a 125 or 250 and depending on your body size and weight step up to a 500.

  6. Ash78 Avatar
    Ash78

    Great list. But I'm still leaning towards #11: Buy a se7en or V8 Miata instead 😀

  7. muthalovin Avatar

    Don't forget the Wheelie Bar. Safety first at the strip, on your stretched 'Busa and that acre of chrome.

  8. Feds_II Avatar

    I've only been riding for 3 years, but I don't "get" litre bikes. I have a DRZ-400SM, and it's plenty quick to 80 MPH, and I still haven't used all of the tire (though this is a training/ball size issue). Will I ride it from coast to coast? No, but my first bike was a GL500, and it did fine 2-up on a week long trip.
    Maybe I am getting old, but I can make myself very dead in a car with 100 hp, I don't really have much desire to get on a bike with that number or more.

  9. Tripl3fast Avatar

    8 Ride a Boxer.
    Thanks. That is just the added motivation for me to finally get the old BMW I have been lusting for. Has the insurance industry noticed this stat and adjusted accordingly? Not likley I guess…..

  10. Dr_Dangerously Avatar

    Good point with the engine, I guess just be careful to pick a bike that is not as aggressive.
    Forgot to add, if you ride in Boston, you might also need a jousting sick to fend off the cabbies. One of my coworkers rides his Ducati 999 into work sometimes, I think he doesn't want to keep his bike looking nice.

  11. Dr_Dangerously Avatar

    Good point with the engine, I guess just be careful to pick a bike that is not as aggressive.
    Forgot to add, if you ride in Boston, you might also need a jousting sick to fend off the cabbies. One of my coworkers rides his Ducati 999 into work sometimes, I think he doesn't want to keep his bike looking nice.

  12. ptschett Avatar

    +1. I'm good up to 90-ish degrees with my jacket (which isn't mesh but does have air vents) and mesh pants. If it's too hot for gear, it's too hot to ride.

  13. Ash78 Avatar
    Ash78

    Great list. But I'm still leaning towards #11: Buy a se7en or V8 Miata instead 😀

  14. Tim Odell Avatar
    Tim Odell

    The inverse of the Bonus item is why I'm not riding a bike to work. That, and that my 24k miles/year of commuting is basically 1 bike/year from what I understand of bike motor longevity.

  15. Tim Odell Avatar
    Tim Odell

    The inverse of the Bonus item is why I'm not riding a bike to work. That, and that my 24k miles/year of commuting is basically 1 bike/year from what I understand of bike motor longevity.

  16. ptschett Avatar

    I'd make an exception for single cylinders. IIRC my KLR650 makes about 2/3rds the power of the EX500 Ninja.

  17. Feds_II Avatar

    Close, but not the same. Single track vehicles are infinitely different that even the smallest 2-tracker.

  18. engineerd Avatar

    I was imagining the development of the headlight modulator went something like this:
    Marvin the Engineer: Oh goody! My illumium Q-36 pulsating headlight modulator.
    [Kaboom]
    Marvin the Engineer: Well, back to the old drawing board.

    1. FЯeeMan Avatar

      Thank you , Mr. Neerd. Thank you very much. That made me laugh out loud! I automatically read the 2nd line in the appropriate voice.

  19. Feds_II Avatar

    I've only been riding for 3 years, but I don't "get" litre bikes. I have a DRZ-400SM, and it's plenty quick to 80 MPH, and I still haven't used all of the tire (though this is a training/ball size issue). Will I ride it from coast to coast? No, but my first bike was a GL500, and it did fine 2-up on a week long trip.
    Maybe I am getting old, but I can make myself very dead in a car with 100 hp, I don't really have much desire to get on a bike with that number or more.

    1. DerangedStoat Avatar
      DerangedStoat

      I 'get' sporty litre bikes, the sheer power/weight is a hell of a rush, and fantastic fun on a circuit. But as a daily ride, I think smaller bikes are a lot more fun. On most litre bikes, you've got 2-3 gears to play with before you're well over any speed limit. At least on a smaller bike you can play through the gears a lot more, and have more fun in the twisty stuff.

      1. Feds_II Avatar

        I guess that's my point… How (people living in the desert excepted) are you ever going to use 180 mph? You're going to spend your time schtupping 100s of lbs of exotic material around at 55 mph in 3rd gear.
        I suppose if I were actually semi-capable as a rider, I would look for somethign with a bigger performance envelope, but after reading the RSV-4 article on hell for leather this morning, super-high-performance motorcycles have no appeal whatsoever.

      2. Feds_II Avatar

        I guess that's my point… How (people living in the desert excepted) are you ever going to use 180 mph? You're going to spend your time schtupping 100s of lbs of exotic material around at 55 mph in 3rd gear.
        I suppose if I were actually semi-capable as a rider, I would look for somethign with a bigger performance envelope, but after reading the RSV-4 article on hell for leather this morning, super-high-performance motorcycles have no appeal whatsoever.

  20. Maymar Avatar

    I'd think something bigger than 750 is okay as long as you can respect it. Then again, the only bike that big that I've ridden was a 1200cc Buell only running on one cylinder, so my reference may be skewed. Then again, insurance costs would push me towards a 125-250 anyways.

  21. Maymar Avatar

    I'd think something bigger than 750 is okay as long as you can respect it. Then again, the only bike that big that I've ridden was a 1200cc Buell only running on one cylinder, so my reference may be skewed. Then again, insurance costs would push me towards a 125-250 anyways.

    1. Maymar Avatar

      Fair enough – I've taken the motorcycle training course twice (on a 250 Virago), along with a refresher course Honda did to promote the CBR125, and I spent plenty of time practicing the slow turn since I had a hard go of it, so I had some of the fundamentals, albeit with minimal experience. I do agree though, that the smaller bike is the better way to go. Didn't stop me from buying a CB750 (not exactly a light bike), but when I do it again, I'll absolutely end up on something sub-500.

    2. Maymar Avatar

      Fair enough – I've taken the motorcycle training course twice (on a 250 Virago), along with a refresher course Honda did to promote the CBR125, and I spent plenty of time practicing the slow turn since I had a hard go of it, so I had some of the fundamentals, albeit with minimal experience. I do agree though, that the smaller bike is the better way to go. Didn't stop me from buying a CB750 (not exactly a light bike), but when I do it again, I'll absolutely end up on something sub-500.

  22. DerangedStoat Avatar
    DerangedStoat

    Great article Tanshanomi!
    I've now been riding (on the road) for just over a year (only had my full licence for 3 months), and the best piece of advice I've been given is in regards to not skimping out on the protective gear. Sure, buying a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and pants can cost a significant amount of money, but as it was best described to me, if you have an off, and end up damaging a piece of that expensive gear to the point that it should be replaced, it has not only just paid for itself, but probably saved you a lot of money too, not just in medical bills, but in time spent recovering and possibly the ability to keep working.
    My current ride is an '08 Honda CB400A. The difference that ABS makes during emergency stops (when compared to similar weight bikes at an advanced riding course) is pretty spectacular, and it also means that any instinctive wild grab of the front brake in an emergency is a lot more effective/safe. I can highly recommend it.
    One other thing I've done outside of rider training courses/advanced riding courses, is a couple of track days, and I can't recommend these enough either. It's a fantastic way to increase your confidence in your ride, and allow you to push your limits (note: YOUR limits, not the bikes in particular), in a safe environment, free of worry about getting it wrong and running wide into oncoming traffic and the like.
    VTEC just kicked in yo, and it's a hell of a lot of fun.

  23. Luntburger Avatar
    Luntburger

    Re: No. 8. I'm sorta ashamed to admit this, but I always lusted after the Valkyrie.

    1. Feds_II Avatar

      No shame whatsoever. Someday when I want a long-distance-capable bike, a Valk will be high on the list. As will a Guzzi California and a Rocket 3.

  24. DerangedStoat Avatar
    DerangedStoat

    Great article Tanshanomi!
    I've now been riding (on the road) for just over a year (only had my full licence for 3 months), and the best piece of advice I've been given is in regards to not skimping out on the protective gear. Sure, buying a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and pants can cost a significant amount of money, but as it was best described to me, if you have an off, and end up damaging a piece of that expensive gear to the point that it should be replaced, it has not only just paid for itself, but probably saved you a lot of money too, not just in medical bills, but in time spent recovering and possibly the ability to keep working.
    My current ride is an '08 Honda CB400A. The difference that ABS makes during emergency stops (when compared to similar weight bikes at an advanced riding course) is pretty spectacular, and it also means that any instinctive wild grab of the front brake in an emergency is a lot more effective/safe. I can highly recommend it.
    One other thing I've done outside of rider training courses/advanced riding courses, is a couple of track days, and I can't recommend these enough either. It's a fantastic way to increase your confidence in your ride, and allow you to push your limits (note: YOUR limits, not the bikes in particular), in a safe environment, free of worry about getting it wrong and running wide into oncoming traffic and the like.
    VTEC just kicked in yo, and it's a hell of a lot of fun.

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  26. Magnolia Threlfall Avatar

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