The Personal Blog Of
Boston Motorcycle Lawyer

In Case You Get a New Bike for Christmas
December 10, 2009

Some very lucky people this Holiday season are going to wake up and see a shiny new motorcycle in their garage for Christmas. OK, some of those people will buy the bikes for themselves but the fact remains, they have a new motorcycle. I can’t think of a better Christmas gift.

But some gifts need to stay in the box a few days until you are ready for them.

I know it is nearly impossible to not jump on your new bike and ride it on Christmas morning but that is a really bad move even for an experienced rider.

Before you jump on that shiny new bike, here are some important questions to answer.

• How long has it been? If it’s been a very long time since the last time you’ve ridden a motorcycle, then you don’t need to jump on your new one, twist the throttle and ride off. Take some time to learn motorcycling again.

• Do you have a motorcycle endorsement? If not, this is your first step. Riding legally is one of the first steps in motorcycle safety.

• Have you taken a motorcycle safety course? Even if you know how to ride a motorcycle, it’s good to go back over the basics in a controlled environment and on a practice bike. This will help insure that you know what you’re doing when it comes time to ride your new motorcycle.

• Did you read the owner manual? The first step in knowing your bike is doing a bit of reading. Grab the motorcycle owner manual and read the entire thing. Learn all the little nuances about your bike because all bikes are not the same.

• Do you have the right gear? If you are going to ride, make sure Santa included appropriate gear with your bike. Riding without the right motorcycle apparel is asking for trouble.

• How’s the weather? If you wake up to a white Christmas, then riding your bike is out of the question. If the weather is wet or cold, you may want to wait until a nice clear, dry day.

I know you’ve heard all of these things before but every so often, it’s good to go back over the basics. If you are lucky enough to get a new bike for Christmas, make sure you don’t wreck it and end up in the hospital on Christmas day.