Boston Motorcycle Injury Lawyer Blog

Motorcycles are not toys to be trifled with. They are serious business. If you don’t learn this lesson very quickly, you are going to have a bad experience sooner or later.

Motorcycle safety means many things. It is not just making sure you don’t have a catastrophic accident. Motorcycle safety means that you know how to properly operate and maintain your vehicle in a wide variety of circumstances. Being a safe motorcycle rider requires practice, study, concentration, and a good attitude.

There are lots of things to know about motorcycles. One of the things frequently overlooked is one of the easiest and unforgivable ways of getting stranded.

That’s running out of gas.

Surprising, it happens a lot. Bikers forget that their bikes only have 3-6 gallon gas tanks and have ranges that vary from 100-300 miles. If you have a faulty fuel gauge, you may find yourself stranded in the middle of no where.

Here are some easy ways to keep that from happening:

• Maintenance: Next time you go to your motorcycle mechanic, make sure he checks your motorcycle gauges. If something doesn’t work, fix it or replace it. They are very important.

• Gas Up: Almost every time I go out on my bike, I stop by the gas station and top off my tank. You should do the same, especially if you are riding with no specific destination in mind.

• Use Your Trip Odometer: If you bike has a speedometer, it very like also has an odometer and resettable trip odometer. Use the resettable trip odometer to determine your motorcycle’s range per tank. When you gas up, reset it to zero and when your fuel light comes on, look to see how many miles have gone by. This is a great safe guard in case your fuel gauge fails.

• Know Your Terrain: If you are going on a long trip, map out the gas stations. That way, you’ll know when you need to stop or when you can keep rolling along. Passing a gas station could mean disaster if the next station is 50 miles past your motorcycle’s range.

There is nothing more embarrassing and potentially dangerous than running out of gas. Using a few easy tricks, it will never happen. Use your gauges to learn your bikes range and have a simple plan. That will keep you on the road and off the side of it.

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.

Jesse James, the legendary bike builder from West Coast Choppers, said that the only things that should go on a chopper are things to make it go fast and stop fast. That’s it.

If you look at most custom choppers, they all stick to the same format. It is pretty common to see choppers without side view mirrors, turn signals, break lights, rear shocks, or radiators. The idea of a chopper centers around minimalism made to look magnificent.

Achieving a chopper inspired look without paying Jesse James $100,000 or more is possible with your Harley or metric cruiser without having to compromise the safety of your bike.

Choppers do not have motorcycle instrumentation clusters and there are no laws currently that require motorcycles to have them. So, take them off. For bikes with the traditional ‘heads up’ style tachometer and speedometer, removing this cluster instantly cleans up the front end of your bike. While it’s not a chopper yet, your bike will certainly look better.

In lieu of having no instrumentation, there is another option. Several companies make very small motorcycle instrumentation modules that will still clean up your bike’s front end, and provide you with the information you need to ride your motorcycle safely for a few hundred dollars.

One of the most important aspects of group riding–that is, riding with one or more other motorcyclists–is riding in formation.

Formation riding always makes me think of military exercises, especially those at sea, and parades. A line of jets flying in a “V” formation above a fleet of ships is impressive, as is a group of soldiers marching in step.

On the road, however, there obviously is not enough room for a group of motorcyclists to ride in a “V” formation; and, under normal road conditions, riding “in step” like a well-trained squad of soldiers is obviously not safe.

In group riding, there are three basic formations:

• Staggered;
• Single-file; and
• Side-by-side.

Each formation is for use in certain situations.

Riding in Staggered Formation

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), a national, not-for-profit organization sponsored by motorcycle manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Honda, the staggered riding formation is the standard for group riding.

“Compared to a single-file line, a staggered formation

• Takes up less space on the highway;
• Is easier for motorists to see; and
• Protects the lane better to lessen the chance of the group being split up by other traffic.”

In a staggered formation, the first motorcyclist rides in the left third of the lane. The second motorcyclist follows one second behind the first motorcyclist, but in the right third of the lane. The third motorcyclist follows two seconds behind the first motorcyclist, and but one second behind the second motorcyclist, in the left third of the lane. And so on.

Maintaining the two-second minimum space cushion behind the motorcyclist directly in front of you (not the staggered motorcyclist to your left or right) is important as it gives you room to maneuver under good conditions.

(To see a diagram of this formation, check out the MSF’s “Group Riding” Quick Tips.)

Riding in Single-File Formation

A single-file riding formation allows more room for maneuvering. It is best used under less than good conditions. These conditions include

• Curvy roads;
• Poor visibility;
• Poor road surfaces; and
• Entering or leaving highways.

Again, it is important to maintain the two-second minimum following distance.

Riding in Side-by-Side Formation

Because a side-by-side formation severely restricts your ability to maneuver, it is for use only under special conditions–specifically, slow-speed events in controlled situations such as parades.

For more information on group riding, visit the Web site for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Better yet, pick up a copy of the MSF’s Guide to Motorcycle Excellence.

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), a national, not-for-profit organization sponsored by motorcycle manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Honda, hand signals are an “easy and effective way to communicate” with other motorcyclists when riding in a group.

For example, your need to make a fuel stop can be communicated by pointing to your tank. To make this signal more visible to a motorcyclist behind you when group riding, you might extend your arm out to the side while pointing to your fuel tank.

But just as hand signals serve to “keep everyone together and on-task,” they can also differ from group to group. Whenever you hook up with a new riding group, always ask what signals they use.

For illustrations of commonly used hand signals, check out the MSF’s “Group Riding” Quick Tips.

Motorcycle riding is often a solitary exercise. That is one reason I enjoy it. It is just you and the open road; you are responsible for yourself.

Riding in a group can also be enjoyable, particularly when you are among like-minded friends. When riding in a group, however, you share responsibility with the other motorcyclists.

One way to maximize safety for group riding is to have a pre-ride meeting.

This meeting is an opportunity for everyone to get on the same page, so to speak. You can talk about things like the route you will be taking, the stops you will be making for fuel and food, and the hand signals you will use to communicate.

Depending on the size and familiarity of the group, the meeting can be anything from a quick chat to a substantial discussion with handouts etc. The important thing is to give everyone a clear idea of what to expect to make the ride less stressful and more enjoyable.

For more information, check out the MSF’s “Group Riding” Quick Tips. You can also check out “Alone Or In A Group” from Dale Bergeson’s “Motorcycle Touring for Beginners” Web site.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has selected the top 10 semi-finalist slogans for its “Ride On! Write On! Contest.”

Public voting online will determine the top three winning slogans. Hurry: Votes will be accepted until 6:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on October 15, 2009.

Top Ten Semi-Finalist Slogans

1. Real Divas Ride Smart.
2. New Rider, New Skills, New Confidence, New Friends, New Woman.
3. A good foundation isn’t just for your face.
4. Save a marriage, let a professional teach you to ride. MSF saving marriages since 1973.
5. Mom taught me about life … MSF taught me about riding.
6. Your curves look better when trained. Take an MSF class!
7. Unleash your Inner Biker Chic! Take A MSF Course Today!
8. Women on motorcycles are positive female “roll” models. Strike a pose!
9. MSF RiderCourse, a women’s ignition to confidence, independence and inspiration.
10. Female motorcycling – The essence of independence! Learn how at www.msf-usa.org.

“We’ve had tremendous response to our contest; some funny, some inspiring, some a little sexist, some serious, and one or two we had to disqualify,” said Dr. Sherry Williams, director, quality assurance and research, in a press release. “It wasn’t easy to select just 10 semi-finalists. Riders, and particularly women riders, are very passionate about taking their first MSF RiderCourse, and that passion definitely shows in these clever, creative slogans. Now it’s up to the public to determine the final top three winners. We’ll look forward to using these slogans to inspire more women to discover the fun and adventure of motorcycling.”

As reported earlier, the “Ride On! Write On! Contest” was initiated to help the MSF come up with a new slogan to promote motorcycle safety training for women motorcyclists.

The first place winner will receive a $599 gift certificate from Whitehorse Gear. Second and third place winners will receive $400 and $300 gift certificates, respectively.

For more information, and to vote now for your favorite, visit the MSF Web site.

Buying a used motorcycle is an exciting event. You’ve done all the research about the bike, scoured the Internet for the best color, and negotiated the ideal price. Everything appears to look great and you’re ready to cough up the money for your new Harley or sport bike.

Before getting ahead of yourself, make sure to check for the details that could make the difference between spending lots of time on the road or in the repair shop. One of those details is making sure the seller has the motorcycle owner’s manual for the bike you want to purchase.

The owner’s manual contains all the information about the bike’s specifications, features, operations, and required maintenance. It essentially tells the owner everything required to operate and maintain the bike for maximum performance and durability. If there is a question, issue, or confusion regarding any motorcycle, the owner’s manual is the first place to go to find the answer.

Here are a few tips to follow when buying a used motorcycle.

• Ask to see the owner’s manual while reviewing the bike: After giving the bike a thorough inspection, ask to see the owner’s manual so you can see if anything on the bike has been added or removed against owner’s manual recommendations.

• Check for the scheduled maintenance intervals: Ask the seller about scheduled maintenance and whether or not maintenance has been completed.

• If the buyer does not have the owner’s manual, ask for maintenance receipts: Motorcycles change hands more frequently than other vehicles and owner’s manuals sometimes are lost. Ask the seller for maintenance receipt to insure the bike has been serviced consistent with the owner’s manual.

• Ask the seller to provide an owner’s manual for you: While there are sources to find owner manuals, they tend to be expensive and in some cases hard to find. Make it the seller’s responsibility to provide an owner’s manual for you.

• Negotiate a lower price: No owner’s manual and no maintenance receipts mean much more risk for the buyer. Play hardball and negotiate a lower price to accommodate the increased risk.

Buying a used motorcycle is always a risky proposition. By asking for and reviewing the owner’s manual with the seller, a better assessment of the bike’s overall condition can be made. Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions or walk away from a seemingly great deal. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Regardless of what state you live in, motorcycle helmets are the single most important piece of safety gear a biker can wear. Not just any helmet, DOT helmets are what every biker should own and wear during every ride. While non-DOT novelty helmets offer increased style, they simply do not protect the rider. Consider these facts.

• Novelty helmets do not met DOT standards: DOT standards have been put in place to insure head injuries are minimized as much as possible. Novelty helmets are created for style only and do not have to meet any transportation related safety standards.

• Novelty helmets offer only token protection: Other than providing some minor impact protection, novelty helmets are slightly more effective in preventing head injuries than a baseball hat.

• In some states, novelty helmets are illegal: In states with mandatory helmet laws, only DOT approved helmets meet the legal standard.

Low speed accidents or falls can cause catastrophic head injuries resulting in brain damage or death. Only DOT approved helmets provide the level of protection that will keep bikers as safe as possible. Looking stylish at the expensive of safety is not cool at all.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is offering two rider perception tests online.

Riders can take the tests to improve their visual perception on the road, which increases motorcycle safety.

• Use the Road Sign quiz to help you identify common road signs. Quiz materials include a primer and glossary.
• Use the Collision Traps quiz to help you evaluate riding situations. Quiz materials include a perception fact sheet.

Each test has 10 questions and will be different each time you take it.

The two tests are meant to demonstrate the dynamic communication that occurs between your eyes and your mind.

To take the tests, visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Rider Perception Web site.