Motorcycle Safety in the Year 2018

The seasons have changed and, although many will say the only thing that changes, from 2017 to 2018, is the date, the New Year promises a lot of excited for motorcycle enthusiasts. That’s because there is a lot that we can look forward to, from motorcycle rallies to newly released bikes. If you rode your bike enthusiastically into the New Year, you can, therefore, expect a smooth ride throughout the year as you hop from one exciting event to the other.

Motorcycle Safety in the new year

One thing that’s often neglected when people talk about the exciting events that are lined up is the issue of safety. Motorcycles, it has to be said, have acquired a rather bleak reputation in this regard. The year 2017 saw, in terms of safety, a slight increase in the number of crashes and fatalities across the United States. In Nebraska, as an example, motorcycle related fatalities rose from 10 in 2012 to 17 in 2017.

Staying safe in 2018

If you have been following the daredevilish videos that, of late, have been finding their way onto YouTube, you would be excused for wanting to stay off your bike. For all the thrilling moments that are showcased, as bikers perform various stunts, there are countless others that show bikers unceremoniously tumbling onto the hard tarmac. So, how can you stay safely on your motorcycle in the year 2018?

Always wear your helmet

This is the first thing that you need to do in order to keep yourself safe while enjoying your ride in the New Year. The fortunate bit is that most riders are rather sensible and you will only ever see a few who prefer to ride their motorcycles without their helmets on.

Motorcycle helmets are designed to protect the head which, in most crashes, is the most vulnerable part of the human body. Studies indicate that they reduce the risk of head injuries by up to 69%. They also reduce the chances of fatalities by up to 42%.

Not only that, but they also protect you from the wind, which makes riding your bike a lot more palatable.

Riding without helmet

You can see how uncomfortable riding a bike without a helmet can be by watching the video above. Let’s just hope the dude in the clip does not make it a habit of going around without his helmet. In the event of a crash, it is unlikely that he would survive at the speeds at which he is going.

Make sure that your bike is in perfect condition

It is often said that when it come to motorcycle safety, there are usually no second chances. The hard tarmac can be rather unforgiving, which is why you need to make sure that your bike is in perfect working condition before taking it on the road.

This is something on which we have often dwelt on this blog. Your bike is only going to be able to take care of you if you keep it in a good condition. There are a number of components that you need to constantly monitor in this regard;

Tires
Chains
Brakes
Phone charger

The first three components are rather obvious and intuitive; the tires are what keep your bike on the road; the chain is what propels it forward, while the brakes are what enable you to safely come to a halt. The last component; the phone charger, may seem out of place in a write-up about safety, but it is, nevertheless, important for your mental wellbeing.

Let’s face it, not many of us can survive, in today’s world, without some kind of connectivity with the outside world and, when taking your bike on an extended ride in the countryside, keeping your phone juiced up can be what stands between calamity and help in the event of an accident.

There are, of course, other important components on your motorcycle, a lot of which are instrumental to your comfort and all of which should be kept in good working order.

Be prepared for extreme weather conditions

The weather being the weather, chances are high that conditions will not stay the same throughout the day. This is particularly important if you plan on going on an extended motorcycle road trip. You need to, in this case, make sure that you are well stoked on whatever it is that you need in order to keep yourself safe in extreme weather conditions.

These items may include a rainproof set of clothing, as well as a warm jacket. You also need to make sure that there are waypoints along your route, in which you can rest and recuperate from the rigors of the road. Although it may be thrilling at first, you cannot stay on your bike forever, and proper planning is what you need in order to have an enjoyable trip.

You may need to get off your bike

You also need to, in extreme weather, exercise extreme caution. In heavy rain or snow, as an example, it is rather advisable that you find shelter while waiting out the bad weather. If that is not an option, then you may need to slow down, because roads become excessively treacherous in these kinds of weather.

Have your bike shipped to your destination

While it may be tempting to ride your bike across the length of the United States, that, in most instances, is hardly practically. The best thing, in this case, is to have your bike taken to your destination by a professional motorcycle shipping company.

AA Motorcycle Shipping

At AA Motorcycle Shipping, we have acquired over a decade’s experience moving bikes from one part of North America to the other. We pride ourselves in being a professional company that delivers door to door and on time. Wherever you wish to have your bike taken, all our shipments come with up to $5000 in insurance cover. This should give you the peace of mind that you need while preparing for that adventure of a lifetime.