Taking advantage of the warmth of what the rest of summer and early fall has to offer probably means spending more time outside. And if you’re a motorcycle owner, then that means squeezing in as many rides as you can before winter kicks in.
To stay safe with each ride you take, it’s essential to prepare for your ride. Specifically, when you receive regular maintenance and make thoughtful choices about your gear and riding habits, you may be able to prevent a terrible bike accident.
Mechanical Failure
Whether or not you service your ride, mechanical failures can happen. That’s why it’s crucial you take control by performing or receiving maintenance that you know your motorcycle needs. This means that when you sense your brakes start showing signs of weakness, you check out immediately. Or when you suspect your tires might need air, you head to the nearest gas station. This is because worn out brakes might not allow you to stop in time if you must brake to dodge a hazard on the road or having to deal with a sudden flat tire on the highway can be a highly dangerous situation.
Rider Awareness
The colder months can often feel like they last forever in Illinois. As such, the other motorists you share the road with might never fully learn how to be on the lookout for less protected commuters like yourself that tend to ride seasonally. Thankfully, there are ways you can take the driver’s seat when it comes to taking steps to increase your visibility, like:
Wearing bright clothing during daytime rides and reflective pieces during nighttime rides
Making sure your headlights, taillights and turn signals are functioning
Adding extra reflectors or lights to your motorcycle
Learning hand signals and how to stay out of blind spots
At the end of the day, accidents happen, so it’s important to take any opportunity you can to preserve your safety.