Any motorcycle commuters here?

[Rod Sheridan]

No Chris I don't split lanes, it's illegal where I live................Regards, Rod.

[Peter Kelly]

Motorcycles with loud pipes are over-represented in accident statistics. Whenever I hear the "Loud Pipes Save Lives" theory I always ask people to explain vehicle collisions with locomotives, I mean they're loud, large and make the earth shake yet people drive into them.

I ride with a high vis suit on a quiet motorcycle. Rider training and proper riding gear is the only proven accident and injury reduction method (aside from taking the car).

regards, Rod.

Well said.

If I ever move out of the city, my first choice for commuting would be a near silent, transmission free, gas free model.



https://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-ds

[Harold Balzonia]

Thanks to all of you riders who chimed in... I just finished the 2 1/2 day motorcycle training and safety course and it was good fun. I learned a ton and didn’t drop their bike, so it was a win!

The safety parts of the course echoed much of what you all mentioned and I feel well prepared to begin to ride and feel I can do so safely. Seat time is going to be the best teacher, but I feel like I got a huge head start by enrolling in the class.

I’ve spoken to some owners and done a lot of online research and I think the Kawasaki Versys 650 is the bike I’ll go with, but if anyone has other suggestions on similar bikes, I’m happy to hear them. Thanks again!

[Rick McQuay]

I was lucky enough to ride dirt bikes as a teenager so I had some skills going into street riding. Been riding off and on since. Keep yourself alive. Drivers are idiots. I can't count how many people I've seen texting, reading books, putting on makeup, or other things when they should be watching the road. Treat every intersection like a death trap. Assume everyone is an idiot. I popped a tire in Oregon once, back in the early 90's, this old timer helped me out and gave me good advice; he said that if you ride enough an accident is inevitable. IT WILL HAPPEN. And every day since that day, when I throw a leg over my bike, I remember that guy and think TODAY COULD BE THE DAY. And I ride like it is.

[Dennis Peacock]

I was lucky enough to ride dirt bikes as a teenager so I had some skills going into street riding. Been riding off and on since. Keep yourself alive. Drivers are idiots. I can't count how many people I've seen texting, reading books, putting on makeup, or other things when they should be watching the road. Treat every intersection like a death trap. Assume everyone is an idiot. I popped a tire in Oregon once, back in the early 90's, this old timer helped me out and gave me good advice; he said that if you ride enough an accident is inevitable. IT WILL HAPPEN. And every day since that day, when I throw a leg over my bike, I remember that guy and think TODAY COULD BE THE DAY. And I ride like it is.

Excellent Advice!!!! I'd like to also add....."lane position" is key for better "cager" visibility. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to later on that started to pull out in front of me and then quickly stopped that said, had you not been riding close to the center line of your lane? I'd never have seen you. I always ride to the left side of my lane so that I can have a better opportunity to be seen. I, myself, have noticed this when I'm driving in my car somewhere and a motorcyclist is riding to the extreme right side of the lane closest to the edge of the road and had I not looked "twice"...I'd never have seen them. I've learned to check from roadside to roadside, across all lanes to ensure I don't have a biker or scooter coming towards me riding on the extreme right line of the road.

One more thing.......When you are stopped in traffic, maybe at a traffic light, make sure you are extreme left of the lane, about 10 feet back from the left rear side of the vehicle in front of you and ALWAYS check your mirrors for approaching traffic coming up from behind you. We've had 4 bikers killed in the last 2 years by being rear ended at a traffic signal. Keep your bike IN GEAR, watch your mirror until you have vehicles stopped behind you. AND Should you notice someone coming up way too fast behind you and you feel unsafe still sitting there? Scoot quickly to the left rear side of the vehicle in front of you so that they will take the initial force of the impact and not you.
Yes, you may get some funny looks, but in my book, better safe....than sorry.