3 Mistakes to Avoid on a Motorcycle

Staying Alive on a Metropolitan Street

I was an avid motorcyclist in my younger days. I took it where I wanted in Los Angeles, CA. That includes to work. I would travel a few blocks to work at first. But then from The San Fernando Valley to Beverly Hills.

I learned some lessons about motorcycle riding the hard way.

I took a motorcycle class at the Hollywood Bowl parking lot. They taught me some essential advice. Did I use all of it? I wish I had. I’ll explain my mistakes. My objective in taking the class was to get my motorcycle certification on my license at the DMV.

I passed my written test but had to go back a second time to qualify on my bike. You know the riding test. Weaving around cones. I had to get used to using a mid-sized to maneuver on the test.

Once I had the certification, I rode like crazy. ??

I usually rode with a helmet. Back at that time, there wasn’t the helmet law. I even tried a short ride without the helmet while riding. But I never did that again, which was good after what I soon would go through.

Here they are. The three most important mistakes to avoid.

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Passing in the Right Lane ??

Hey, you’ve got to get around slow traffic. Right? You’re supposed to get over when going slower than the speed limit in the fast lane. But does everyone do that? NO.

Here is a horrible example. A cab was going slow a short distance ahead in the fast lane. I changed to the right lane to pass by. Unfortunately, he was driving slowly because he was falling asleep.

The cab drifted into my lane. I had nowhere to go. BOOM.

I was alright, but there was damage to my bike. I was able to get compensation. But I could’ve been killed if I had left the road. I will explain later.

You need to make sure you’re seen when changing lanes and passing.

Here are five reasons not to pass in the right lane:

?? A motorcycle is harder to see in any rearview mirror

?? Most automobile drivers don’t look for motorcycles

?? You can get side-swiped before noticing they’re coming

?? They won’t have time to avoid you when they change

?? You can go down when hit and be run over by a car in back

Travel with the sense of making other vehicles aware of you. This will give you a better chance at survival. It did me.

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Losing Focus of the Road ??

I was traveling on a side street before reaching La Brea Blvd. There was a young woman in a mini skirt outside a house, bending over. The traffic light had turned red. I ran into an older car in front of me.

Luckily, I was going slow enough to run into the bumper. There was no damage. But the woman driving in front of me couldn’t stop laughing.

Motorcycles brake faster than cars. But you’re not going to react in time if you’re eyes are locked on a distraction. You need to keep your eyes on the road when riding or die.

Here are five ways to keep your eyes on the road:

?? Look for cars to do the unexpected so you can react

?? Predict any problems on the route to your destination

?? Figure out ways to make your bike visible to other vehicles

?? Think about detours if traffic suddenly changes

?? Look for places to stop if you need gas or to avoid trouble

Pull over and gawk if you see a man or woman in provocative attire. Any distraction needs a decision. Turn away from it or stop. Your life is at stake.

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Riding into the Unknown ??

I was taught in my motorcycle training to never ride into the unknown as, in most cases, it was lethal. This proved to be right for a coworker and good friend of mine.

He called me on his day off while I was at work to ask if his dirt bike could be street-legal. I told him no. That a dirt bike was a motorcycle designed to handle rough terrain. A street bike was built to handle traffic.

I added that law enforcement also saw it that way. And could cite him.

The next day he was dead. ??

My friend was out on a Saturday, riding on desert terrain. An ATV crossed into his path. He veered away to keep from colliding. He had done what I was taught not to do. He rode into the unknown.

He went over a ledge and dropped 50 feet. He could’ve survived had he let go of the handlebars. But he crushed his chest.

His mother was in mourning for weeks. I went to his wake. His mother was adamant on my giving up my motorcycle.

There are five reasons not to ride into the unknown:

?? You could collide with something that can kill you

?? Your brakes are no longer as effective when you leave the road

?? You could end up with total damage to your bike

?? You could damage property and be liable for a significant amount

?? You could kill a pet or another person

Riding into the unknown has severe consequences. You don’t want to bring that on yourself or anyone else.

What can you do if you’re riding into an accident?

?? First of all you should be at the proper speed to react

?? Ride into a collision as you have a better chance to survive

?? Let go of the bike and tumble out of harm’s way

I survived a Mercedes speeding behind me. I hit a groove on a winding Laurel Canyon Road and went down. The Mercedes went by me as I let go of my bike and started to skid. I could hear his tires go by my head.

I then tumbled the rest of the way. The only damage was bruised ribs. I survived by using techniques taught to me.

Practice motorcycle safety. Find out more in your groups and by researching online.