7 MOTORCYCLE SAFETY TIPS FOR BORN AGAIN BIKERS

If you’re considering getting back into biking after a long break you’ll quickly realise returning riders have a lot to think about if they want to stay safe.

There’s also a lot to consider if you have recently passed your A1 licence and you are thinking about trading up to a more powerful machine.

Here the team at Bikesure provide 7 motorcycle safety tips to help you on your way.

1. Are you fit and legal to ride?

Riding a motorcycle requires fitness, flexibility and sharp reflexes. Before getting back on the saddle consider your state of health. Have a medical to make sure you are fit to ride and get your eyesight and hearing checked at the same time.

It is also important to check you are still licensed to ride and that you have insurance and an MOT.

Call Bikesure’s dedicated phone number, 0808 1001 343, for our specially selected rates for RideOn readers.

2. Which is the best bike for returning riders?

Consider going for something modest. You will be surprised how well modern bikes handle and how powerful they are, compared to the machines you rode when you were younger. A bike with too much power can ruin a returning rider’s fun and could be bad for confidence.

If you’re going to take the wraps off your old motorcycle which has sat in the garage for years, make sure it has a professional-standard service beforehand.

3. Take a refresher course

4. Start easy and stay safe

Riding a motorcycle safely takes skill and is exhilarating but it has inherent risks. The margins for error, accident and injury, can be slim. Returning riders should start slow and build their confidence gradually.

7. Returning riders: expect the unexpected

On your bike you will bevulnerable to the random manoeuvres, lane changes and sudden deviations of erratic car, van and lorry drivers. Try to anticipate the dangers, read the road ahead and expect the unexpected.

5. Don’t skimp on safety gear, and always wear it

have come on leaps and bounds in recent years and investing in the best kit you can afford could just be a lifesaver, as well as making you more comfortable on the bike.

Today’s riding boots and good quality leathers give armoured protection while the right bad weather gear will keep you warm nd dry and help prevent fatigue and concentration loss.

6. Tech has moved on, learn to use it

Returning riders will discover today’s machines are far more sophisticated than the ones ridden when they were younger.

They are more powerful, more efficient, more economical and there have been huge advances in safety equipment, not least in today’s grippy tyres, skid-reducing antilock braking systems and multiple riding modes. Read all you can about your bike’s equipment and practice using it.

Complete cover for returning riders

On your bike you will be vulnerable to the random manoeuvres, lane changes and sudden deviations of erratic car, van and lorry drivers. Try to anticipate the dangers, read the road ahead and expect the unexpected.