How to Make Your Motorcycle More Visible Motorcycle visibility is an issue motorcyclists must face every day they ride. As roads crowd, so does the fear of not being seen. If you are a rider, you’ve likely already heard the common phrase: “I never saw him!” As motorcycle attorneys, we hear this excuse from car
By Kurt Sunderbruch The long, cold, wet winter has passed. It’s time to clear those cobwebs out of your head, out of your skills, out of your motorcycle, and get out and ride. Spring is my favorite season for riding. The natural world is blooming. The days have gotten longer, and the sky has
Who can resist motorcycle fail videos on Youtube? After watching motorcyclists running into stuff, falling over, failing spectacularly at popping wheelies, etc, I realized a few things that many of these fails have in common: The majority of accidents were motorcycles running into the back of cars. External video shows these riders focusing on the
By AJ Jacobsen As any new rider experiences, the world of bikes has a number of smaller sub cultures and expectations. Depending on the group one falls into, they may experience different “standards” of what one is expected to wear while riding their bike, from the “no gear, no helmet, you can’t tell me
By Dennis Dumapias Really, I should say to all motorists, but while lanesharing motorcyclists are prevalent here in California, not all states have to deal with lanesharing – and never more present within California than congested regions like the good ol’ San Francisco Bay Area during the commute week. I know. You as a
Sooner or later it happens to the best of us: we’re on the ground and so it the motorcycle or adventure bike we’re riding. Maybe you crashed your motorcycle, or maybe you had to abandon ship, who knows—but it’ll happen to you, too. The problem is that it’s not the easiest thing in the world
If you ride at all, you do it because you love it. That means every ride should be a safe one. A safe ride should always begin with a simple, quick check of your bike. Going through a pre-ride checklist can save you from getting fined for faulty lights and other problems—but it can also
By Bill Harr I love small group ride,s and do many with friends I have known for years. I do a “Ride to Lunch with Bill” on a Friday once each month. I have a core group of 5 to 8 old retired riders. The normal number that shows up for the ride is 6.
It’s a common misconception that you’re always safer riding in a car than you are riding a motorcycle. The fact is, the roads can be dangerous for everyone. Case in point: as of 2015, there were about 1.7 million rear-end collisions in the U.S. every year. And while anyone can be rear-ended, safe lane splitting
If you love riding in the rain, you’re part of a distinct minority. Still, unless you’re facing a truly serious storm, there’s no reason to stay inside just because there’s a little water on the road. Here are some safety tips for riding in the rain so you can handle the challenges of bad weather
This post is basically a glorified warning. We all know that left-turning cars are some of the most dangerous situations for a street rider, and are the most likely to take out an experienced rider. Today’s warning, however, has to do with stop light controlled intersections that should, technically, be some of the safer “cross-traffic”
Are all motorcycle crashes avoidable? We would like to believe so, that’s for sure, yet every year, thousands of crashes happen and even here in California the deaths are numerous. Are all of these riders being careless? Most crashes I’ve seen could have been avoided by the rider – perhaps they weren’t paying enough attention,
I’m a rider that learned how to ride a motorcycle at traffic school. My father used to ride motorcycles when he was younger, but got into a very bad accident at one point. Once this happened he never rode again, and I’m fairly certain he never thought I’d pick up riding. However, I was still
Recently while talking with friends I discovered I’ve been commuting incorrectly since I started riding. Back when I drove cars regularly, I only used my brights for roads with minimal street lights or none at all. I’d been taught it’s inconsiderate to blind on coming traffic with your high beams. So, when I switched over
Small accidents. They happen so quickly, and often times without much thought at all. In the blink of an eye the slightest distraction can cost you financially. The worst part is that it’s not a matter of skill, or how long you’ve been riding. I should know, as I’ve recently made a very absentminded and
If you are an off-road rider or go trekking on trails in the woods, you should be careful when you hit the trails. The American Motorcycle Association, or AMA, has warned riders in three states that booby traps have been placed along trails, which has endangered motorcyclists, cyclists, hikers and horse riders. In New Hampshire,
I ride my motorcycle often enough and far enough from home that it became apparent I would benefit from a decent motorcycle trailer. It allows me to haul my ride anywhere I desire with both ease and comfort. I have some very specific trailering guidelines for myself that others may find beneficial when it comes
I am not one to get overly attached to inanimate objects, but that said I don’t want to see a thief run off with my motorcycle. History has shown us that with sufficient determination, pretty much anything can be stolen. That said, the idea is to add layer upon layer of motorcycle theft protection until
Yesterday while driving down Barham Blvd in Los Angeles, I witnessed a car slowly turn in front of a motorcyclist heading down the hill. With such bad timing, the motorcyclist was put in immediate danger. Fortunately, the rider was skilled enough to avoid collision, but unfortunately this scenario befalls riders all too often with commonly fatal results. Though
Getting injured is a part of life; it happens to everyone. I’ve found over the past year that I’ve been more prone to injury than usual. Put simply, it sucks. Over the weekend, I strained my right knee while playing recreational basketball…again. The real unfortunate part is I don’t own a car. I refuse to
If you are a new rider and love watching videos to learn or enrich your experience, you’ll likely have spent some time browsing YouTube. Here are some good ones that are worth your time to check out. With the Top Ten How to Tech Tips brought to you by J&P Cycles, you can learn how
Recently a conversation regarding survival tips for new riders came up, with many words of advice. As I have seen and heard many times in the past, often repeated was the phrase of “ride within your limits.” I was reminded of an experience I had a couple years ago and I think it’s an important
You probably have seen the ad on TV where the car automatically stops itself just inches in front of the announcer. Or another one where a car stops itself while backing out a driveway and saving the life of a kid on the sidewalk. I wondered when we would see these active safety systems on
When I ride, I usually go alone. I am not a big group rider, and I like to enjoy nature and the sounds of the road in peace. But, sometimes, I like to take a passenger along for the ride, especially since it’s a great way to impress women! A lot of people are a
When I ride, I like to stay on the road and avoid dirt, rocks and gravel. This is true for me since I ride a street bike, and I think most of my friends avoid off-roading in their street bikes. But, sometimes, I want to get somewhere quickly, or I have to meet one of
Recently I went and spent some time with my friend, Burak. He’s finally back home after his serious motorcycle accident in January. The topic of riding while angry came up, as he believes his brother, Tan, rides with too much rage. Tan explained other drivers make him upset while on the road. He went on
When out on the open road, my gloves are indispensable. With them, I feel more protected, and I don’t have to worry about sunburns (often hard to avoid in the sunny, Southern California desert). While not all my buddies wear them, I prefer to for a variety of reasons, and I recommend that anyone who
I lived on 153rd and Broadway. Everyone knew the “motorcycle guy” lived there, and occasionally young kids from the neighborhood would knock on the door to ask a bike question. At one point I had a V11 SS Moto Guzzi, a BMW R1200GS and a Monster parked outside; over the few years I lived there
I don’t own a Harley, but I like the brand, and I think they offer quality motorcycles. I love going to the Harley dealer, and I have plenty of friends who ride them. We all get along, and so one weekend I went with a friend to take the skilled rider course offered by Harley
I am lucky to live in Southern California, so I can ride my motorcycle all year. But, a lot of my friends are afraid of a little cold or rain, even though we don’t get much of either. They often pack their bikes away for the winter and sit around watching sports. Then, in the
Photo by our friends @ 4thriders.com One area of riding for many motorcyclists that becomes a pain point is that of braking, and how to properly apply the brakes for the situation. This is something that I have seen be an issue for myself both on the street and on the track. On the track the
One of the biggest problems a beginning rider will have is training themselves to look down the road instead of three feet in front of the front tire. Nowhere is this more apparent than rolling through the twisties; beginners who are staring at their front wheel are often surprised by a sudden dogleg turn. Then
I don’t enjoy riding in traffic, especially during rush hour. However, sometimes it’s necessary, even if I am on a longer ride up the mountain. For this reason, I try to ride safely and pay attention while in traffic. Here are five rules to follow while riding in traffic. Assume the worst in every driver:
Recently I joined a mellow group ride. This ride was designed to be rather newbie friendly with a road choice, group size and pace that were appropriate for relatively new riders who were reasonably comfortable on a twisty road. The group that showed up was well prepared for such a ride, with the ride leader
Most of us living in San Diego, CA get to ride whenever we want to. Heck, pretty much all of Southern California does not have to listen twice to the weather forecast before gearing up… it's 99.9% warm toasty sunshine seven days a week. We are sure spoiled compared to other states across America who
Let’s face it, the average motorcycle rider is well-versed in local and state laws, and he or she probably follows all the rules of the road. However, there are a few riders out there who give the rest of us a bad name, and sometimes people simply don’t know the rules, written or unwritten. So,
If you like bikes, then enjoying maintenance is par for the course. This is even more true if you’re riding on a somewhat limited budget. Take that up a notch and start doing trackdays, racing or long distance trips and you will become rather familiar with your bike whether you wanted to or not! I
If you were put on the stand by an especially savage prosecutor, one with a nose for the lie and a razorblade mind, and he asked you why you got your first bike, what would you say? You could say that bikes are economical, easy to park and cheap to insure. You could say that
I know a lot of people cringe when they have to think about physical fitness, but personal health is a universal issue of importance. I find it especially important for motorcycle riders as there’s a strong mind/body connection when driving your bike. If you’re not fit enough to control your motorcycle, you can find yourself
Let’s face it, if you want to ride safely and avoid serious problems, you need to buy a decent helmet. While it’s not fun, you must find one that fits well and offers comfort and protection. With that being said, here are four tips to choose your next motorcycle helmet. Try it on for comfort:
A lot of motorcycle riders hate talking about safety and neglect to admit that it isn’t the safest activity around. However, I am a realist and go out of my way to ride safely. In fact, I feel it necessary to set an example for other riders on how to ride safely and wisely. With
After reading Jessica Zimmer’s article What to do when the green light never comes, I felt compelled to follow-up with my own input and experiences. This is something that happens to every rider and can continue infinitely unless something new triggers the light. As it turns out, Jessica is much more cautious than I am.
When I ride up to Palomar Mountain or out to the desert, I see a lot of young Marines riding solo on their fast bikes. While they are having a good time, I prefer to ride with another person. That is to say, I don’t like a passenger, but I love having another person riding
Statistics show that the likelihood of an accident occurring declines the farther away you are from home. About a quarter of accidents happen within a mile of home. This is due in part with being in your comfort zone in a familiar area where you know all the roads. People drift around on autopilot close
** A follow-up post has been made on this topic. See Another perspective on defective traffic signals Have you ever been at a traffic signal and your bike doesn’t trip the light? Is it safe to go, or do you need to wait for a car or truck to cause the trip device to work?
This is the hard and harsh truth about riding at night on your motorcycle: You are reduced down to your headlight(s). Never mind that it's a common mantra to ride like you're invisible, because at night, that's no longer just a simile – it becomes a plain fact of motorcycle life. And you might think,
I went up to Rancho Santa Fe on Saturday for a charity event. It's about 35 miles north of San Diego up I-5 to the dangerous east west highway known as 78. I kept looking in the rearview mirror before remembering I'm solo and have no responsibility for anyone else. When we ride with people
When it comes to gear, for most riders budget is a serious issue. Often times their first consideration ends up as the price tag rather than long term benefits of differing gear options. Additionally, is it always true that price equals quality, or even more importantly, will you always be happier with something you spend
As a seasoned rider, my friends often want to get in on the action, so I usually offer them plenty of advice to stay safe and have fun. Learning how to ride a motorcycle requires a lot of practice, especially when it comes to safety. The first thing you need to consider as a first-time
Yep, you read the title correctly, let’s talk about pipes – exhaust pipes. I recently had another rider tell me I should purchase a louder exhaust pipe. He felt like the roar of my pipes were too subtle, and other drivers wouldn’t be aware of my presence because of this. Naturally, I disagreed because to