Whether you buy a Harley-Davidson, Honda, Triumph or any of the many makes and models available it's always a good idea to take lessons, take it easy while learning and know the rules of safety as it applies to motorbikes.

LEARNING TIPS

• Take your time and don't get in any hurry.
• Keep your speeds low
•  Throttle slow and easy.
• Give yourself plenty of time to see what's going on around you.
• Give yourself plenty of stopping room, learn to use front and rear brakes together and always remember to pull the clutch lever for that quick stop
• When making a turn, always look in the direction you want to go and not where you don't want to end up.
• Always give big trucks and all other vehicles the right of way no matter what.
• Always ride like no one else can see you or knows that you are around
• Stop for the yellow light before it turns red and always wait for the light to turn green before taking off.

• Always watch for that person making left hand turns in front of you.
   

• SAFETY TIPS

Be very cautious after the first rain after a dry spell. All the oil that has accumulated on the road comes up in the first half hour and is very, very slick.

Toll booths have the most oil problems for motorcycle riders. Slow way down as you approach. Stay in the left tire track area. Stop and catch yourself with your feet ever-so-gently, and pull away with the greatest care you can because you will almost certainly have some junk on your tires when you pull away. Make your passenger aware of toll booth dangers as well and if they are handling the tolls, make sure they don't move the wrong way and cause an unnecessary spill.

Practice various riding skills such as emergency braking skills, swerving, slow turns, and smooth throttle operation at least 15 minutes a week in a vacant parking lot or other area devoid of people and traffic.

Slow down before entering blind turns and be watchful at intersections and when passing driveways and alleys.

Stay to the left side of your lane when passing parked cars to your right.

Park where either gravity or the engine will get you out of a parking spot. In other words, back into a downhill sloped space and pull straight into an uphill sloped space.

Look ahead, plan ahead! Look as far down the road as you can. Pay close attention to colors and shapes on the road surface (scanning for trash, bumps, holes, cracks, new asphalt, old concrete, spills, puddles, etc.) and also observe how other vehicles are reacting to the road (scanning for brake lights, swerves, bumps, etc.).

Practice hard braking when you don't need to so you can "safely" apply the brakes under an emergency situation. Practice in vacant parking lots or quiet streets that won't interfere with other people/vehicles.

New riders should never carry passengers until such time as they are "very" comfortable with their bike. Usually this takes at least a year without a passenger.

Expect that everyone who has the opportunity to pull out in front of you or cut you off will take it.

Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front, watch out for left turners, and stay out of blind spots.

Do you need to make an evasive maneuver? Remember the bike goes where you look. Don't fixate on any object unless you want to hit it.

When it comes to group rides, the primary directive has to be 'Ride Your Own Ride'. Many people get into trouble trying to keep up with a group.

At low speeds you can stabilize your bike by "loading" your rear brake slightly while idling in low gear. With practice, you can roll up to a light so smooth and straight you can balance for four or five seconds before you need to drop a foot.

Check your tire pressure BEFORE every ride.

Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) class.

When stopping in traffic, position your bike either to the left or right hand side of the lane and stop at least 8-10 feet from the car in front. This gives a clear shot out if the guy coming up behind doesn't stop.

Don't allow your eyes to fix on one object too long. Keep searching your surroundings including your mirrors for hazards and potential hazards.

Never start across an intersection from a stop light without looking at the oncoming cross traffic. Someone may be running a light and heading right for you.
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CLEANING TIPS
A  dab of dishwashing liquid on the inside surface of your helmet visor. Rub well until clear, it reduces fogging.


Avon Skin-So-Soft, any kind, even the spray-on body lotions, or a citrus based spray cleaner  will take off chain overspray faster than anything.
DO TAKE CARE NOT TO SPRAY ON ANY PAINT.
Spray a clean rag, then get to work on the spokes, chain guard and under the rear fender.

WD-40 is a true miracle spray. Spray a clean rag with it, then wipe down the front of your bike, the headlights, leading edges of the handlebars, etc. Bugs won't stick at all. I've found WD-40 better than wax on headlights and metal.

Oven cleaner gets rid of boot marks on chrome exhaust pipes quite quickly. Be careful NOT to get any of the oven cleaner on any paint. You may want to mask off any painted surfaces with cardboard to ensure that the oven cleaner stays on the pipes. While wearing rubber gloves, saturate a rag with oven cleaner. Apply rag to exhaust pipe(s). Let sit for 10 minutes or so. Using a wooden spatula, gently scrape the gunk off. Repeat as necessary, finishing with a clear water rinse, and the wax of your choice.

Avon bubble bath is a good choice to use when cleaning your textile gear. Add a capful to a sinkful of hot water. To remove bug residue, saturate a rag with the solution, wring gently, then wipe the textile item. It removes bugs, grime around the wrist areas, and when used inside the textile item, it removes sweat and odors.

Have a leather jacket that's getting funky inside? Try Fabreeze. Spray lightly, hang the item so it's open. Let dry. Works like a charm!

Zippers being difficult? Try wiping a small dab of wax up and down the teeth.

Do your boot eyes tear up your laces? Find the culprit, and coat it with clear nail polish. Reapply as necessary.

If you have leather garments, instead of mink oil or other treatments, use lard instead. Smear the lard on with a clean rag, work it in to the seams, especially. Crank the oven up to about 300 degrees, and hang the item in front of the open oven door on a chair back or the like. A fireplace, even furnace vents work, but an open oven door is best. This works on any leather, saddlebags, chaps, jackets and gloves.
The lard on leather WORKS, if done correctly. The secret is to use the lard heavily, let it melt and be absorbed into the leather and stitching, then buff off any excess. Yes, globs of lard will become rancid, but if it's allowed to be absorbed into the leather, it's one of the very best leather conditioners available.

Many commercial products contain alcohol, which dries the leather. Some products contain silicone, which IMHO is just as damaging. Once you use silicone on anything, you have to keep using it, or it will dry out worse than before the initial application. Many commercial products are petroleum based, which alone (like Vaseline, it's great on leather) works fine, but many of the petroleum based products also contain alcohol. It's a vicious cycle!

INSURANCE   To Top of Page
Comprehensive: Pays for your motorcycle, less your chosen deductible, for anything other than collision or upset. Will not pay for mechanical breakdown or wear and tear.

Collision: Will pay for your motorcycle for collision and upset, less your chosen deductible.

Liability: Pays for damage you cause to property of others up to the limits you have selected. Here is something to beware of, if you have the minimum requirements which could be as low as $5,000 and hit a Mercedes and cause $10,000 worth of damage, the insurance company will offer the $5,000 limit, leaving you with the additional $5,000 owed to repair the Mercedes.

BI or Bodily Injury: This is to pay injuries you cause to another person. Carry high limits. I carry 300,000/500,000. If you carry a $10,000 policy and seriously injure someone, they can lien your home and garnish your wages.

BIUM: Bodily injury uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This will cover you if the person that hits you has low limits. If they have a 10,000 policy and your injuries are 50,000, it will kick in. Also you can obtain pain and suffering from your own policy.

Med Pay: It is just as it states, medical payment for anyone riding on your bike, but that it usually has low limits. Can be paid regardless of who is at fault. Kind of like throwing your passenger as little money to pay if they are scratched up or burn their leg on your pipes.

Guest Passenger Liability: This is BI coverage for your passenger.
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