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Motorcycles have been a popular transportation option for decades. First, they can be less expensive to purchase than cars. Second, they allow motorcyclists to experience both the thrill of taking to the road and being in the great outdoors like no other.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that they’re not the safest mode of transportation though. Instead, they’ve found that motorcyclists are as much as 27 times more likely to lose their lives than another other type of vehicle operator. They note that one of the first steps to reducing their crash risk is to carefully select their bike.
When choosing a motorcycle, it’s important for the biker to be clear as to how he or she intends to use it. If an individual intends to use it solely for long distance joy rides, then he or she will likely need to look at quite a different bike from someone who’s simply looking to travel back and forth to work.
It’s also important what the weather is like in the area in which you live. If it rains a lot or it’s often windy, then certain bikes or equipment, such as special tires, may be needed to ensure your safety in those situations.
How experienced you are as a motorcycle rider will impact what your safest option is also. Some novice motorcyclists might automatically assume that the lower-priced bike is going to provide less power than the more expensive ones. This is often far from the case though.
Sitting on and finding a comfortable seat, making sure that you’re not overwhelmed by its size and knowing that you can reach the pedals are all important steps in the bike selection process. You should take into account how you intend to ride your bike, whether it will be upright or leaning over when trying it out as well.
Finally, you want to look at the motorcycle’s safety features. Consumer Reports studies have shown that bikes with anti-lock brakes are 37 percent less likely to be involved in fatal crashes. Studies have also shown that the brighter the color of your bike, the more likely you are to be seen.
Reducing your risk of becoming involved in a motorcycle collision begins with the selection of your bike. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash, then a Los Angeles accident attorney can advise you of legal remedies available to you in your case.
Source: Quoted, “Motorcycle safety: 19 tips to consider before you hit the road,” Jackie Dana, accessed Nov. 16, 2017