Bad Motorcycle Riding Habits

 

Correcting Bad Habits is an Ongoing Process

Riding a motorcycle requires honing some skills to near perfection, being average is not acceptable. Being average means, you may have developed some bad habits that could get you into serious trouble. Let’s take a look at some bad habits you may have developed by thinking you are a better rider than you are. We'll also look at what you can do to improve your riding habits for the better.

Thinking You Ride Better Than You Do 

Experience does not an expert make. Experienced riders aren’t usually subjected to close calls as they employ safe riding tactics on every ride. With experience comes the knowledge that the 4wheeler driver does not always see the motorcycle, as in, "I looked, but I didn't see him."
These riders utilize dynamic lane positioning, are always aware of their surroundings, and hardly ever drive faster than conditions will allow. Operating a motorcycle is a skill that you never stop learning.
Safe, conscientious riders usually take refresher courses to perfect their riding skills further. Once a rider develops bad habits, the good ones are lost as one regularly uses bad habits instead.
The take-a-way here is ride within your skills gets extra training to better them. Another good habit is to wear your armored Motorcycle Men Textile Jacket with the reflective tape to add to your visibility.

Speed Limits: Not Just For 4Wheelers

Not going to bore you with stats, the saying is true, “Speed Kills.” Not the drug “Speed,” but the act of driving faster than the posted speed limit. Mainly in residential areas where a car can back out of a driveway, you will take a nosedive over that said car.

Children can spoil a good day by suddenly darting out into the street right in front of an on-coming car or motorcycle. Get into the habit of operating at the speed limit as the faster your speed, the longer the stopping distance.

Not to mention, you are sitting on top of a vehicle that does not surround you with a protective cage, ie. Sitting Duck Syndrome. The only protection you have is the protective gear you had the presence of mind to put on. Speeding is a bad habit to correct before it lands you in trouble. Did you ever read about the Motorcycling and Violence: Unraveling the Myth?

ATGATT (All the Gear, All the Time)

You want to run to the store for a few things since it is only 4 miles away; you hop on your bike and take off. Will you make there and back safely? You probably get to the store and back safely. If you don't have a safe run to the store, are you prepared for the after-effects?
Statistics show that most vehicle accidents occur within 25 miles of home. That's why this rule should be a must every time you ride, "All the gear, all the time." The one and only choice for a helmet should be the full-face helmet, enough said.
Wearing your Motorcycle Mens Textile Pants with armor plating in the right places is a good habit, keep it up. What choice do you actually have to protect yourself from injury than to wear your motorcycle protective clothing?
Right, answer, not at all. Short runs on a bike can be just as dangerous as long touring rides on highways with fast-moving traffic. Motorcycle best practice for any ride, “ATGATT.” Don't forget to throw in your Motorcycle Mens Rain Jacket just in case the weather gets wet.

All the Gear, All the Time

No Gear. Sucks, Right?

Motorcycle Maintenance

No matter how new or old your bike don't get into the bad habit of skipping a pre-ride safety inspection.

·         Tires and wheels inspected for wear and damage.

·         Control cables checked for fraying or any adjustments necessary that include hoses for cracks or cuts.

·         Lights checked for any burnt out bulbs, signals not working, headlights high and low beams functioning.

·         Check for gas or oil leaks if your bike is liquid-cooled check the coolant level and for leaks there.

·         Check the chassis, suspension, chains or belts, shocks, and make sure all the nuts and bolts are tight.

To further enlighten you here is a link to review the T-CLOCS method of bike inspection.

Pre-ride Inspection-Necessary

Wrap-up

Bad habits can be corrected with a conscious effort on your part to get better at the skill of riding a motorcycle. The last thing anyone wants is to become an accident statistic because you did not correct your bad riding habits.

Not all the bad habits were addressed in this article, but you get the idea. Check out all the motorcycle gear and apparel on Wicked Stock. Check us out on Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Content is originally posted at https://wickedstock.com/bad-motorcycle-riding-habits/

Remember Your Ride with Photos

 

 

Android, iPhone Or Digital Camera

You are about to embark on that long-awaited riding tour of your favorite vacation spot in the whole USA. Thing is you want a camera handy when that “Kodak Moment” happens. In that case, you might use your cellphone camera, so the moment is not lost.

Great quote, fits the topic.

Cellphone cameras have come a long way from the early days of flip-phones, you know the old pre-smartphone.

 Use your cellphone camera when a shot can’t wait.On the other hand, make sure to pack your DSLR camera for photos with the highest possible quality.

DSLR Camera with All the Attatchments

Cellphone with Camera Built-In

Keep Lenses Clean

You carry your cell phone in a pocket, in a carry case clipped to your belt, and who knows where else. Keep the lenses clean on both your cellphone and DSLR camera; the dirty lens can ruin that perfect shot.

Lighting

Light up your target object with natural light when possible. Light the target from the front, not silhouetted in the light from behind unless a silhouette shot is your goal. When taking quick shots before they are lost, use lighting as best you can.

When using artificial light, get the subject as close to the light as possible. Try using the camera’s flash for one shot and take a second shot without.

Be wary of overusing the flash; instead use alternative light sources such as a ring flash or a wide beam flashlight. Adorn yourself with Motorcycle Armor Leather Jacket with reflector tape for better night visibility.

Steady As She Goes

Keeping a smartphone steady when using the camera is an area where users lag behind. One way is to hold the phone with both hands use the volume buttons or the touch anywhere features to take the picture.
With your digital camera, you probably have a tripod for steadying the camera for those great shots. No tripod, use the two-hand method to steady the digital camera.

Gridlines 

Gridline Example

 

Rule of Thirds is a photographic composition rule that says an image should be broken in thirds.
Place the subject a third of the way into the frame; this will add life to the photo. Give your photos some depth by including objects in the foreground for that three-dimensional look.

Keep the background simple to better highlight the subject of the photo. When the background you are in is one of rain put on your Best Biker Raingear for Men and keep things dry.

Use the Camera Features

Use RAW and HDR settings for better quality pics. Bring the telephoto lens for the DSLR camera to get great optical zoom-in shots that are high quality. Zooming on a cellphone is a 'digital zoom' that will add more pixels, decreasing the quality of the photo.

Instead, get as close to the subject as possible, take the shot without zooming, and edit it later for best resolution. If you get to close to the pavement, be glad you were wearing Men Leather Motorcycle Pants with the armor inserts. 

Take Tons of Photos, Edit Later

The great thing about taking pictures with a digital camera or cellphone you can take many shots in a short amount of time. You can use the different settings on both devices and experiment to find what works best.

The angles you shoot from can vary low, high, angle shots, close-ups, from above or below, making your shoots fun and exciting. Set the highest resolution possible on your cellphone for more precise shots, digital cameras are a high resolution by nature.

Once home, the photos of your trip can be loaded into the picture file on the computer. There they can be sorted, edited, and placed in a new folder for easy reference. Make sure one of the photos from your road trip is of you wearing Leather Motorcycle Vests while seated astride your ride. You should find out How to Make Sure Your Riding Jackets Fits.

Last Frame

This article gives you an idea of how to get good pictures from a great ride. Not every photo tip was presented only a few to make your photo taking easier. Cellphone cameras are pretty straightforward when tweaked just right; they take great pictures.

Digital cameras are made for taking pictures with high resolution, and there are tons of them too choose from. To quote a line from a great movie, “Choose wisely.” Do not forget to log in to Wicked Stock to find the apparel, gear, and accessories for that excellent vacation ride.

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Content is originally posted athttps://wickedstock.com/remember-your-ride-with-photos/

Surviving Hairpin Turns – Be Prepared!

 

Approaching a hairpin turn can create anxiety in the inexperienced rider. Negotiating hairpins can be tricky at best, but for beginning riders, it is an experience in itself. Get some additional training in the slow-speed operation of a motorcycle, then practice, practice, practice, and practice some more. Since you are preparing yourself for riding through hairpin turns, consider wearing Motorcycle Armor Leather Jackets for max safety.

Downhill

Traveling too fast when entering a downhill hairpin is responsible for many crashes. Gravity is a force to be reckoned with as it is pulling your bike downhill faster than you want or should be going.

Slow the bike down smoothly before the turn with a small amount of brake for stability. Slow into the downhill hairpin to keep gravity at bay, be ready to crack the throttle a little to maintain stability.

Let the slight increase in speed help you steady the drive through the curve. Do your best not to let off the throttle and keep your eyes focused on the turn’s exit. Don't forget to check your protective armor and, if needed, get that Replacement Armor for Moto Jacket.

Uphill

You can be traveling a bit faster when going into the uphill hairpin, but hold a steady throttle throughout the turn. Keep it steady, too much throttle and the front wheel will “skate” causing your bike to drift too close to the outside of the turn. Steady, gradual throttle into the turn will not overload the rear tire with too much acceleration force.

Not Too Slow

It doesn't matter whether it is an uphill or downhill hairpin; your speed is essential. When the bike speed drops below 10 mph, balance and stability are affected, you can simply fall over. At low speed, the balance can be upset by deceleration or shifting the body, including passengers.

Cornering Line

Entering a curve, especially a hairpin, try to select a cornering line that will help you negotiate the turn with the least effort. A cornering line allows you to steer into the turn with an outside-inside-outside path with the throttle finishing the corner.

This cornering line gives you a full view through the turn and enables you to get the bike into the corner early. Many a rider has gone down traveling too slow into the turn with the last minute adjustment to steering, the tire breaks traction. If you didn't negotiate the hairpin as expected, you might be glad you were wearing Men Leather Motorcycle Pants.

Breaking and Gears

Traveling downhill on steep grades can wreak havoc on your brakes as gravity works against you to speed things up. Descending a steep downgrade is hard enough, then up comes the hairpin, and you are breaking hard to slow down, not good.

It might be best to select low gear at the top of the downgrade. Doing this will keep your bike from gaining too much speed, you will use less brake to slow down.

Expect a heavily loaded bike to gain speed when going down steep inclines, slow down by the gentle application of the rear brake. Uphill you won't need your brakes as much, but you will need to select the right gear for the climb.

Smooth acceleration is the name of the game when entering uphill hairpins, look early, use a cornering line, and get it done safely. When your ride takes you to warmer climates, Textile Men Motorcycle Jacket might be the right choice for comfort. You can have a great Fun with Motorcycles, For Style, Power, and Protection with motorcycle leather jackets.

Last Turn

Learn the safe practices for riding through hairpin turns, making your ride something to remember. Riding on roads that have hairpin turn means you will share the road with slow-moving traffic, oncoming cars, and crazed drivers who think every highway is a race track.

Be careful and live to enjoy the ride.

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Get the right gear for that motorcycle road trip, log onto Wicked Stock, check out the accessories and apparel to make your ride safe and enjoyable.

Content is originally posted at https://wickedstock.com/surviving-hairpin-turns-be-prepared/