Tip Top Tips

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Ninja Geoff
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Posts: 2980
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:55 pm
Real Name: Geoff
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Years Riding: 7
My Motorcycle: 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
Location: Leyden, MA

Re: Tip Top Tips

#11 Unread post by Ninja Geoff »

Carry a knife.
Carry a tire pressure gauge.
Check your tires periodically (each fill up for me).
Check your oil periodically.
Your speedometer probably reads high, keep that in mind if you're getting passed and tailgated a lot.
Check the weather before you ride.
Don't let a little rain stop you.
Don't let more than a little rain stop you.
Let the rain stop you when it makes it hard to see.
Get rain gear.
Don't forget about your gloves when thinking about rain gear. Seriously. Wet hands suck more than wet feet in my opinion.
Stay loose.
[img]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3563/41350009.jpg[/img]

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JackoftheGreen
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Real Name: Eric
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Re: Tip Top Tips

#12 Unread post by JackoftheGreen »

Was thinking about something on the way to work and recalled this thread from ages ago, thought I'd resurrect it. Some good stuff in here, thanks to Mogs for creating it wherever she is these days.

So, my thought today. We've all heard and said ourselves "ride like you're invisible", but I invite everyone to take a moment a really think about that metaphor. I feel like a lot of riders think it's a euphemistic way to say "be hyper-vigilant", and that's fine as far as it goes. But if you go deeper, there's real wisdom in there.

Today, I was approaching a junction where a white Suburban was waiting to turn left. The vehicle in front of me was just passing the junction and was about three lengths ahead of me, so I immediately scanned the oncoming lane of traffic. Another large vehicle was crossing at the junction as well, and then there was a significant gap behind them. Ride like you're invisible right? Taking that literally, I imagined in that instant what the road looked like *if I wasn't there*. And it looked like a prime opportunity for someone waiting at a crossroad to make their left turn. If *I wasn't there*, there would be a perfect gap to enter traffic through. So I slowed and started my SMIDSY weave. The driver of the Suburban saw me and I passed through a potential danger zone.

When you say "ride like you're invisible", do that literally. Imagine what the road and the patterns of traffic would look like if your bike simply wasn't there. Four lane thoroughfare with a middle lane. You're trailing the vehicle in front of you by a comfortable distance, then empty road for six car lengths behind you. A vehicle in the center lane, standing still and waiting for a gap to turn left. YOU'RE IN THAT GAP. Either speed up and get alongside the vehicle in front of you, or let the traffic behind you catch up. Those other cars are your armor in city traffic. Be close but cautious, and you'll be more visible.

Just my two cents. Think about it next time you're riding - how does this road look if I'm not on it. It'll make you more alert to traffic patterns, and show you where the hidden dangers are.

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NorthernPete
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Re: Tip Top Tips

#13 Unread post by NorthernPete »

Always remember it's a lot freaking colder on the bike then it seems and dress for it. It's always easier to take something off then to wish you had more.

Good zombie thread. I'm liking this.
1988 VN1500
2009 GS500F

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cherip31
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Re: Tip Top Tips

#14 Unread post by cherip31 »

I wonder sometimes if I do this because I'm fairly "new" to riding my own bike or if it's simply because I'm a woman or because I'm an older (more experienced) driver of anything on a road. I know I do this in my car as well.

I never go in to a turn I can't "see my way out of" without gearing down or just slowing down to give me time to assess the road for hazards like "gravel" or simply an oncoming car drifting in to my lane of traffic. I'd much rather have more reaction time than less or none. I can always speed up once I see my way thru but I can't get back reaction time I've removed by going in at a higher gear or speed.

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