Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to 3,000+ Reviews, Guides, & More

A Newbie’s Guide to Responsible Biking

Newbie

Sponsored post

Nothing beats the experience of riding a 400cc motorbike along an open highway. For many people, it’s one of those moments that gives a rush excitement and a feeling of adventure. Indeed, nothing ever comes close to matching the exhilaration you get while biking.

Still, for a lot of newcomers to the world of biking, the experience can be so extremely tempting that it’s easy to ignore the fundamentals of road safety and etiquette. Sure, you can always feel excited when you’re handed the keys to your first motorbike. But when it comes to hitting the road for the very first time, you just can’t take any risks—Unless you don’t mind get hit by a five-ton freight truck!

Murphy’s Law applies to every motorist. Anything that can happen on an open highway will happen, so you will have to make sure you finish traversing the asphalt in one piece.

So, before you jump on your bike to feel the soft leather cushion on flanks, you need to remember these essential pointers.

Check your bike’s condition

Again, you don’t want to take risks with a ride that isn’t much larger than you. Even if you bought the bike from a dealership a few moments ago, it’s still imperative to check its overall integrity. Other than ensuring optimum performance, doing a check up on your bike also allows you to identify any issues that could result in you being put on a stretcher.

Maintenance is an important part of biking. If you want to be a serious rider, you will need to have technical knowledge about your bike. You will need to check tire pressure, brake fluids, and the lights. You will also need to examine the air filters and the chain. Neglecting these essential parts could be fatal to you as a rider.

Invest in quality protective gear

If you will learn anything that has guidelines for motorcycle safety, you will definitely find that having the right gear is a priority. Although there are motorcycle promos that come with free helmets and other protective equipment, you will have to understand that not all these freebies are made to last.

If you have some cash to spare, you can buy high-quality fiberglass helmets instead. You can also buy other essentials such as knee pads and footwear that offers both added protection and comfort as you cruise miles upon miles of interstate roads.

Follow traffic rules

If you’re on your bike for the very first time, you will be itching to push your bike to its top speed. If you reach 150, you will feel like you have reached a state of Nirvana as well—only to be interrupted by the blaring of sirens and a crackling disembodied voice telling you to pull over.

The laws of the highway are sacred. And as a motorist who cares about safety, you should do nothing else but follow them. So, before hitting the road, be aware of local laws and ordinances on biking. After all, these were not created to annoy newbies to biking like yourself. They are created to prevent you from being too cocky and risk having your life cut short.