Tips and Experiences on Riding a Motorbike Safely

[HoLySaTaN]

I have had some experience with two wheelers myself (Bajaj Spirit - 3 Yrs; 16000 kms & Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSi - 5 and half years; 72,710kms and still counting)

Based on my experience, I would like to classify one person's motorcycle riding into 5 phases:

1) Learning Phase - We learn, so we have fear, we respect the bike, respect the rules, stay away from crowd, speed, congestion and try to get acquainted with the bike

2) Acquaintance Phase - We get confident about our driving, expose ourselves a bit courageously to the roads with traffic , we take friends with us. But still we follow the rules and we donot try to drive fast. Not yet says the mind!. We also think that we have gotten acquainted with the vehicle, but the process has not even started to be true!

3) Practice Phase - This is when we have nearly completed around 4 to 5K kms in our rides. Time to show-off says the heart! The mind sometimes takes the other stand but Heart always wins and there you go, SPEEDING, WHEELIES, STOPPIES, RACING, HAPAZARD TURNS; we get time to think about our bike and it's place in the crowd but we are not mature enough to think about the position/reaction of others on the road. We take less care about traffic signals/rules at this point in time

Doing such things at this point in one's riding cycle have high risk of accidents, self and collateral damage and also attracts highest degree of attention both positive and negative ways

guys and friends at college hail you girls and few others call you a mere show-off

4) Real Acquaintance Phase - This is when you and your bike have been with each other for say an year and half or nearly 20000kms (depends highly on the mindset of the person)

There might have been times when we would have got chances of driving alone, driving long distances, driving in traffic, in empty roads, in hot sun, in heavy rain, in day-times, in midnights, driving with a peaceful mind, driving with lot of grudge on someone (might be your boss, might be your lecturer, might be your friends/parents, be it anyone - all things vented down on the bike)

These are the times when one really gets to know about the feedback of his ride! The confidence level incerases at this stage and we are more bold to face harder and more demanding situations.

The frequnecy of speeding/racing has considrably been reduced.

5) Mature Phase - This is when a person does not pin down his throttle on seeing a lesser capacity bike overtaking you or a bunch of college guys racing down the road!

We are very much aware of the capability of our bike and we take chances with most precision. We are interested towards a more subtle and peacful ride round the town rather than rushing-in to a place.

Although, the above point is said, it is not valid forever ( the enthusiast in us wakes up once in a while but that is based on the situtation that prevails and hence doesnot cause any harm to fellow riders)

This is when we take care of ourselves, our ride, fellow riders, the road conditions, the stray dogs, anticipated morons jumping across paths and stuff like that!

Safe driving depends on how fast one reaches the Mature Phase. I still doubt my presence in the same!

Hope this helps a bit! Sorry for the long post. Open for your comments!

 

[searchingheaven]

Re: The Safe Motorbiking Thread.

Firstly, thanks for taking pains for such a detailed reply to my thread. I did not update the thread seeing that it was buried under more interesting threads and wasnt getting views or replies. Anyway, there is a point that i would like to highlight: 'it all depends on how fast one reaches the mature phase.' I liked this point more than anything else. This is what my dad used to tell me. He is a very slow and safe driver. Although he doesnt drive generally, whenever he did i used to ask him why are you so slow. He said that a time, a age will come when you will stop driving fast. Indeed he was right, as you confirmed it and i experienced it.

 

[smooth rider]

Re: The Safe Motorbiking Thread.

i had quit driving bikes nearly 11years ago. i still remember my dads advice always think ahead, read the mind of the driver in front of you.you should be ready for what ever the guy in front of you does. i never had a big crash on bikes.recently i noticed a phenomenon on the roads that the lorrries carrying fish lets out waste fluids containing blood and oil on to the roads which they are not supposed to do. i have seen bikers skidding on curves and falling on to the roads. i feel that cars aren't getting a firm grip on the roads and skidding too.

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

Re: The Safe Motorbiking Thread.

Yep , holysatan is right in his post.

But unlike us , many start riding bike from their dad's bike or friends one.

we both did buy our own bike and then learn.

my bike delivary was taken by my uncle and holy satan's bike was taken by me.

sadly my first one was stolen.

after some month , the man in me tried wheelies , stoppies etc.

still i havent learn the stoppie !!!
wheelie , i can do from stand still but not while riding!!

gone are days , where these were done regularly.

Now the bike is just for me to go to my garage /office/home .
the max speed it touched now a days is 50kmph , and that too seldom


I cant accept the so said mature phase to the whole

even from kid , my intrest towards the bike was so less.
just tried some few stunts in them , but not like in a car.

even when i drive sensibly the car , when am alone , just take them for a mad rush.
With the lancer , the confidence level have even gone up.

So a person with bike intrest to the core , will naturally try them once in a while!!


Hmmm
may be taken as caution/warning/advice

try anything without harming the public.!!

 

[avindu]

Re: The Safe Motorbiking Thread.

Something that you should "NOT" and "Never" Do.

YouTube - Bike overtakes a bus.

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

ouch that video hurts!

 

[jalex]

ouch that video hurts!

He asked for it big time and just slow the video down and see, he was almost off the bike before the impact. What a looney?

 

[safire90]

OMG that guy must be shaken to his core, the way in which the video was shot it sorts of looked intentional.
Some things that I learnt while riding a bike was to always use both the breaks together and never to use the front brake independently.

*Moreover to know your bike like how much your tyres have worn out and depending on that you should adjust your speed on curves.

*Never ever follow a bus/auto/tempo closely they can stop anywhere they want.

*I have seen people driving without rear-view mirrors in a bike and then looking behind by turning their heads like a owl.

 

[HoLySaTaN]

*I have seen people driving without rear-view mirrors in a bike and then looking behind by turning their heads like a owl.

i am one among them.

Yeah, driving with mirrors is always good. Have been wanting to get a set for myself since long time now. I guess that would more than 2 years

 

[safire90]

i am one among them.

Yeah, driving with mirrors is always good. Have been wanting to get a set for myself since long time now. I guess that would more than 2 years

oops, I meant no offense. But don't you think it is dangerous?

 

[ilango[speed thirst]]

i am one among them.

Yeah, driving with mirrors is always good. Have been wanting to get a set for myself since long time now. I guess that would more than 2 years

Add me too in this list. bad to drive without the mirror , but used to it for 3 years.

thanks to tvs rear view mirror style and placement.

I hate unsymetric pattern .
for me a left of a vehicle should be exact as right side.

in tvs bikes , the right side mirror is farther and left is nearer. the holes are dis proportionate.

So i removed them

 

[alok_student2000]

Hello friends:)
Its very sad to see that bike riding people on roads drive very fast and little bit rashly (specially in Delhi):(. My dad has many times met with an accident only because these bikers come suddenly from behind and rashly take turns and overtakes even if the car or scooter is giving a right signal. They wont give even small space to others to change the lane. Also when they get hit by car because of their sudden appearing or breaking, they fall n people give blame on the car .So they should understand that the roads are not meant for racing and risking other people's lives. They should drive in speed limit and be sensible for other people's sake.

 

[cooldhaya]

Good thread Gokul! I think i am in the fourth phase now!


I have never been a stunt man be it bike or car. I used to drive fast in bike around 2-3 years back like a maniac around the streets but now have become responsible. I never cross 60kmph in cities and limit myself to less than 80kmph in highways also always wear my helmet. My top speed in bike is infact only 100kmph till now!

 

[AMG]

Why is it that the bikers are always made the scapegoats?

We bikers are the mot vulnerable on road, and yet it is we the bikers who are always blamed.

Enough is Enough.

I am not taking a single anti-biker comment here lying down.

Prepare for a fightback.

 

[aneeshs]

Good post Holysatan . You pointed it out very clearly. I also used to ride without rearview mirror in my college days infact we all do all sort of things in college, right ?