JD here. I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was a kid. The bikes got bigger and I got older. That’s why I love sidecars these days. Mind you, I rode my MT-9 and M-63 solos for 40 years of my life. Rain, rough roads, bush tracks, great rallies and great people. When I found the opportunity to start the site I envisaged a place to share stories, meet new people, and above all, to promote road safety. Motorcycling is a lot of fun but it is also very DANGEROUS! So my message is clear: Ride Safe and keep your machine in the best technical condition possible.
Motorcycling is a lot of fun, but it is also very DANGEROUS!
Rider error and mechanical troubles such as an engine seizure or just a flat tyre [tire, sic] are only the beginning of your worries.
Whilst most people stick to the road rules, there are millions of bad and crazy drivers out there in cars and other vehicles, many of them drunk, any many who should never have been issued a drivers license in the first place. Then there are the unlicensed ones, often in stolen cars or on drugs, who are likely to do anything to evade capture.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also look out for other motorcyclists. There have been many accidents involving two or more motorcycles.
A senior First-Aid course is a good idea (and a refresher course every three years), as well as is carrying a small but well stocked first-aid kit. A small fire extinguisher, fire blanket(s) and a good torch is also a good idea.
If you ride a side car rig there’s really no excuse for not carrying these items. If you are the first person to arrive at the scene of an accident having some First-Aid knowledge could well be a lifesaver!
Burns. Pour on cold water until help arrives. I’ve also heard that a good coating of plain flour also works well, perhaps better than water. At $1 a bag it’s a good insurance policy.
When riding keep a good account of your actions, stay vigilant and always keep your speed under the distance you know you can stop in. You don’t know what is around the next corner until you take it.
Tales abound of herds of cattle and emus on the road, breakdowns and accidents, fallen trees across the road, washouts, oil spills, etc.
So take it easy. On long trips take a brake every 2 hours. Stop, Revive, Survive.If you’re a minute or two late so what, it’s not worth a terrible injury to you or your passenger(s), even worse a fatality.
I’ve been to way too many funerals of riders, young and old. Considering most could have been avoided with a little less speed and/or a bit more thinking. Some accidents were the fault of others, the poor motorcyclist standing little chance of avoiding a collision.
Ride Safe, JD
Some good safety sites include:
If reading this page saves just one life it’s priceless! Ride Safe!
Know a good safety site? Send us a link!
First published on b-Cozz 02.02.2002. Retrieved from the archives.