Have you ever daydreamed about having the ability to become invisible? Well on a motorcycle that dream will almost come true. While that may sound thrilling, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, because riding on your motorcycle is one place you definitely want to be seen. For your safety and others, one of the best things you can do as a rider is assume you are invisible on the road. “I didn’t even see him” is probably the most common response for automobile drivers involved in a motorcycle collision. While drivers usually look out for other cars, motorcycles may never cross their mind, that is, until they see one. This is why it is critical to your safety that you make yourself as visible as possible on the road. The more you can draw attention to yourself, the less chance you have for enduring an accident.
- Wear high-visibility gear. All black leather may be the classic look of a motorcyclist, but trust us, it’s definitely not the safest. Purchase bright and reflective motorcycle gear to attract the eyes of other drivers. High visibility safety gear makes the rider stand out on their bike. Just think about the fact that your body takes up almost as much space as your bike, meaning that you double the likeliness for your bike to be seen, especially since your body typically has more space for reflective colors than your bike does. High visibility colors are meant for safety and to draw eyes right to you. Remember, when it comes to riding, you want all eyes on you.
- Use your lights. Upgrades to your lights are a great way to make yourself more noticeable. Auxiliary lights can be added to the front or back of your bike and customized to different intensities. Headlight modulators, are another way to go. This will permit your lights to flash ferociously on their own, alerting other motorists to your presence. Even with no modifications, using your lights in the right way, can help you remain visible. Motorcycles are designed to have their headlights on night and day. Remember that as long as you’re not blinding oncoming traffic, using your brights will help you see and be seen. If flashing your lights isn’t enough, don’t forget that you have a horn. We bet you’d rather be considered rude for honking over getting in an accident. Leaving your high beams on during the day is another strategy. Usually drivers aren’t upset with motorcycles using extra light, because they want to see you just as badly as you want to be seen.
- Don’t forget hand signals. Remember when you were just a little kid and referring to your bike meant two wheels but no motor? While a motorcycle is just a little bit faster than your old bicycle, not all of your previous cycle skills are useless. Hand signals are still a valuable way to make yourself and your actions noticeable to other drivers. You should do this in addition to using your turn signals in order to literally raise awareness to your presence on the road. Just make sure that you can still properly control your machine with one arm raised in the air and wait to turn until both hands are securely on your handlebars.
- Avoid a black bike. You may think a black bike is the most bad ass look in the world, but getting in accident isn’t cool. Black motorcycles can blend into the surroundings especially at night, making your bike invisible to traffic. A brightly colored bike is always more likely to be seen—whether it’s night or day. White, yellow, and even red are all good color options to add to your bodywork. You can also add high visibility strips to your wheels which will reflect off the headlights of other vehicles. We know you want to look cool, but on two wheels, how could you not? So make safety your priority and let your street cred be determined by your skills and not the color of your machine.
- Keep a safe distance. If you think it’s troublesome for a car to be in a blind spot, imagine a motorcycle. The fact is motorcycles are much more likely to be in another vehicle’s blind spot because they are immensely smaller. If anything happens on the road you need to give yourself enough space to react and recovery properly. Stay out of their blind spot and make sure you are visible in their mirrors, because you’re hard enough to see as it is. Remember that even if you make eye contact that is no guarantee and you should continue to watch their every movement in order to protect yourself. While it can sometimes be impossible not to end up in another motorist’s blind spot, doing the best you can to prevent it will reduce your chances of being involved in an accident.
- Flash your brake lights. Tapping your brake levers is a great way to get other motorists to notice you and give attention to your movements. Use your brakes to alert a persistent tailgater. Light braking can also give polite attention before you are planning to brake, slow down for traffic, or turn. Remember that making yourself visible helps other motorists as well, because trust us, they want to be able to see you. While doing these little alerts in your car may annoy other motorists, most drivers are grateful to the motorcyclists who take the time make themselves noticeable. As for those few drivers who don’t appreciate your caution, remember that safety comes first, and preventing an accident is always worth it. When it comes to the road, you have to look out for yourself. No matter what happens, you should remain under the assumption that people do not see you. Even when you are stopped, keep your eyes on your rear view mirror and your bike in gear. If another motorist can’t see you stopped they could crash right into you. Watching your back even in a stopped position will allow you to accelerate and move out of the way to ultimately avoid a collision.
- Loud pipes save lives. You may think being visible on your motorcycle is only about the sense of sight, but hearing a motorcycle can be just as important. Loud colors will always help your visibility but so will a powerful sound. Many bikers love the sound of a roaring engine anyway, but it can also help draw attention to your presence. There are literally thousands of aftermarket exhaust options with anything ranging to a simple slip-on exhaust to a full system exhaust available for your bike. Most modern sportbikes have a catalytic converter, so if you just install a slip-on exhaust, this may not make it any louder but simply change the tone. If you have a catalytic converter, consider ordering a full system exhaust. Aftermarket exhaust systems not only intensify your sound, but they also improve the performance of your bike, so you can ride fast and stay safe.
When it comes to riding, leave your invisibility cloak at home. We want you to ride safe and ride smart, so remember that while making yourself more visible to other drivers can decrease your odds of an accident, you cannot depend on others drivers for your safety. We hope that other motorists are looking out for motorcycles, but we know that the majority of them are not, therefore it is in your best interest to make yourself as visible as possible on the road.
Our number one priority is to keep you safe. If you have any questions on choosing the right safety gear or light enhancement parts, just give the expert Riders Discount sales team a call 10AM-6PM ET M-F at 1-866-931-6644 or by email at support@ridersdiscount.com.
Remember, it’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, so take the time to brush up on your safety skills!
And don’t forget to check out the Beginner’s Guide to Ride, Part 1 and Part 2 for additional safety techniques you can bring to the world of motorcycling.
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