Conversation with a Motorcycle Cop
So I stopped to get gas the other day and ended up in a conversation with a motorcycle cop. or maybe I should say motorcycle policeman or motor officer. I’m not really sure if cop is considered a derogatory term anymore or not. If it is, I am apologizing to all the policeman out there right now because I have a huge respect for all policeman.
Okay now that that’s out of the way, here’s what happened. I had finished getting gas when California Highway Patrol Motorcycle Officer pulled in and parked next to me on his BMW, outfitted with all the police goodies. I suddenly had a dilemma. My '06 wide glide has essentially straight pipes. Actually I have replaced the screaming Eagle exhaust pipes with Thunder City baffles which is simply a flat fender washer welded inside the center of the baffle. They are really loud. (I like loud pipes, but that’s a conversation for another day.) In short, I was paranoid about starting up my motorcycle and leaving because I didn’t want to get an equipment violation of the loud pipes. so I struck up a conversation and here’s how it went.
Motorcycle Rider Safety: Focus Radar
I am absolutely, 100% convinced that the key to safe riding is maintaining your focus. The weather, your skill level, your psychological well being and most of all, the traffic that surrounds you is exactly what you need to be focused on to ride safely. Accidents do happen but if you remain totally focused on what you are doing, you can minimize your rise and enjoy your ride.
Lets focus on the traffic around you. No matter if you are on city streets or on the interstate, your safety threat are the cars next to you. You can do a lot more than just watch out for these cars, you can try to anticipate which of these card/drivers are your biggest threat.
OMG! My Husband Wants a Motorcycle!
Just when you thought everything was going great, your husband announces that he is thinking about getting a motorcycle. Somehow you manage to keep a passive face while inside you are thinking "That's not going to happen, no way, no how, uh-uh, no motorcycles in this family." Or maybe you have always had a secret desire to get a motorcycle yourself and this announcement fits right in to your fantasy.
Whatever your initial reaction, once you sense that he is dead serious (oops, bad choice of adjective), you should probably get serious about what to do with this new obsession. In this blog I will give you all of the information you need and maybe some information that your husband should know. At the very lease you will be in a position to discuss motorcycle riding from an informed point of view.
Baby Boomers, Motorcycles, Fun & Safety
“You’ll kill yourself on that damn motorcycle!” I remember my mother’s words. And today?...
Check out my article just posted on the "BoomerCafe" web site! Now in its 10th year, BoomerCafé is one of the most popular online magazine for baby boomers! So go check out my article and then browse around Boomercafe and you will be surprised at all of the neat stuff you will find there. Very interesting and unique site. Check It Out!
Ride Within Your Ability
Statistically, a lot of motorcycle accidents are lone rider accidents. No car involved, just a lone rider crashing. Riding beyond your ability results in things like;
Overshooting the curve because you came in too fast and are unable to correct without going down. You end up on the wrong side of the road riding right into the traffic or off the edge of the road.
Inexperienced at splitting lanes and just generally riding too aggressive for your skill level can bring you down in traffic with disastrous results.
Baby Boomers Ride Again!
A couple of years ago I was the local Harley shop checking out the new bikes. I was talking to a salesman, an older guy, whose sales technique was very laid back. He was not pushy, just giving me information. Just the kind of salesman that I like.
We were going from bike to bike and he was telling me about the pros and cons of each different model. When we came to a new Wide Glide, he commented that he has been riding this particular motorcycle back and forth to work every day for the last week.
Stuck at the Red Light…forever!
If you have not yet been stuck sitting in a left turn lane red light, don't worry, you will.
Everyone gets stuck some time or the other. When it happens to you, here's what you can do about it.
But first, what's happening anyway? why doesn't the light change? Well, as we all know (and if you don't, go sit in the corner for ten minutes - time out) there are wires under the road which detect the presence of cars and trucks waiting at the stop light. These wires feed data to the traffic light controller which actually turns the light red, yellow and green based upon the presets and the presence or absence of vehicles.
Motorcycle Rider Basics: Test Your Knowledge
Have you ever said to yourself, Wow, I wish I would have know that years ago, what a difference that would have made? I have. I hate re-inventing the wheel. Here are ten questions that will test your motorcycle rider basics.
They Can’t Hit You If You’re Not There
Well, Duh Frank, of course they can’t hit you if your not there but I have to ride in the real world and they are there, all of the time. I share the road with cars, trucks, buses, bicycles and anything else that happens along.
I understand, but what I mean is to keep yourself (and your bike) positioned out of the danger zone. You always have choices.
It's the same as riding too close to the car in front of you. If you are too close to the car in front of you and that car makes a sudden stop, you are going to hit it.
If you ride in blind spots, you are going to increase your "close calls" and eventually, get hit by a vehicle whose driver didn't see you there.
Look Where You Go & Go Where You Look
Understanding this concept is another critical piece of the riding puzzle. Go where you look means that, when riding, you (and your motorcycle) will go to wherever you are looking.
The formal term for this is “Target Fixation”.
Here are three examples;
BUY MY BOOK! TODAY! :o)
Ten years and 100,000 miles ago I bought a Harley and re-entered the world of motorcycles and I have been having a blast ever since! The single best thing I did when I started riding was to go through the MSF Basic Rider course. The next best thing I could have done would have been to buy this book. Categories
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