Riding for the first time

Before riding on any motorcycle please wear your best crash gear first. A list of proper riding gear can be found here. If you want to learn how to ride a motorcycle the best place for you to learn would be to enroll yourself in a motorcycle riding school. If there is none near at your place then practice at a controlled environment such as an empty parking lot with someone who knows and rides a motorcycle.

Welcome new rider

Have someone to teach you the basics such as twisting the throttle, changing gears, applying the brakes, how to turn and use the turn signals, using the side mirror, reading road signs and traffic rules of the road. Riding a motorcycle can be quite a challenge as it is often stereotype as “dangerous” and a lot of times you’d be ask to just get a car because they believe its safer but in my opinion it’s the same thing, if your not careful and patient in riding either vehicle then your sure to find yourself in trouble.

Wear bright reflective vest for added safety

If its your first time on a motorcycle a lot of people would probably ask “have you ridden a bike before?”. Basically a bike and a motorcycle have some things in common but they are also worlds apart from each other.  On a bike you learn how to balance and you maintain that balance by peddling on the bike and giving it some speed. On a motorcycle it’s the same thing but instead of using your legs we use the clutch and the throttle. The clutch is a mechanism used to change the gear on the motorcycle and the throttle gives it gas. On automatic motorcycles, usually scooters; they don’t have the clutch lever on the left handle bar and the gears automatically slip in place. The same thing with the bicycle, a motorcycle have brakes for the rear wheel and the front wheel, be sure to locate it before actually twisting that throttle.

Rider wearing reflective taping for added visibility

 In a week or two practice on throttle control and braking in place, observe how other motorist use the road, you can also learn a lot by doing this. By this time you should have your driver’s license already but if you still don’t have it then avoid going on the public roads. If you feel you are ready to hit the road then do so at your own pace, I suggest you wear a bright reflective vest or reflective taping in addition to your crash gear for added safety on the road. I wish you the best of luck in your first step to becoming a responsible rider. Do not be pressured to go fast by other riders but instead try to observe how you ride your motorcycle and find ways to better improve yourself. Ride safe and always practice defensive driving.