Essential Motorcycle Riding Skills Riders Should Consistently Develop

Last updated Thursday, October 6th, 2022

Learning essential motorcycle riding skills is not only meant for newbies but also for experienced riders who should freshen up their skills regularly. Even though inexperienced riders should undergo a motorcycle safety course, there are many skills enthusiasts can practice on their own. This will allow them to enhance the safety of their ride and make it more pleasurable.

For newbies, it’s imperative to start with the most basic skills before proceeding to more advanced ones. No matter how simple some skills may seem, you should not take them lightly or skip them in favor of others. Such riding skills are necessary and you’ll find yourself using them daily.

Here are the essential skills riders should consistently develop:

Clutch Control

Mastery of the clutch release is essential if you’re to make your riding easier and more enjoyable. The foundation of all clutch skills is the friction zone. This is the zone where the clutch switches from a disengaged state to an engaged state.

Engaging the friction zone smoothly will not only achieve flawless starts but also facilitate low-speed maneuvering such as U-turns.

Basic Braking

Mastery of basic braking is paramount to all motorcycle riders. Studies have revealed that a considerable number of motorcycle accidents are a result of poor braking skills. In a braking-induced crash, most riders were found to make less use of the front brake and exhaust the rear to the extent of a lock-up.

Even though the incorporation of ABS in the latest motorcycles has dealt away with the fear of locking the front brake, some riders fail to understand the chemistry behind motorcycle braking. This is an indication that learning basic braking skills is a necessity among riders.

Smooth Downshifting

Smooth downshifting is another essential skill riders should consistently develop. A smooth downshift is simple to achieve. All you need to do is to correspond the engine speed to the appropriate lower gear.

Therefore, the correct clutch release is very important. Dumping the clutch with ill-matched RPM will cause the chassis to wobble. There’s also the possibility of rear tire skipping. Therefore, a tactical clutch release counters the disparities in engine speed.

Situational Awareness

There is no doubt that motorcycles are exposed to more risks than other vehicles on the road. Consequently, their small size can make them invisible to other road users. Even if they are visible, there’s a need to ride safely to minimize the possibility of an accident.

Situational awareness entails being vigilant of the possible dangers which can be other road users, objects on the road, vehicles, and many more. However, if a potential hazard is detected, there’s a need for a quick response to avoid a possible accident.

Why Illinois Rider Programs For Motorcycle Safety Are Important

Illinois has become a very popular state to ride in. How popular? According to the US Department of Transportation, there were 33,943 registered motorcycles in the state of Illinois in 2017. That’s a lot of motorcycles and shows you just how popular riding has become in Illinois. With so many bikes on the road, the need for safe rider programs has never been higher.

Research has proven that motorcyclists are much more likely to die in the event of an accident than regular motorists are. Because of this, safe rider programs need to continue to be a priority in the US. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 14% of all fatal accidents on highways involve motorcyclists.

The NHTSA also states that when there is an accident involving a motorcycle, about 80% of the time there are serious injuries or fatalities. If you’re a rider, these statistics should alarm you. They should also encourage you to get involved in rider programs for motorcycle safety.

Because of the risk of serious injury or death, motorcyclists need to exercise superior safety practices whenever they ride. The following are some of the more significant reasons why Illinois rider programs for safety are so important for all riders.

Minimize The Number Of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists are highly exposed on the road which is why motorcycle accidents have the potential to be so devastating. Victims of an accident and their families often go through a lot of turmoil and have difficulty coming to terms with their new reality following an accident.

According to CBS Chicago, there were 158 motorcyclists killed in Illinois in 2017. These lives that were lost affect more than just the family of the victim, they impact society as a whole.

Given the number of fatalities, motorcycle safety programs are more important now than ever before. The main purpose of these programs is simple. To reduce the number of motorcycle accidents that happen.

Are all accidents preventable? Unfortunately, they are not. But many are preventable and these are the accidents that need to be reduced or even eliminated. When you take a motorcycle safety course you’ll learn that as a rider, you have a responsibility to be aware of your surroundings and to exercise safe riding practices at all times. Because motorcycle rider safety courses help to lower the rate of motorcycle accidents, they are something that all riders should embrace.

These Courses Give Riders The Knowledge They Need To Operate Their Motorcycles Safely

Whether you ride a bike or drive a car, you need to be aware of the rules of the road and you need to be knowledgeable about safe practices. That’s why you’ll have to demonstrate your ability to operate a motorcycle safely to the authorities before you receive a license. That means that you’ll have to submit proof that you’ve gone through a training course and passed it.

Adequate riding knowledge is probably the most important thing that someone must have before they attempt to ride a motorcycle. Fortunately, in Illinois, riders have the opportunity to continue learning and renewing their knowledge by attending one of the many motorcycle safety courses that are organized by various institutions.

Knowledge is power and the knowledge you gain in these classes is well worth the time you spend in them. One of the main focuses of these courses is to ensure that riders adhere to the rules of the road at all times. An emphasis is also placed on defensive riding and exercising safe practices at all times.

One example of this is emphasizing that riders always wear protective gear when they’re operating their motorcycle. It’s also emphasized that regular maintenance is performed to ensure that a motorcycle is in proper working order at all times. These practices improve the safety of not only the motorcycle rider but also everyone else on the road.

Safety Courses Help To Improve Motorcycle Riding Skills

Possessing outstanding riding skills is one of the keys to being able to ride a motorcycle safely. Skilled riders are more likely to avoid accidents. According to CBS Chicago, distracted riding by inexperienced riders is a major risk factor for accidents.

What you need to understand as a motorcycle rider is, that you can learn new skills every day and you should never stop learning. By enrolling in motorcycle safety courses, you can make it a point to keep improving your skills, and with those improved skills comes a better chance of avoiding accidents.

Whether you’ve been riding for years or have just started, there’s always room to improve and learn more. The goal of these riding programs is to help riders sharpen their skills to improve safety and reduce the chance of accidents.

For example, situational awareness is something that many riders lack. If you don’t know what’s going on around you, you could be caught off guard. If that happens, an accident will often occur. When you understand your environment and understand how to respond to various threats, you’ll be a safer rider.

In addition, failure to have situational awareness could cause a motorcyclist to panic which could cause a fatal accident. The point here is simple. By attending a motorcycle rider safety course you can improve your situational awareness and with that, your overall safety.

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