Four City Riding Tips for Motorcyclists

Motorcycle rides are fun and thrilling. However, they can be risky, too, especially those that need you to navigate busy and crowded areas in your city. With pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles of various sizes around you, you might get anxious about your safety, so you must be aware of the dangers of city riding and take preventive steps to protect yourself and others on the street.

Our experts at Pensacola Motorsports have created this guide to share a few safety practices that you’ll want to follow while riding your bike in the city. For more information, visit us at our dealership in Pensacola, FL, where we happily welcome our friends from Baldwin County, AL, and Santa Rosa County, FL.

1. Be Visible

When riding your bike, you’ll want to focus more on your safety than aesthetics. Though black leather and other dark colors might look cool, they aren’t high in visibility. That’s why you must make sure that you wear bright colors, especially neon colors like safety orange. If you want to wear black apparel, throw an orange vest over it or apply some reflective tape to your helmet and motorcycle to make sure you are visible.

2. Stay Out in the Open

Another safety tip that you’ll want to follow is staying out in the open as much as possible so that you can see around you and be seen, too. Avoid tailgating a car or a truck or crowding in with your fellow bikers; instead, try to keep yourself out in the open with plenty of space around you.

3. Scan Ahead

Be vigilant of the road ahead of you and the lanes on either side to know what to expect. You’ll need to be aware of any sudden changes that other motorists may make and look at obstacles ahead like potholes or pedestrians on the road.

Also, you’ll want to signal your maneuvers in advance and check blind spots to ensure you won’t collide with another vehicle if you turned or changed your lane, especially when traveling through any crowded downtown areas.

4. Seek a Way Out

Your bike can move more quickly than a car. So, try to use that trait to your advantage when riding through the city.

Watch for escape opportunities to avoid congestion due to the traffic coming to a sudden stop or if a car suddenly pulls out in front of you. As you know, hard braking on a motorcycle can be dangerous and might throw you, so it’s best to try to weave your way to safety, even if that means riding onto a grass median to escape getting hit.

We hope these tips help you ride your motorcycle safely. If you need more ideas or are still on the market for a new bike, visit Pensacola Motorsports. Our experts can address all of your concerns and show you our extensive inventory of motorcycles for sale. We can suggest models for your budget and help you choose one that suits your riding style. To speak to our experts, call us today or come down to our dealership in Pensacola, FL, where we proudly serve those from Baldwin County, AL, and Santa Rosa County, FL.