Care and attention when riding your motorcycle doesn’t end after you’ve successfully passed your test. Here’s a checklist of important points to remember when heading out for the first time on your new motorcycle.
Choose the Right Motorcycle for You
You may have dreamed of owning one of the coolest motorcycles around, and maybe that was a big factor in you wanting to learn. Nevertheless, it’s important to always choose a bike you’re comfortable with after first passing your test.
You can always work your way up to a bigger and more impressive motorcycle once you become more confident on the road, but initially, you might want to stick to a budget bike that is easy to handle and on which you can build your road confidence.
When choosing the right motorcycle, you should think about your maximum budget, size, capabilities, and design.
Get the Right Gear
Safety gear is a must for new motorcycle riders. It’s a good idea to plan ahead for a budget if you need to buy everything from scratch. Safety gear is something you can upgrade over time, but not something you can avoid when just starting out, so while it’s always important to try to save money where you can, don’t avoid key items altogether.
The right safety gear needs to include:
- A riding helmet
- Protective gloves
- Protective jacket
- Pants
- Boots
- High visibility equipment, such as to put over the top of your gear, or gear which already has high-vis features built into the design
Know What to Do in the Event of an Accident
You don’t want to add to the stress and anxiety of a motorcycle accident by finding yourself uncertain of the next step. You should be aware of who to contact, the right steps to take, and how to maintain your safety in any road accident you might find yourself in whilst riding your motorcycle. It’s always best to be prepared, such as knowing the right motorcycle accident lawyer ahead of time.
Know How to Maintain Your Bike
You will have learned a lot about road safety and how to ride your bike during your lessons and test. However, what may not have been explored as thoroughly is bike maintenance and care. This is something you should always take the time to research and develop an understanding for, preferably, before you begin to ride your motorcycle properly.
You need to know how to maintain your bike safely, including:
- How to check for problems and identify problems
- The correct tire pressure needed for your bike model
- How to check the brakes are working correctly
- How to check the gears are working correctly
- How to keep everything clean and running smoothly
- Who to contact should you need any maintenance assistance with your vehicle (such as finding a dependable servicing company)
Take it Slow and Easy
You may be excited to hit the open road after passing your test, but there shouldn’t be any rush. Take care to drive more slowly and more aware as you become accustomed to main roads and being out on your own. Work your way up to bigger roads, and only drive faster when you feel completely comfortable in doing so.
