How To Avoid Motorcycle Crashes

Your motorcycle means you can chase down the horizon and explore the countryside in a fast and thrilling way. But that speed and those thrills come with some unique dangers and challenges, which is part of what makes the motorcycle so much fun. That doesn’t mean you want to crash, though, and safe driving will take you most of that way there. Unfortunately, there are plenty of common accidents that have nothing to do with the motorcycle rider’s skill and attention.

To help you anticipate these threats and keep riding, we here at Willamette Valley Harley-Davidson have put together a few tips for crash prevention. If you want more riding advice, or if you’d like to browse through the motorcycles we have for sale, contact our store in Eugene, Oregon. Our friendly and experienced staff will make sure you find what you need at the prices you want!

Stay Up To Date On Riding Techniques

For those crashes that are on you, the best way to prevent them is to keep yourself up-to-date on safe riding tips and techniques. Taking an advanced riding course can help a lot, both as a refresher for what you’ve already learned and to teach you new moves that will make your riding safer and more enjoyable. 

Keep Your Vision Clear

Not causing crashes is also much easier when you’re watchful of what’s around you. Make sure you’ve got the gear you need for good visibility so you can avoid obstacles and react appropriately to changes in the road conditions ahead of you. Part one of that is a proper helmet and/or goggles. We recommend a helmet with full-face coverage—with the winter air, it’s important to avoid fogging up. That can be accomplished with a visor treatment or adding ventilation. If you’re going with goggles, make sure they also have anti-fogging properties.

Riding in heavy rain is an issue, still, since most motorcycle helmets and goggles don’t come with wipers. If it’s raining hard enough to impair your vision, it may be best to wait for the weather to clear. Heavy rain can also mess with traction, especially when your vehicle only has the two wheels.

Your Bike 

Another big component in visibility is having the right headlights. If your motorcycle didn’t come with LED headlights, we recommend upgrading to them. Aside from being more efficient and less hot, they’re much brighter, allowing you to see at any time in any weather. Another beneficial feature is a windshield. If your bike already has one, make sure it’s at the proper height to be beneficial without interfering with your line of sight, and make sure it’s clean enough to see through.

Your Outfit

Seeing what’s around you while you ride is good, but you also need to make sure you’re seen. Whether you’re on a highway or in the city, you’re going to be surrounded by vehicles much larger than yours. You never know what another driver’s attention is on or if they’re distracted by food or phones, so you should make sure you’re as visible as possible. As cool as an all-black motorcycle riding outfit might be, it doesn’t make you stand out on the road, especially at night. Try to wear more brightly-colored and reflective clothing, or even just some reflective tape on your black outfit to help others see you. 

Riding in groups will also help make you more visible, so if possible, ride with friends. You’ll take up more space and create a larger visual silhouette which is much harder to miss. 

We hope these tips help you stay safe so you can keep chasing down that horizon! If you want more riding advice, or you’re looking for a new bike to try these with, contact us at Willamette Valley Harley-Davidson. We proudly serve the people of Albany and Corvallis, Oregon—let us serve you today!