For those of us in the PNW, we get excited as the temperatures rise, the rain lets up and the sun graces us with her presence more often…that means perfect riding weather. At the first sight of sun in the forecast, we eagerly tune, wash and pull our warmer gear out (I mean that relatively speaking of course) and head for the road. Only problem is that after a long hiatus, we aren’t fully “tuned” ourselves and we need to treat ourselves like our bikes. Even if you’ve been riding through the winter months, chances are you’ve been more hesitant due to the inclement weather while being lazy about your skills, since traction can be tricky on rain soaked or icy roads. I am a huge advocate of continuing education or refresher courses, whether it be advanced courses or specialized ones offered by track schools, it all helps you become a better and safer rider. Riding style is important too, if you ride in groups you must understand a group dynamic and that every decision you make impacts the riders around you, so join a group start in the back and work your way up as your confidence and skills grow. If you ride on the track, take a course from the track day company to just retune your mind and give you some new tools to put in your toolbox should you require them. This is just like anything else, the more you put in the more you get out and being informed is invaluable.

KNOWLEDGE = EMPOWERMENT = CONFIDENCE = FUN, FUN, FUN!

Did you know that the highest number of at-fault crashes resulting in death and injuries involved males between the ages of 41-50? And out of that 75% of motorcycle crashed involve experienced riders? You would’ve assumed that the highest at risk would be younger riders being hooligans right? Nope, sorry guys. The “experienced” rider who hasn’t been in an accident for a decade or so thinks it is because of his years of experience, yet he could be just lucky or better…rides to his ability (which might be limited). However, would this individual who is “experienced” be able to foresee or avoid an incident should one arise? We can become complacent or even just arrogant that we don’t need any more training, we know all we need to know right? Everyone thinks they are better riders than they truly are, it is human nature to believe that, but that belief is not going to help you when you encounter a situation you aren’t equipped to deal with. That is why it is important to take a course to challenge your abilities and if you are lucky to get a few/several choice tidbits that will help you navigate the urban jungle and backroads. There are continuing MSF courses offered by various safety schools for those who can ride or haven’t ridden in a while, as well as courses on cornering, street riding courses and advanced rider courses.

You can expand your knowledge to ride within your limits (which will increase with your experience), proper positioning in traffic to be seen and give you the out should you need to use it, read road conditions to help you make the right decision, choose proper gear and even be able to anticipate dangers before they occur. I often hear people say they ride like they are invisible and while that is good it is better to ride more knowledgable because are you truly invisible when they hit you? Sorry that is my sarcasm taking over. Being able to really see dangers far ahead is a skill and one that can and should be practiced on a daily basis. Rider training is where it all starts and continues. Did you know one of the leading causes of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes is other vehicle drivers’ failure to see or yield to motorcyclists? With technology creeping into our cars in the fashion of smartphones people are surfing the web, texting, Facebooking, Tweeting, etc all while driving with little to no concern about us so it is us to be proactive. Check out the Motorcycle Safety Foundation site and locally there are several schools that offer rider courses including: Evergreen Safety Council, Washington Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Puget Sound Safety. If you are looking at doing track days, check with your dealer or 2 Fast Motorcycle Training and Optimum Performance Rider Training both offer performance training schools.

This is a sport we choose and love to do, let’s not let distracted individuals control our ability to truly enjoy doing it. Keep your mind sharp, as sharp as you keep your bike! I’ve been told by many instructors that gals are the ones that get the most out of rider training since they really listen and ask questions. So let’s really hone our skills and show those boys how it’s done. Vixens Ride!