A motorcycle rider has heard or will hear myths about motorcycles at some stage in his life. I have heard a lot in my 12 years of riding experience. I’m going to share some common myths about motorcycles that almost every motorcycle rider has heard at least once in their lifetime.
1. Inherently dangerous
This is true that riding a motorcycle is a bit more dangerous rather than other transportation but not inherently dangerous. There are very logical reasons behind people thinking like this. It can be seen that reckless and uncontrolled riding often leads to death. Safety depends on the rider’s skill, behavior, and adherence to safety protocol. Balancing and controlling are the main keys to safe driving. to become more proficient, and skillful, and want to take better control of motorcycles and understand the road dynamics you can join a motorcycle training program. It will significantly reduce the risk of motorcycle accidents. To save yourself from life endangering Wear the right protective gear and service your motorcycle on time to prevent unwanted accidents.
2. Motorcycles are not for bad weather
People still have the misconception that motorcycles are impossible to ride in bad weather. It’s quite challenging to drive a motorcycle in rain, wind, and snow. You will successfully navigate through all the adverse weather by using the right skills, controlled driving, and wearing the right protective gear. It is a bitter truth that riding a motorcycle in the rain does get wet to some extent, even if you take precautions. Riding in rain leads to water seeping in through the slightest gap no matter how properly you are wearing your riding gear. During the snowfall or in extreme cold weather you can wear heated gear. In rain and snowfall, you have to focus on your riding skills, taking good control of your motorcycle, wearing gear that is visible through the fog, keeping your motorcycle headlight on in low beam, and in addition you can wear an anti-fog visor. In high wind, set your riding position according to the wind. Wear a full-face helmet so that excessive air does not cause any trouble to the eyes. My suggestion is to avoid riding when the weather gets extremely adverse.
3. Only for short distances
It’s a myth that motorcycles are not for long driving but this is also true to some extent that some motorcycles are only designed for short distance or city riding. Many motorcycles are specially designed for touring or adventure riding. Like off-road, touring, and cruiser motorcycles. They come with powerful engines, large features, and cargo space for luggage and this type of motorcycle also offers a comfortable sitting position. Without even thinking you can easily go for a long drive with such a motorcycle.
4. About the front brake use
It is a myth that the front brake of a motorcycle is dangerous. Most of the riders live in this misconception that using the motorcycle front brake is quite risky. They think that using the rear brake most is safer and if they use the front brake most during quick stopping the motorcycle might slip and fall or the rider may flip over the handlebars. In the case of modern motorcycles, the majority of stopping power is provided by the front brakes. In quick-stopping motorcycles front brakes play the main role. Front brake contains 70% of stopping power and rear brakes contain only 30% of stopping power.
5. About the helmet
Many motorcycle riders think that wearing a helmet causes neck pain, hair loss during hot summer, narrow vision during riding, and increases the chance of an accident. On the other hand, some riders avoid wearing the full-face helmet to feel more comfortable in the open-face helmet but the open-face helmet is quite risky to wear. A full-face helmet reduces the chance of head and neck injury by 64% whereas an open face only reduces the risk of injury is 34%. A fully enclosed design helmet provides more safety and can cut the wind noise up to 30 decibels. A (DOT) certified helmet ensures the maximum protection of the eyes, face, and neck. In the USA you will get a ticket from traffic police if you are not wearing a helmet. My research shows that motorcycle riders without helmets suffer more injuries than those who wear helmets. so select your helmet wisely.
6. Riding gear
Most of the motorcyclists thought that wearing riding gear was unnecessary and such a useless thing. In Fact, at the very start of my motorcycle riding, I also thought, “Why do I need to wear gear? It is unnecessary and suffocating especially in summer. After having the third accident I started using protective gear and it completely changed my vision or misconception about riding gear. Select the right fit according to the season. Wearing the right protective gear will protect against serious injury.
7. Loud exhaust thought
Many riders think that the louder your motorcycle is the more attention you can seek and that helps to prevent accidents. They think that without a loud exhaust other vehicle drivers won’t notice or point a motorcycle easily. This is a myth. By ensuring a safe drive, accelerate your driving skill and technique even more. Ride your motorcycle by properly following road rules and laws.
These seven common myths are used to hear. This is true that riding a motorcycle is a bit more risky and challenging than a car but with the proper training, developing skills, safety precautions, and wearing the right gear you can ensure a safe and enjoyable ride. Do not listen to rumors or myths or if you hear something like that, research it on your own and don’t let the myths hold you back. Except for a motorcycle, you will not get the test of freedom with any other transportation.