Bill Kresnak is a popular motojournalist with more than 35 years' experience riding all types of motorcycles. He is government affairs editor at American Motorcyclist magazine, a publication of the American Motorcyclist Association.
If you’re ready to hit the open road on a motorcycle, make sure you wear a properly fitted helmet and jacket and give your bike a thorough pre-ride inspection for maximum safety. Before you decide to buy a used motorcycle, ask some key questions to get reliable information and ride home with the right bike for you.
When you’re looking for a used motorcycle, do some research and have a few bikes in mind that you’re interested in buying. So you don’t get stuck with a lemon, go through this short checklist and ask the owner questions when checking out the bike:
Does the bike have a title? Also make sure the Vehicle Identification Number on the bike matches the VIN on the title.
A motorcycle helmet is a sign of a true motorcyclist. Even if you don’t want to wear one, you need one. It’s the single most important piece of safety equipment you can have. A helmet has to fit well to offer the most protection and comfort, so use these tips to get a great fit:
Is the helmet the right size? Measure your head in centimeters at about eyebrow level and find a helmet in that size.
To ensure a safe ride, you should examine your motorcycle every time you decide to hit the road. Doing an inspection only takes a few minutes and can point out little problems that can turn into some major ones through neglect.
Get into the routine of looking for the following things during a bike inspection:
Do the lights and turn signals operate properly?
A motorcycling jacket is an important piece of safety equipment for a rider or a motorcycle passenger. To provide the best protection when riding, a jacket should be properly fitted. When you’re looking for a good motorcycle jacket, answer these questions:
Does it protect from abrasions? A tag on the jacket should say that it’s abrasion resistant.
A practical guide that gets you geared up with proper riding techniques, safety gear, indispensable items for long trips, and handling characteristics of various motorcycle typesFew activities offer more fun and excitement than motorcycling, but to get the most out of it, there's a lot you need to know, and that’s where this informative motorcycle guide written in plain English comes in.