Motorcycle safety tips – safety design and detailed guide

Motorcycle safety design

Before getting to the detailed motorcycle safety tips, let’s have a look at the safety designs.

1. Airbag

Airbags on cars are basically standard equipment, while motorcycle airbags are not yet popular, but some motorcycle manufacturers do have indeed used this design. For example, Honda’s high-end models of the Golden Wing have airbags. When an accidental collision occurs, the airbags can be activated within 0.06 seconds, forming a buffer layer between the rider and the collision object, effectively reducing the impact on the rider’s chest, abdomen and neck.

2. Temple flameout

The motorcycle temple is used to support the body after parking. The flameout function of the temple is actually a switch installed behind the bracket. When the temple is put down, the switch pops up and the engine automatically turns off, and the motorcycle cannot be started. This function is mainly to prevent the motorcycle from forgetting to put away the temples and avoid danger when turning left.

3. Steering damper

When the speed of the motorcycle reaches a certain level, the direction deviation is caused by the interference of external forces, and the rotational inertia of the wheels is destroyed during high-speed driving, resulting in uncontrollable swing, because most drivers cannot control the vehicle after this situation occurs, resulting in crashing, and most of them appear in the high-speed driving state, are they are very lethal, so they are also called death swings.

Therefore, steering damper was invented, which is installed on the handlebar. The principle is similar to that of automobile shock absorption, which can avoid unnecessary deflection of the handlebar during driving and avoid swaying. Generally, it is more common in large-displacement vehicles, because these vehicles have high speed and are more likely to sway, and once swaying, it is difficult to save the motorcycle or the rider.

4. Seat belt

This is not a popular design, even for custom electric motorcycle. The picture above is a BMW C1 motorcycle with its own carport, and the seat has a backrest and a seat belt designed to prevent the driver from being thrown out in the event of a collision.

5. Restricted neutral

For small-displacement domestic motorcycles, it is very convenient to step forward from neutral gear to 1-2-3-4-neutral, especially when going downhill, step forward directly to neutral gear, which is quiet and fuel-efficient, or, power efficient for the ones with motorcycle battery pack. But the cycle gear has a fatal safety hazard, that is, the risk of stepping into the 1 gear by mistake during high-speed driving.

Because those motorcycles of small-displacement are basically household transportation for short-distance driving, the speed will not be too high, and it is more flexible and convenient to use cycle gear. However, motorcycles with slightly larger displacement have high speed and are suitable for long-distance driving.

Therefore, they basically use international gears, that is, step on 1 to select 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the 5th gear cannot enter neutral gear, which avoids the risk of mistakenly shifting to 1st gear during high-speed driving. Moreover, the downshifting operation of the international gear is very fast, and emergency downshifting and overtaking are very practical.

Moreover, although the underbone motorcycles and some regular three-wheeled motorcycles produced in China do not use international gears, the gearboxes have also been changed. The 4th gear cannot be put into neutral gear, which avoids the risk of mistakenly shifting to 1st gear for lithium battery two wheeler. And for tricycles, sliding in neutral gear can be restricted, because Chinese tricycles are basically used to load goods, the vehicle itself is heavy, and the brakes are not boosted, so sliding in neutral gear is indeed dangerous.

6. Anti-lock braking system

Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is now standard equipment on cars, and without it, they are not allowed to be licensed, but there are relatively few motorcycles equipped with ABS.

ABS is very useful for fast riders, because the braking force of the front wheel of the motorcycle is the largest, so the emergency brake must be on the front brake when driving at high speed, but once the front brake locks the wheel, it is easy to slip and cause the car to roll over. So some large-displacement motorcycles are equipped with an ABS system to prevent the front wheel from slipping and crashing during emergency braking.

7. Combination braking system

Many motorcycles are now equipped with Combination braking system (CBS). This safety configuration is generally common in relatively low-end models with front discs and rear hubs. The principle is to connect the front and rear brakes together through a device. When you hold the rear brake, the front brake also brakes together. In this way, the front and rear brakes are linked together to make the front and rear wheels brake at the same time, increasing the braking effect.

Motorcycle safety tips – driving out

Keep a good view

• As motorcycle safety tips, when going straight through the intersection, pay attention to the second car turning left in the opposite lane. The first car turning left may block his sight, and he cannot find you in time.
• Do not enter the blind spot of the vehicle in front, it may turn right without turning on the turn signal or merge. When the vehicle in front turns right, do not overtake from its right side.
• Don’t follow closely behind a bus or big truck, especially when crossing the intersection, the car turning left will cause great danger to the motorcycle. If you encounter a bus or a large truck in front of you, either change lanes or keep a sufficient distance from it.
• When merging from the leftmost lane to the middle lane, it is a motorcycle safety tips to look back and make sure there is no car merging from the rightmost lane to the middle lane.
• When merging from the leftmost lane to the middle lane, be sure to look back and make sure there is no car merging from the rightmost lane to the middle lane.
• Spilled engine oil or fuel is one of the most dangerous things a rider can encounter on the road. As motorcycle safety tips, pay attention to the color change of the road surface, and if you smell diesel, you must slow down.

Driving on special roads

• When repairing roads, there will be longitudinal road stalks formed between old and new asphalt pavement, which is especially dangerous to motorcycles, try to avoid rolling them, if unavoidable, be sure to choose an angle greater than 45°.
• When the motorcycle turns around on a narrow road, first move the center of gravity of the body to the outer pedals, which will make the motorcycle tilt at a greater angle, and turn your eyes to where you are going. The opening of the accelerator can ensure that the car does not turn off. Never pinch the clutch handle.
• Longitudinal grooves on the road surface are likely to cause crashes. Keep a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front, and find the longitudinal groove in advance. When passing through intersections, do not overtake large vehicles.
• When see the sign of “road construction” or “road is not smooth”, riders must slow down and pay attention to the scattered sand and gravel, especially the steps that appear after the asphalt road is cut off. It will make the rider fall, try to be as vertical as possible and pass the steps slowly.
• When crossing railway crossings, be careful because the tracks are slippery and there may be potholes. As motorcycle safety tips, be sure to get on the rails at an angle greater than 45 degrees.
• When passing through an industrial area, there are often falling objects on the road, so keep a distance of more than 2 seconds from the vehicle in front and 4 seconds from large vehicles.
• When riding in heavy traffic, glance at the reflector from time to time to see if there is a savage driver behind, and stay away from him as soon as possible.
• The only way to deal with the sudden crosswind is to operate in reverse – push the handle. If the wind blows from the right, as motorcycle safety tips, push the handle with the right hand. Moving the body doesn’t do anything at this point.

Motorcycle safety tips – ride training

Keep a good attitude

• Sudden braking on slopes requires special skills. It is a motorcycle safety tips to stand upright the motorcycle first, and then apply the brakes vigorously. Sometimes this happens on ramps off the highway.
• In case of emergency, stepping on the rear brake will cause the rear wheel to slip. If the rear brake is released at this time, the rear wheel will regain grip, resulting in a high throw crash. Do not release the brakes when the rear wheel slips, the body will stabilize itself after the slip.
• Use spare time to train on gravel roads. The feet are supported on the pedals, and the upper body is slightly lowered, which can lower the center of gravity, make it easier to maintain balance, stabilize the accelerator, and choose a denser road to pass. Putting your feet on the ground only increases the likelihood of backing up.
• As motorcycle safety tips, when driving on a dirt road with potholes, gravel, sand and puddles, instead of slowing down, speed up and keep the accelerator steady. Instead of ruts, choose a hard road between two ruts (such as compacted soil) through.
• Do not support your legs on the ground, but support them on the pedals and lift your upper body slightly, so that you can maintain your balance and lower your center of gravity. When traveling by motorcycle, you will encounter such dirt roads sooner or later, and driving on dirt roads requires special skills. To master a skill like this, it’s best to find a dirt bike and practice it on a dirt road in the countryside.

Avoid excessive speed

• Ordinary urban and country roads are not racing tracks. It is motorcycle safety tips to keep a reasonable speed and the braking distance should not exceed your sight distance. Pay special attention to pedestrians, tractors and farm vehicles when passing through villages and farms to avoid collisions.
• If the cornering technique of the rider is not good, there will be big troubles when go on a mountain road and bend the motorcycle, and the rider may accidentally cross the center line and appear in the opposite lane. Riders should constantly improve the cornering skills. When turning right, keep close to the center line, release the brakes before tilting the motorcycle, and keep the eyes in the direction going. Use the method of pushing the handle to enter the corner, and open the accelerator a little after entering the corner.
• In heavy, fast-moving traffic, as a motorcycle safety tips, put the finger on the brake lever and drive close to the left side of the lane. It is important not to look at the brake lights of the car ahead, but to watch the movements of the cars in front of that car. Even if the brake light of the car is on, the rider should still lightly squeeze the brake lever to remind the vehicle behind to pay attention.
• In places where wild animals appear in the suburbs, you must be ready to brake at any time, and beware of gravel or wet fallen leaves that may appear on the road.

Motorcycle safety tips – other considerations

• Pay special attention to yard exits: 13% of traffic accidents and 17% of fatal accidents appear at the yard exits. Slow down in advance and keep the fingers on the brake levers.
• During road construction, the ground may be covered with wooden planks, which may be lifted after being rolled over by cars, so it is a motorcycle safety tips to avoid them.
• Motorcycles are small in size, so they are more likely to enter the blind spots of cars, especially large ones. In the traffic flow, motorcycle riders must choose a place that is easy to be spotted by other drivers.
• It is necessary to be able to judge whether there is any abnormal behavior from the driving style of the driver, and avoid it in time, or choose another road to drive.
• When riding a motorcycle with passengers, the weight distribution of the front and rear wheels will change, and the braking distance will also become longer. At this time, the rear brake can be used more often.
• The quiet path will paralyze the attention, and there are hidden dangers there, so as motorcycle safety tips, motorcycle riders must maintain a sensible speed.
• It is a motorcycle safety tips to do not ignore the abnormal phenomenon of the motorcycle and motorcycle parts at any time, and must find out the reason for it. For example, when the motorcycle swings at a certain speed, the possible reasons include: worn bearings, old shock absorber springs, flat tires, etc.