Motorcycle Riding Tips

Veteran riders and newcomers alike can all benefit from looking at the basics of riding a motorcycle. Riding skill is always a work in progress, so whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, you can always use some tips or reminders. With a bit of focus and work, you’ll see an improvement in your riding ability, opening up new routes and new thrills. At Bert's Barracuda Harley-Davidson®, we understand that our customers come in with a variety of skill levels under their belts. That’s why we want to take some time to talk about tips for newer riders to get them on their motorcycles and start having fun as soon as possible.

Braking

Braking correctly at high speeds on a motorcycle can be difficult to get used to if you’ve mainly driven cars. Remember that motorcycles just have two wheels and most of the bike’s stopping power is focused in the front. While you still need to apply both sets of brakes at the same time, you’ll always get more stopping power up front. For those who just started out, we recommend practicing before hitting the road. Practice driving at a fast speed on a straight, empty road and get a feel for the brakes. Figure out how quickly you can stop without applying the brakes so hard that they lock up.

Passing

As opposed to braking, passing while riding a motorcycle is a bit easier than in a car due to on-demand acceleration that’ll have you shooting down freeways. Don’t take this power for granted because you’re still riding a motorcycle and that means safety first! You’ll frequently be able to pass even in some tighter situations, such as right after corners if you learn to maximize your visibility beforehand. Only pass when you can legally move into the other lane. Different states have different laws regarding motorcycle passing between lanes, so make sure to know your local laws.

Shifting Gear

Smooth riding often comes down to how familiar and comfortable riders are with the clutch and shifting gears. Smooth control over the clutch is key to motorcycle riding. The sweet spot between each gear is going to vary from bike to bike, so you’ll also need to become familiar with your particular model. Get a feel for upshifting in a way that produces smooth acceleration. Also, try to downshift with similar smoothness. You’ll want to use downshifting to slow down gradually, so find the right place to decelerate from each gear.

Steering and Cornering

Push steering can be a huge difference for riders coming over from mainly car driving. You can’t just steer with your handlebars into a turn — you have to lean into it. For steering, simply push your handlebars in the direction you want to travel and keep pressure there throughout the turn. If you want to get proficient with cornering, you’ll need to learn how to look far ahead into the corner and anticipate the speed, line, and gear that you need to ride in. Judging your turn ahead of time prepares you for hitting a corner with just the right amount of intensity.

We hope that these tips have been helpful! At Bert's Barracuda Harley-Davidson®, we want our customers to feel at home on the right bike, so stop by our dealership in Clearwater, FL, and we’ll help you get the basics down and show you the best motorcycles around. We welcome all our patrons visiting us from Tampa and St. Petersburg.