10 Essential Riding Habits Every Motorcyclist Needs To Know

Jun 03, 2023

It’s all well and good to head out on a ride, but forming these habits will be life-saving.

Much like anything worth learning, motorcycling is one of those aspects of life that you should be thorough about. Owning a motorcycle is only a small part of the experience. There are a lot of practices and habits that are required to be ingrained before, during, and after every ride. These habits will not only make you a better rider but, more importantly, it will help you stay risk- and injury-free so that you can have a next ride to look forward to.

It goes without saying that you need a beginner motorcycle suited to your preferences to kick things off. It doesn’t matter if it’s used or if it’s rolled right off a factory floor recently. Thereafter, there are a few things you need to be mindful of to ensure that you blend in seamlessly to the world around you. These habits might not come to you immediately, but they’re well worth putting time and effort into, not just to keep your motorcycling experience enjoyable and stress-free, but also to ensure you’re not a hazard to other motorists on the road.

Wearing proper protective gear before you set out on a ride should be something that comes instinctively, but unfortunately that’s not the case. Regardless of how short the trip is, or how well you know the route, gearing up before a ride is imperative.

The first thing you should invest in is a good helmet. There are a range of options from manufacturers like Arai, Shoei, LS2, and a lot more that make very good helmets. It’s also a good idea to pair that with a good riding jacket, gloves and boots. The aim here is to ensure that your extremities are protected in the event of an accident. Again, there are various options you can choose from, depending on what your requirements are and what conditions you’ll be riding in.

Lastly, if you’re not comfortable putting on a pair of riding pants, it’s worthwhile investing in a pair or jeans that have armor around the knees and your bottom.

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The common mistake made while riding is revving your motorcycle unnecessarily to alert motorists around you of dangerous situations. Not only is this unnecessary, but it’s also a bit of an earful for most people.

The horn on your motorcycle, instead, is a perfectly acceptable way of putting the same point across. Moreover, revving your bike excessively will put an undue amount of strain on your engine which, in the long run, could prove to be particularly harmful for the internals of your bike. The last thing anyone wants is their bike breaking down by the side of the highway at the least convenient location. It’s just a lot easier to skip those unwanted repair bills by using the horn frugally instead.

The moment you swing a leg over your motorcycle and head out into the open world, there are risks involved. Not only to yourself, but to other motorists on the road. Whether you’re on a cramped city road with pedestrians and other cars and bikes for company, or out on the highway on your cruiser with trucks and vans, remember to always pick a lane and stick to it as far as possible.

This gives others around you a clear, unhindered vision of where you are, and this will eventually lead to a more predictable riding pattern that they can judge. This is important because even if you are confident in your abilities as a rider, there are plenty out there that aren’t as skilled or experienced and consequently have slower reaction times.

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Continuing with the previous theme, it’s good to keep in mind that the roads are filled with people of varying temperaments. It’s a perfectly plausible scenario where you’re riding calmly to your destination, but someone comes and cuts you off without warning.

The easy thing to do here would be to panic and get angry, but road rage has never been an appropriate answer. For all you know, the person who cut you off could easily have done it without any malicious intent. Being constantly aware of your surroundings and keeping a calm outlook will help you quickly respond to the situation and take avoiding action. Another point to remember is that, as a motorcyclist, you’re a lot more exposed to the elements than someone in a car. A hurried decision made while you’re angry could lead to serious injuries for you, even if you are wearing riding gear head to toe.

Regular bike maintenance is about as crucial as the meals you eat every day. One of the easiest things to regularly do is check your motorcycle’s tire pressures before you set out. Tires are the only contact patch between you and the bare road, so it’s a good idea to make sure that they’re inflated correctly. An easy way to do this is to invest in a compact air compressor. There are plenty of options out there, including one made by Harley-Davidson. A matching Harley air compressor for your beginner Harley, maybe?

All that said, there’s no need to completely strip your motorcycle before and after every ride. Simply ensure that your motorcycle fluids are at the right levels, your tire pressures are fine, all your lights function, and your brakes aren’t making any odd squeaking noises.

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Like we mentioned earlier, the open road is filled with people of varying skill levels, temperaments and abilities. One of the most common occurrences is when the vehicle in front of you brakes hard without any warning. Regardless of whether it’s done intentionally or not, how you react to this situation is critical.

The unfortunate thing is that while you’re on a motorcycle, you have a lot less protection around you compared to being in a car. So a quick brake check from someone in front of you can have disastrous consequences, especially if you’re traveling at quick pace. The best way to avoid getting into this situation is by keeping a sizeable gap between you and the vehicle ahead, and ensuring you’re well within the speed limit. This will give you the time and the mental clarity to take avoiding action when required.

This is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of motorcycling. There’s so much to gain by keeping a compact set of tools stashed away in your bike. Where this comes in handy is when your motorcycle breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

At this point, it would also be ideal if you knew your way around your bike’s internals, even if it’s just the basics. However, even if that’s not the case, it’s no cause for concern. The toolkit you have can be really useful if you can drag your motorcycle to the nearest town and can get some help. Needless to say, it’s even better to have on rides with a group. Helping someone else in need is always preferable to being stranded. In addition to the toolkit, a puncture repair kit wouldn’t go amiss, either.

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One of the first things taught at any respectable riding school is that you always look where you want to go. This implies keeping a wide field of view and always looking ahead to where you intend to go. It’s almost magical how the bike naturally responds to your input when you practice this.

This is one of the key way to avoid a phenomenon known as target fixation. It usually occurs when you’re tired or when you’re in a panic. By the same logic, if you’re focused on something, like a tree, more often than not you will end up heading straight for it. This is especially true when you're in your vehicle on winding, twisty roads, where it’s imperative you always stay focused on the next set of bends.

How you react to stimuli while riding is everything. It’s the difference between getting home safe, and spending an extended period in the hospital after an accident. This is why it’s crucial to be completely aware of the environment you’re riding in.

This could be as simple as anticipating a pedestrian’s next move, or avoiding a particularly deep pothole that could cause you to lose balance. On a motorcycle, there are hundreds of things that can go wrong, and riding cautiously with respect to your surroundings can make a significant difference.

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The most obvious point would be to understand your motorcycle as well as you can. Maybe it has a peculiar trait, like a sensitive clutch or a sticky throttle, that you need to get used to. If you’ve got a bike that’s meant to be ridden hard off-road, find a dirt patch and fulfill your motorcycle’s destiny! Hit the racetrack if you have a naked, or the wide, open highways if you’ve got a cruiser.

Understanding the intricacies of your motorcycle is a great way to become a better rider overall, and if you can keep all the points mentioned here in mind before you set off on your next ride, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a responsible, skilled motorcyclist.

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Raunak's love for putting pen to paper is legendary, even if he's the only one who says so. Loves anything to do with four wheels and is only too glad to write about it.