I saw a guy over the weekend riding a sport bike, in full leathers.  He was definitely dressed to avoid injury in case of a fall, but it was nearly a hundred degrees.  I am sure that the heat index was much higher.  Whew.

Have fun riding in the Texas heat, but stay safe.  Take your time.  Watch out for slick patches.  Avoid riding at night in areas where deer might be crossing roadways.  Above all, despite soaring temperatures, wear a helmet.

It is a great time of year to ride motorcycles in Texas.  The weather has been mild, and the wildflowers are in bloom.  However, safety is paramount.  Many car and truck drivers pay too little attention to motorcycle riders.  Bike riders must constantly be aware of their surroundings and the possible actions of other drivers.  Unfortunately, there are still those that suffer as a result of motorcycle crashes.  Over nine-hundren (900) people dies in Texas in 2008 and 2009 as a result of motorcycle wrecks.  Take a look at this article in the Port Lavaca Wave -

http://portlavacawave.com/articles/2010/04/08/news/doc4bbbac7d2a32a609120930.txt

I have been riding motorcycles since I was young, and I am particularly sensitive to safety issues faced by those riding motorcycles.  Whenever I hear of a driver acting recklessly and thereby harming motorcycle riders, I cringe.

Recently, a group of eight motorcycle riders (including an off-duty fire department captain) were stopped at a red light.  They were stopped behind a pickup and a small SUV, when a dump truck plowed into the back of them.  Three riders were killed and six others were injured.  Here is a link to an article about the crash -

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9ELVLU80&show_article=1

Let’s be safe out there.  There is absolutely no excuse for such a horrible crash.

If you ride motorcycles, you have heard the phrase “dress for the crash.”  If you started riding at a young age, and you jumped even small hills with dirt bikes, you likely had at least one spill in which you did or could have flipped over the handlebars.  In such a case, it is likely that you could land head-first.  There are innumerable other bike-riding situations (both street and trail) in which a rider’s head could strike the ground or an object, resulting in a traumatic brain injury, paralysis, or death.

What is the lesson?  Wear a helmet.  Okay, but what kind of helmet?  The first helmet that I had was an open-face.  I could snap various visors onto it depending on the weather and time of day.  I then began to appreciate (and use) a Bell-type helmet.  The helmet would give more complete coverage, having a hole of sufficient size to allow sight.  A helmet that provides significantly less protection is the German-type helmet.  It is smaller that the typical open-face helmet, but some bikers like the look.

Tips for helmet purchasing -

• Be sure that the helmet is DOT-approved.  This should go without saying these days, because most motorcycle helmets manufactured by reputable manufacturers are DOT-approved
• Be sure that the helmet fits YOU correctly.  Helmets are not “one size fits all.”  Go to a bike shop with people you trust, and who can properly fit you to a helmet.
• Don’t buy used helmets.  A helmet might look great, but a prior hit on the helmet might make the helmet unsafe.

You might also want to check out these sites -

http://www.motorcyclehelmet.com/motorcycle-helmet-tips.html

http://www.articlesbase.com/motorcycles-articles/motorcycle-helmets-tips-for-purchasing-the-right-helmet-for-you-1739846.html

http://www.legendinhelmets.com/tips-and-tricks/

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Riding a bike can bring a great feeling of freedom.  There is nothing between the rider and the road other than two wheels and tires.  There is no constricting “body” or “cage,” as with a car or truck.  However, these physical attributes of a motorcycle, while giving a feeling of freedom, are also the attributes that can lead to significant injury and death.

Motorcycle riders literally put their faith in motorcycle manufacturers when they hop on bikes and ride.  Riders assume that bikes are safe.  They assume that the worst would not occur - that the wheels would not fall off.  However, there are times when manufacturers have not properly designed and/or manufactured a bike.  How do you know which bikes are the safest?  There is no way to know for sure.  “Google” the manufacturer before you buy.  Visit a few bike shops and ask for lots of opinions.  Check out online forums and local bike clubs.  Don’t take a chance on an unknown manufactuer.  The result could be a head injury, paralysis, or even death.  Ride safely by first buying safely.

It can be a lot of fun riding motorcycles.  However, the risks of riding a bike on the street are significant.  If you ride a bike, take a look at this ad.  It is a sober reminder of what can happen if we do not ride safely.

I have been riding motorcycles since I was a kid and will likely never lose my love for riding.  However, I recognize that bikes can be dangerous due to numerous issues.  Therefore, I will likely post a significant number of tips and safety videos relating to motorcycle riding.  Here is a short video outlining some basic steps you can take before riding to make your ride safer.

Here is a video of a truck-motorcycle crash in Texas.  It is yet another reminder why a rider should always dress for the crash (helmet, jeans, leathers, etc.).  A bike rider should always pretend that he is invisible to other drivers and assume that other drivers will run red lights and change lanes improperly and quickly.

Source: Reuters

I learned the helmet lesson one night while in high school.  I was riding, as I was when I was younger, a Yamaha.  This bike was essentially a street-legal motocross bike.  I was riding down a service road.  The road made a ninety-degree turn to the left, with no warning sign.  I had little choice but to lay the bike down.  A footpeg caught a hole or a depression in the road, and I flipped over the handlebars.  I landed head first, or should I say helmet first.  The helmet saved at least my mind, and possibly my life.

As I have grown supposedly older and wiser, I have at times ridden without a helmet.  A friend who works in a hospital has pointed out to me on more than one occasion the number of riders who show up in the emergency room with severe head injuries.  Many never recover, and a good portion happen to be parents of minor children.

Those of you who share with me the freedom and excitement of riding motorcycles – let’s be safe.  Wear a helmet, pretend that you are invisible to other drivers, and dress for the crash.