Motorcycle Season!

Motorcycle season is HERE.  For a lot of us, it never ended.  I will ride when it’s cold.  My cutoff I’ve learned is about 35 degrees.  And even then, I’m bundled up like a Pee Wee hockey player.  Sometimes I even wear the heated vest and heated gloves that plug into the battery on my bike.  I only bring all of this up so people will be aware of more motorcycles hitting the road this time of year as the weather turns warmer.   I wonder if we can get 2 or 3 days in a row without rain.   Just remember that at sunrise and sunset, bikes are hard to see so look close.

Today, as I was driving into work, I saw a bike in front of me and the rider was doing hand signals.  It was a pretty modern bike but a lot of guys take the turn signals OFF.  I guess they look sissy or something.  …Whatever.  I wonder how many 17 year old drivers know what that hand signal means.   A couple more things to share to keep everyone safe.  If you are in a car and you’re stopped at an intersection, just know the motorcycle rider is watching your front tire.  When you inch forward, and they see the wheel turn, it looks to him/her like you’re GOING.  So don’t do that.  Just stay still.   Another annoyance when I’m riding my bike is when a car is coming up to the intersection where I’m stopped and waiting.  Then – with NO turn signal at all, they turn right.  Seriously?  I waited here and watched you drive all the way to the intersection but can’t go because you don’t use a turn signal.  Yes, I will flip up my helmet and express my displeasure when that happens.  Or perhaps I’ll just use a hand signal that you recognize.

While we’re talking helmets, wear a helmet.  I’m often surprises when I’m out riding on a really cold day and I’ll see another guy on a bike with a knit cap on and even a muffler wrapped around his head to cover his face but won’t wear a helmet for anything.  It is comfortable and warm and all protected inside the helmet.  But it’s all sissy to wear a helmet.  Whatever.  My helmet has enough scars on it to convince someone it’s a good idea.  I’ve taken rocks to the noggin that would have cracked my skull if not for my trusty helmet.  I also hit a pigeon one time.  At 70 mph, it’s like hitting a chicken.  Whack!!!  What a payload.  And feathers everywhere.

Motorcycle riders like all sorts of different bikes.  Crotch-rockets are fast and they corner like an amusement park ride.  I see girls on YouTube standing on the back of the seat of these bike riding a wheely for miles.  …I never learned how to do that but I’m amazed at what they can do.  Then there are the bikes with all of the baggage compartment saddle-bags and the big fiberglass front end with a stereo built in and more.  That’s good for you.  If I need to carry that much crap, I’m taking the car.

Enough of me preaching.  Let’s RIDE and everybody be safe out there.