HOG Safety & Tips

On this page, you'll find sections concerning:

General Safety Tips:

• First, remember you are invisible and everyone else is out to get you!
• Get a good leather motorcycle jacket, helmet, gloves and boots. The two categories of motorcycle riders are those that have fallen and those that haven't fallen yet.
• 010416 - Interesting statistics regarding what we should be wearing. Sliding along the road at 50 mph, Denim will wear through within 4' (feet). Kevlar will wear through within 18'. But leather will take 86' to wear through. As (Safety Director) "Bald Jim" put it, "I'd rather have cow hide covering my hide! He added that today's construction of apparel plus the introduction of venting makes leather a year round choice of motorcycle wear.
• Remember, what you have on could be the only thing between you and the road. Obviously, the less you have on, the sooner the road will burn through it should you go down. But keep in mind, hard items between you and the road can also increase the opportunity for injury. Hanging a fork lock on a belt-loop for example could result in a broken hip. Likewise handguns, tools and other solid objects on your belt or in your pocket will not enhance your comfort level should you find yourself skimming along the blacktop (without your scoot). Even your event pins on a jacket or vest could be painful and even embed themselves in your skin, if not backed with some additional clothing.
• Avoid riding in the center of a lane, particularly when following other vehicles. You cannot see road kill or other debris in front of vehicles you're following, however debris in the line of path of vehicle wheels will usually be indicated when the vehicle swerves to avoid it. A car won't swerve from debris in the center of the lane, it'll straddle it, so you'll have no advance warning. Likewise, the center of a lane is always darker and dirtier than where car tires tend to keep the lane clean.
• Back off from big vehicles. Big trucks have big tires and big tires tend to toss big stones and other debris at our little fragile bodies and pristine bikes. Always leave enough room between you and any livestock truck/trailers too. Do I need to explain why?
• 010702 - Use discretion when following anything which could lose it's load. Ladders, tools and other items could bounce or shake off. What if a pickup truck had a sheet of metal lying loose and it was blown out by the wind? Gruesome thought yes, but not something you should lose your head over!
• 020604 - Yield to your senses. Once I was following a car and I felt moisture on my face. It was summer so I assumed it was air conditioner condensate, although there was also a foul smell in the air. As I crested the next hill, I saw a septic service truck and then realized the car was just kicking up a slow leak from the "honey pot" onto my face. It could have just as easy been a tank truck leaking acid or other caustic or other corrosives!
• Avoid riding to or from work. Rush hour traffic is hazardous and prone to road rage situations.
• When it first starts to rain pull over and stop for approximately 15 minutes. Rain causes oil to rise up from the road creating a very slick surface. By waiting about 15 minutes the rain will wash away the oil and other debris. Use the time to fill up your tank, get a cup of coffee and change into your rain gear.
• 020501 - The yellow and white paint used on roads can be extremely slippery, especially when wet.
• 020501 - After a rain, watch for loose gravel and sand which may have washed on the roadway.
• 050922 - If you can see your shadow stretched out in front of you, that means oncoming drivers have the sun in their face and may not see you in the glare.
• Avoid riding alone. The old cliché "safety in numbers" certainly applies to motorcycles. Multiple riders are easier to see and hear. Multiple riders have a greater ability to see hazards in the road and point them out to fellow riders. Should you need help, it helps to have a friend. Multiple riders are less likely to be intimidated.
• Ride in the lane with the least number of potential conflicts such as merging or cross traffic.
• 010525 - When approaching intersections, cover the clutch. Having controls covered saves about 12/100's of a second in response time which can equate to 5.5 feet of travel. That's a long time in an emergency situation. Avoid "grabbing" the brake and pitching yourself over the handlebars. Instead, be ready to squeeze the clutch and swerv.
• When passing watch the other driver's head. Most drivers will turn their head slightly to look into the mirror before shifting lanes. If he looked in the mirror, he might be getting ready to shift into your lane.
• We don't think you need to be warned about being cautious when you see somebody talking on the cell phone but just in case, you've just been warned.
• Don't look where you're going! OK, sounds funny but the fact is, if you want to avoid something, DON'T look at it. Always look where you want to go. Example; you're racing down the road and you see some fresh road kill. If you fix your eyes on it, you'll find yourself with Rocky all over your scoot. Example; you're coming on a turn to fast. You need to avoid that guardrail. Look beyond the curve where you want to be. If you fix your eyes on the guardrail, you'll find yourself fixed to the guardrail.
• Question: What's the fastest way to steer your bike? The answer may not be what you've been brought up to think. Try this, you'll be amazed: If you want to make a right turn, PUSH FORWARD and DOWN on the right side of your handlebar! The easiest and fastest way to turn left is to push forward and down on the left side. This works because it immediately drops your bike into a bank (leans) toward the direction you want to turn thereby expediting the turn. Practice this but until you get used to it, keep in mind IT DOES WORK and with ease, so don't overdo it until you see how effective it is.
• If you cannot avoid hitting a small object, such as a curb, release the brakes immediately before impact. This will allow the forks to extend to do their job while also aiding after-the-fact maneuverability.
• 010525 - Do not suddenly apply the front brake while in a turn. Turning uses up a great deal of traction especially at low speeds and applying the brake will cause the bike to fall from under you. Be aware when pulling in to park at low speeds and while turning and maneuvering your bike, if you apply the front brake you will drop the bike.
• 010410 - Almost all dogs who charge your bike are trying to avoid you, it's their herding instinct at work. Besides, you can run over a 100 pound dog without crashing if you stay straight and upright. Cats, small dogs, squirrels, skunks, etc. are a cinch. Run 'em over. Armadillos - Never! Related trick... if a dog is coming at you from an angle, slow briefly and then accelerate to throw off the dog's attack angle.
• Mirror adjustment is not always the obvious. The casual rider will adjust his/her mirrors so they can see the space directly in back of their bike. This is wrong. Hopefully, nobody is going to be riding directly behind you on your arse, so the point you want to see behind your bike is several yards. More importantly, is what is coming up beside you in your blind spot. A good way to adjust your mirror is in a parking lot between two cars. Move your bike forward. If there is a point which you cannot see a car out of the corner of your eye, you need to push your mirrors further outward.
• If you smell rubber but know it's not your tires, don't simply shrug it off. This usually means that a tire is getting ready to come apart on a truck or car perhaps ahead of you, possibly throwing tread ("Gators") in your path.
• When downshifting or "engine braking" without using your brakes, vehicles following you may not realize you are slowing. It's a good habit to TAP your brakes a couple of times to activate your brake lights and avoid getting rear ended.
• When parking, always maneuver so that the rear wheel is facing down the slope so if the bike should get nudged and cause the tires to roll, it won't fold up the side stand. Another consideration is if you roll backward into the down slope of the parking stall, it is much easier to pull out and you won't look like a woosey when you call for help in backing up your big heavy hog.
• 011106 - Be aware of grades when you stop. Flatlanders tend to get used to putting their feet down on even grades. WRONG! When the downhill side is to your left the roadway is much further then your center of gravity will handle. You're subject to a very nasty and quite embarrassing spill down the hill. Be observant and put the foot down on the Uphill side.
• 020604 - Toll booths are one of the most dangerous places bikers find themselves. Accumulations of oil drops mixed with air conditioning condensate create the slipperiest surface I can imagine. Stay to the side of toll booths and avoid putting your right foot down in that puddle of goo. You might want to carefully drag your feet lightly after exiting the booth to burn off the grease before your shoes slip from under you the next time you put your feet down.
• 010420 - Wear Boots. They will protect your ankles from loose debris. They will provide added support for keeping your bike upright. And they don't have laces. A shoelace loop caught on the shift or brake lever could get hooked, preventing you from putting your feet down. If you do wear shoes with laces, tuck your laces under to prevent them from getting hung up. You'd look real funny going down the road shaking and shimmying to get your feet loose, even though you're probably on your way to a nasty, uncontrollable fall. You could cry out to your friends to 'catch you'... nahh, you don't want to have to do that.
• 021220 - You pull into a service station next to a pump. The next few things you do could save your life. Turn off your motor! If gasoline were to spill as you bring the nozzle to the tank or as a result of overflow or as you take the nozzle out of the tank, you risk setting it ablaze. You should be concerned not just about a hot engine or exhaust pipes, but also any electrical system. Take your helmet off! If your helmet is on you cannot determine if a fire has started as easily as you can without it and, particularly if the helmet is attached to the bike with an audio system cord, you cannot evacuate the area quickly should a fire be detected. Get OFF your motorcycle! For some reason this step seems to be ignored more often than any other. Maybe it 'looks' good. Maybe it's just too much work to get off when you're tired. If there is a gasoline spill your crotch will get wet. If there's a fire, you want to run like hell. You don't want to have to get off first. Keep the nozzle touching the metal of your bike as much as possible! While the nozzle is in contact with your bike, you create a ground and reduce the chance of static electricity.
• 031021 - If you have any medical conditions, note them and either carry them in a breast pocket or wrap them around your ID cards so EMT teams can find them. Face it, cycling has it's risk. Be prepared.
• Things you should have in your first aid kit: Band Aids, Gauze pads, Tape, Ace bandage, Anti-bacterial lotion, Sunburn lotion (better to use sunblock first), a length of surgical hose for use as a tourniquet, insect bite/sting kit (plenty of that), scissors, latex gloves, filtered or distilled water.
• 010606 - Additional things to consider (depending on the distance you'll be traveling): Raingear, heated clothes, spark plugs, Flashlight, tool kit, flat fixer (most say to avoid the canned stuff), spare keys (keys break, not to mention get lost), loctite, WD-40, motor oil, Duct Tape, some 14-16 gauge wire, cable ties, light bulbs (very important if you have only a single headlight), siphon hose, handi-wipes. Don't forget a cell phone!
• 011027 - We all know to break in a new bike, but did you know about new tires? When new tires are fitted, they should not be subjected to sudden acceleration, hard cornering, maximum power or braking for at least 100 miles. Failure to do so may result in loss of control and serious injury. The 100 mile run-in is required to adjust to the feel of new tires versus the worn tires. Also, tires come coated with a wax like silicone coating to keep them from dry-rotting on the shelves.
• 010328 - Remember, as you accessorize your bike, (handlebars, seat, windshield, etc), the handling characteristics also change. So it takes a little getting used to your new toys so you can enjoy them safely.
• 020411 - Do Loud pipes really save lives? Maybe they'll help draw attention but think about this little neuro-physiological auditory factoid. When people are startled by a noise, they tend to turn their head in that direction. When they're at the wheel, they tend to steer a car where they turn their head. So when you come blasting up alongside some elderly gent in a Lincoln Towncar, don't wonder why he veers toward you when you scare the hoot out of him. On the other hand, loud pipes could certainly save lives by getting bikes banned so fewer people ride. By all means, install harmonious pipes, but LOUD just for the sake of being LOUD ?????
• Register for safety courses. You'll be amazed about what you don't know! (Related links available below).
• Before you ride, perform the T-Clock check:
  T - Tires & Wheels: Tire condition & air pressure.
  C - Controls: Lever condition and pivots, Cables conditions & routings, Hose conditions and routings, Throttle operation.
  L - Lights: Batter condition & vent tubes, Lenses & reflectors, Headlamp condition & aim, Wiring condition & routing.
  O - Oil & Fuel: Oil level as directed in owner manual, Full tank of fuel (empty bladder).
  C - Chassis: Frame condition, Steering head bearing, Swingarm & bearings, Forks & shocks, Chain / belt condition, Condition of fasteners, clips & pins.
  K - Kickstand & Jiffystand: Condition & retention.

Seasonal Tips:

Regional Tips:

If You Go, clearly, it’s hard to go wrong on a motorcycle ride through West Virginia. But here are a few tips that can help make your trip even better:

• Curvy roads abound throughout the Mountain State, but some of the best scenery and roads can be found within the Monongahela National Forest in the east-central part of the state.
• Because the ridges of the Appalachians run generally north to south, roads going in those directions tend to have more gentle curves as they follow valleys or ridgelines. East, west roads run at right angles to the ridges, making for much tighter curves and more elevation changes (switchbacks).
• Be aware that this is the heart of Appalachia. That’s a nice way of saying it’s not exactly rich. The upside is that almost everyone you meet will be happy to see tourists bringing in money, and anti-motorcycling snobbishness is exceptionally rare.
• Remember that traveling on curvy back roads takes longer than jumping on the interstate. A couple hundred miles can add up to a very full, rewarding day in West Virginia.
• Remember, too, that those roads aren’t your private playground. Although it may look like you’re in a remote area, you’re still likely to meet up with plenty of coal and timber trucks. Be aware that they know the roads, and they’ll be going fast, especially in the downhill sections.
• As with anyplace, you find the best roads and scenery far off the beaten track. That means you want to carry good maps and fill up with gas whenever you get the chance. Getting lost or running out of fuel can be a problem, especially because cell phone coverage may be spotty.
• Want more information? Contact the West Virginia Tourism Department at (800) CALL-WVA or www.state.wv.us/tourism .

Two-Up Riding:

Riding two up on a motorcycle is quite a bit different from riding solo. There are several changes that you should make to your bike prior to riding off. Increase the tire pressure to the recommendation in your motorcycle manual. Make any suspension changes that are called for in your manual, both for riding comfort and safety.

• It’s not a passenger; it’s a co-rider. As a co-rider on a motorcycle you have responsibilities. A second set of eyes never hurts in spotting hazards. An experienced co-rider knows how much braking is required in each situation and braces during hard braking to prevent the “dreaded” helmet banging. Two up riding is really a team sport and both the rider and co-rider should help each other to provide a fun and safe riding experience.
• Communication is important, the co-rider must tell the rider when he or she wants to mount or dismount the motorcycle. On hundred or more pounds on that passenger peg can lever a motorcycle over instantly. Be aware as the co-rider of the level, or lack thereof, of the ground where the motorcycle is parked. Ideally it is advisable to mount and dismount on level ground, but this isn’t always available. If mounting or dismounting on unlevel ground always get off or on the high side.
• The most common mistake made when riding Two-Up, is that the passenger SHOULD NOT lean when turning. The only thing a passenger might want to do is shift his/her head over the shoulder of the driver, toward the turn.
• Passengers should not try to help the driver with hand signals. Passengers hands tend to block the vision of rear view mirrors when their hands and arms are signaling.

Maintenance Tips:

• When working with the battery, always remember the Negative is the, First Off, Last on. If jumping a battery, connect the negative jumper cable clamp to a good ground as far from the battery as possible. NEVER, EVER connect to the negative terminal on the battery. There may be hydrogen gas in the immediate vicinity of the battery terminals which a spark could ignite.
• 040624 - You're cruising down the road when, bam, you realize your tire has blown out and you are about to get to a flat tire. Try to remain calm, and immediately let off the throttle (as you would with a car). Next, apply your brake, but not on the tire that's going flat; apply it to the unharmed wheel and slowly bring your bike to a stop somewhere safe.
  If you have tubed tires, you have to remove the tire from the rim, which means removing the wheel from the bike entirely. Unless you have a buddy or two to help you support the bike while you do this, chances are you're going to have to call for help.
  If you need to patch a tubeless tire, a simple repair kit you can purchase at most bike shops is sufficient. Such kits usually include an auger, tire-patching cement, plugs, and some tire patches in case the puncture is not a neat hole. It also helps to have some carbon dioxide cartridges in case your tire has lost its air. However, sidewall damage is a different story on a tubeless tire, and you will need to get the bike trailer to haul it to a dealer. Once you've sealed the tire with a plug or patch. You should have the tire professionally examined as plugs are only a temporary fix.
• When changing your oil, rather than pouring all three quarts in at once, pour only two quarts then run your engine for a minute and stop it. Then pour in the last quart of oil. This avoids a simulated "overfill" condition which occurs before the oil circulates into your oil filter. Thanks to Wayne W. for this tip.
• If your battery terminals get corroded, pour Coke on them. Let the Coke sit for an hour or so and then clean the terminals off with an old toothbrush. DON'T GET THE COKE on your paint or chrome. Clean your battery posts once a year and coat the exposed metal with wheel bearing grease to stop the corrosion before it starts.
• To remove reflectors, use dental floss to slice it off then soak the gum with WD-40 and wipe it off.
• After you drain your oil, take a strong magnet and slowly move it around the entire container. When done look at the magnet and see if any metal flakes are on it. The magnet will not pick up any aluminum and other metals that won't stick to a magnet, so to be even safer, drain your oil through a very thin worn out white sheet. It's best to catch a minor problem before it turns into a major one.
• 010709 - Tips suggested for cleaning pipes, mufflers and chrome: 0000 steel wool, Turtle wax chrome polish, Aluminum foil (be very CAREFUL, if you crinkle the foil up the sharp edges will scratch), "Flizt" non-abrasive metal polish, "Harley Bright", "Never Dull" a cotton wadding product with a polishing compound), "Goof off" and steel wool, WD-40 and steel wool or soft cloth, "Mothers" Metal Polish, "Easy off" oven cleaner (be very CAREFUL, do not get any on your paint), Heat up the pipe a little with a propane torch and wipe the "stuff" off with 0000 steel wool (Beware of the difference of chrome and polished aluminum, which can be easily scratched). BUT DON'T DISCOUNT, simply wiping them with a dry cloth after a ride. The intense heat on hot pipes will soften most grimes including chap stains, so the can be simply wiped away.
• 010328 - When securing or transporting a bike, nylon type tie-downs will stretch over a small period of time. Temperature is also a factor but only to the extent that the warmer it is, the quicker they will stretch.
• 010412 - After a ride, wipe down your forks. Dried bugs are much harder to clean and can erode your seals.
• 010724 - Check fuses if your bike is overheating. A blown fuse can contribute.
• 050715 - Tire pressure - First, air pressure changes with altitude and temperature. At sea level the air is heavier than at higher altitudes. When you check your bike's tire pressure just after a ride it will be considerably higher than before you started.
  Let's say you started at close to sea level on a chilly morning. Your tire gauge showed pressure of, say, 30 pounds. Then you go riding in the mountains. By mid afternoon it's warmer. You stop and check the tire pressure again. Now, the gauge reads close to 40 pounds. Why? First, there's less pressure on the outside of the tire due to the altitude and more pressure on the inside due to the increase in the tire's temperature.
  Changes in tire pressure can alter the handling of the bike. If it's too low, the bike can get squirrelly in turns. If it's too high, every tar strip feels like you're riding over a broom handle. That's why the suspension often feels stiffer when you ride aggressively and heat up the tires.
  One other condition you should know about is the need to increase tire pressure and perhaps even alter the suspension compression and rebound. That condition? Riding two-up or carrying luggage. Unlike a car with wheels at each corner and a considerably greater amount of air inside the tires, motorcycles have only two tires and less air, meaning a small change in pressure can lead to a larger change in handling.
• 050715 - Spark Plugs 101 - Observing your bike's spark plugs allows you to determine the condition and efficiency of your engine. Much like a detective examining the clues to a crime, you can obtain valuable information by looking at your plugs, specifically whether your engine is running just right or:
  - lean -- not getting enough fuel
  - rich - getting too much fuel,
  - too hot - burning incorrectly
  When checking your Harley's plugs, first check their color by looking at the porcelain insulator located just beneath the electrode.
  - Tan colored plugs -- mean that the engine is running normally and the air/fuel mixture is correct. You don't need to replace the plug at the moment.
  - Black, dry, fluffy colored plugs -- indicate that the engine is running too rich or excessively idling. Black smoke coming from the exhaust is another sign of a rich air/fuel mixture. You need to find the cause of the rich air/fuel mixture before installing a new spark plug. Causes can include a dirty air filter, a carburetor screw that needs adjusting, or a choke that may be sticking.
  - Black, wet, and glazed plugs -- indicate that burned oil is leaking past the piston rings or valve guides and burning in the cylinder. It can also mean that there is wear in your engine and that your engine needs rebuilding. You will likely see blue smoke coming out of the exhaust.
  - White-colored plugs - indicate that your engine is overheating, due to any of several factors: the engine's heat range is too hot, the octane in the gas is too low, the ignition timing isn't set correctly, or the carburetor is running too lean. Failure to repair this engine will result in severe damage somewhere down the road, if it hasn't occurred already.
  When it comes time to replace them, be sure to use new plugs that have the same heat range as your old ones. New plugs can add power to your engine because their squared edges help the plug fire better. New or well conditioned spark plugs make a good-running motorcycle engine run even better, which in turn means more power, improved gas mileage, and overall better engine efficiency.

Tricks & Tips:

• 020606 - How many times have you found yourself or seen a buddy stomping on the ‘treadle’ at a traffic signal, when the light has refused to turn. Well, they’re not treadles so the only thing you might do is get noticed by a passing choreographer from the Riverdance dance team.
  That piece of road has been etched to insert wire loops which detect a mass of metal sitting over them, not a mass of weight. The problem is, a motorcycle does not have enough metal to trip the sensors. Although they can be adjusted, most road departments are not going to have a motorcycle available to test the sensitivity with.
  There is a possible trick. Next time position your bike over one of the corners where you can cover the most sensitive portions of the loop. If that doesn’t work and this happens to be a light you encounter frequently, you could try calling the appropriate state, city or county department and request that they calibrate the signal to accommodate motorcycles.
• 010419 - Ziploc bags are great for squeezing the maximum amount of clothing into saddlebags. By placing individual items into an appropriate sized Ziploc, then sitting on the bag prior to sealing it, you can squeeze all the air out and condense the space the gear takes. This makes a tremendous difference in the amount that you can stuff you can carry.
• 010430 - When traveling, it's easy and convenient to send dirty clothes home every couple of days or so. Use a postal-for-hire service like Mail Boxes inc. By shipping dirty clothes home via mail it frees up space in saddlebags, which makes room for all the stuff your wife buys.
• 011017 - A dry erase marker is great for writing road numbers and directions on the inside of a windshield.
• Wave to little kids. Whether they are in the backseat of a car or playing in their front yard, wave to them. Who knows, your wave might just be the spark what creates a future biker! You ask; "who cares?" Well maybe someday they'll be a judge or politician who seems a little warmer toward bikers and in the meantime, when their mommy or daddy hears them giggling and shrieking they may think better of bikers too! Waving to kids may actually help the drivers of those vehicles see you.

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