re: Motorcycles: Pros vs Cons

quote:

---

Need to be hyper vigilant especially inside cities as a fender bender has different consequences on a bike.

---

Very much this. Always know what's in front, to both sides, and behind you. And I'm not talking about just those vehicles right in front or behind you. Also know whats in front of them and behind them as well. Leave yourself a good cushion of room between you and the vehicle in front of you. You want to have enough room in front of you in case traffic comes to a sudden stop. Motorcycles cannot slam on their brakes in the same manner as four wheeled vehicles. Also, don't fight the flow of traffic. If traffic is moving along at 60, don't try to weave in and out and around vehicles so you can go 70. Go with the flow and be patient and alert when in traffic. Finally, I'd suggest when changing lanes or turning, use both your turn signals as well as the established hand signals as well as often times people will not notice the small turn signals on most motorcycles. Here's the signals I'm talking about....

quote:

---

my uncle lost his leg, knee down, at a 4 way residential stop sign bc of a stupid girl on her phone driving.

---

This brings up a good point. When you reach a stop sign or a red light, don't just just pull out when there is other vehicles at the same intersection. Always look carefully before you go. Never assume an approaching vehicle is going to stop. In fact, until they show you otherwise, I'd assume they're going to run the stop sign or light.

Most people who hit motorcyclists all say "I never saw him". Assume they don't see you.

Take the course. It is about $200 and worth every dime for a new rider.

Don't buy a used helmet. Beyond being nasty, you do not know if it has been dropped. This can cause stress fractures or helmet failure if you do hit your head.

Until you finish the course and get licensed, drain the gas. Once drained, run the bike until all the gas is out of the carbs. Leaving gas in it will gum up the carbs. You could put fresh gas with a stabilizer as well.

Have fun.

quote:

---

YOU are not the danger. It's the fact that drivers of vehicles have a hard time seeing you. Watch out for others.

---

Yea I definitely will be on the defensive side, driving assuming no vehicle can see me. I have a yellow helmet to help a bit.

quote:

---

Yea I definitely will be on the defensive side, driving assuming no vehicle can see me. I have a yellow helmet to help a bit.

---

One more thing you need to keep in mind is a motorcycle has far different maintenance requirements than a four wheeled vehicle. For starters, especially on the Virago you're buying, you really need to follow the rule of changing the oil every 3,000 miles. Don't go over this benchmark. Also, burn only high octane fuel and regularly use a good fuel additive like B-12 Chemtool or something similar. Also, on cold mornings, you'll want to crank your bike and let it warm up about 5 minutes or so before you take off. finally, check your tire pressure at least weekly and keep it in specs. Motorcycle tires are made very different from regular car tires. You'll only get about 10,000 to maybe 15,000 miles out of a rear motorcycle tire. They wear out a lot faster than you think so keep an eye on them.

quote:

---

As far as additives, I am a huge fan of Sea Foam.

---

Sea Foam is a great additive. I use to use it every third tank until my mechanic recommended trying B-12. It works just as well and costs less than half the price. I made the switch about a year and a half ago and it's done great for me.

(no message)