Stupid Hurts

"Stupid hurts."  These are the words that stuck with me after my off-road motorcycle class at the Honda Rider Education Center in Colton.  They had posters plastered on the walls to remind you and for me those words stuck.  There are many things you should do if you decide to ride a motorcycle to ensure that you don't ever have to experience the definition of this phrase.

The following are my 5 suggestions:

1) Wear the right clothing-  It's strictly for protection.  If you're like me, you want to make sure your fashion is on point but if that cute motorcycle jacket and pants don't have the armor in all the right places it won't do the job when you crash.  I know we all want to believe we'll never be in a crash but you always need to be prepared, whether you're riding on dirt or on the road.  Most motorcycle gear has tough armor like hard plastic on the shoulders, elbows and knees.  You can also get jackets that have back protectors and pants that have hip protectors.  Just imagine the friction points on your body when you're sliding across the asphalt or the dirt.  I would also consider the material of the riding gear, especially for street riding.  I wear a Dianese leather jacket and pants because of its tough exterior made out of full grain cowhide leather and even has aluminum plates on the shoulders.

2) Wear shoes that match the clothing-  What I mean here is to match the protection.  I wouldn't recommend it but if you choose to wear regular everyday shoes to ride you want to make sure you wear a shoe that protects your ankles, has a tough sole and is made of leather.  I personally would go to a motorcycle store and find a shoe that is intentionally made for motorcyclist because it will have protection in all the right places.  There are many choices nowadays for motorcycle shoes that are protective and fashionable.

3) Wear a helmet- This is a must in California because it's the law.  Make sure you check that it is DOT or SNELL rated.  Revzilla has a great article called Helmet 101 that breaks down the details.  Also, once you impact the helmet whether during a crash or you drop it a long distance or drop something heavy on it you should buy another helmet.  When a helmet is impacted it affects the protective foam that is in the core of the helmet and makes that portion of the helmet vulnerable.

4) Start slow- I recommend starting on a lesser powered motorcycle.  This way you don't accidentally blip the throttle on a more powerful motorcycle that can end up throwing you off.  I started on a Ninja 300 which was so fun and easy to ride.  After I gained some experience on the street I moved up to a BMW 700GS which had more power but also had a more comfortable seating position for long rides.  Lastly, gain more seat time before you decide to start riding at night or in the rain.  You always have to be super aware of your surroundings when you ride your motorcycle but especially so while riding at night or in the rain.

5) Ride smart- Be a defensive rider.  I always assume that the cars around me don't know that I'm there so I try not to place myself in a situation where they could potentially hit me.  Always be ready to react to the cars around you.  I've had many cars cut in front of me or even try to intentionally block me, like when I'm splitting lanes.  I'm not sure what their problem is but unfortunately there are drivers in cars that don't like motorcycle riders and I've experienced it.  Most importantly, save the high speeds for the track.  Here's a recent story about the untimely death of a young female motorcyclist and vlogger who missed a turn riding high speed on Ortega Highway, a highway that she was familiar with and rode frequently: RIP Annette Carrion.