Learning To Ride A Motorcycle

If you’ve never ridden a motorcycle before in your life, the prospect can either be daunting or thrilling, depending on your outlook. The challenge is in staying safe while you ride, which is more difficult than it is on a car or even a bicycle. On a motorcycle, you’ll have to take some extra precautions and develop a new set of riding skills. Educating yourself on the rules of the road as they apply to motorcyclists will help you, too.

Here at Cycles of Jacksonville, we want you to feel confident and excited about making motorcycles a part of your life. This guide to learning to ride a motorcycle should help to dispel any anxieties you have while preparing you for the road ahead, both literally and figuratively.

Take Lessons

Just as you learned to drive a car by taking lessons, either from a family member or a professional, you can also take lessons to learn how to ride your motorcycle. A professional rider is, after all, the best person to teach you the ways of motorcycle riding, including all the little intricacies you might not be aware of. Taking lessons can help to calm your anxiety and also dispel any false information you might have about what it takes to ride a motorcycle. Investigate courses in your area to find one that’s geared towards your level, whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced rider who’s looking to brush up on their skills.

Gear Up

Having the correct riding gear is an essential part of riding your motorcycle safely. Motorcycle riding gear allows you to stay safe and comfortable on your bike. A helmet is your top priority, so you’ll want to shop around to find one that feels good and fits well. Make sure it has a full face mask to protect your eyes from flying debris. For your clothing, either a sturdy riding jacket and pants or a full-body riding suit will be your most practical choices, as these garments are made from durable materials that will protect your skin from road rash in case you slide out.

Durable riding boots with good grip will help you balance when you’re stopped in addition to protecting your feet from the road and from the heat of your bike. Gloves will give you a good grip on your handlebars and keep your hands from getting chapped in the wind. Most riders also invest in some form of hearing protection, particularly for highway riding, as motorcycles can get extremely loud, as can the wind at higher speeds.

Put In Practice

If you’re brand-new to riding a motorcycle, you won’t be a master of it after one afternoon. Diligence is required to become comfortable with the feel of your bike and how it operates. Once you’ve taken your lessons, you’ll still need to put in some practice to improve your skills. Try riding around an empty parking lot at lower speeds to practice accelerating, braking and turns. This will help you to gain confidence for your first solo ride.

Keep Your Bike Maintained

Another step to safe motorcycle riding is to make sure your bike stays in great shape. This requires regular maintenance that can be performed by you at home or by a professional mechanic. There are some small things you can easily do yourself, like checking signals and lights before each ride and airing up your tires to the correct pressure. If you have bigger issues that need professional assistance, contact the service department here at Cycles of Jacksonville! We’ll be happy to help you get your bike in peak condition to keep you safe.

Once you’ve mastered how to ride a motorcycle, Cycles of Jacksonville is where you want to go to get your new bike! We carry a full inventory of motorcycles for sale, so pay us a visit today to see them. Cycles of Jacksonville proudly serves our customers in Orlando and St. Augustine, FL.