Learning a few basics can help ease anxieties and get new riders on the road and devouring pavement in no time. Take the time to educate yourself so you can ride safely and operate both on the open road and in heavy traffic.
At Twisted City Harley-Davidson, we want to make easing into the riding lifestyle as smooth as possible for new and prospective Harley-Davidson® motorcycle buyers. You shouldn’t expect to be a pro right away, and taking the time to practice and learn about motorcycle riding will help you enjoy your Harley bike all the more! Read on for more information or head into our showroom in Wichita, Kansas, where we proudly serve Salina, Derby, McPherson, and Hutchinson.
Classes
There’s no substitute for proper instruction, and motorcycle riding classes are a great way to get the lowdown on how to care for your bike and ride with confidence. There are a lot of intricate aspects of riding to learn, and it absolutely isn’t the same as driving a car or truck. Additional techniques and skills are required, and the only way to know is to learn from someone who already understands.
A great bonus to riding classes is that they’ll bikes for you to practice on, so even a prospective Harley rider can get a feel for it before taking home their own bike. You’ll learn various essential techniques involving the throttle, clutch, brake control, and much more. You might even be able to find a program in your area that offers different classes based on your skill level such as beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Proper Gear
You might think all that motorcycle gear is about style and showing off, but the truth is that safety truly comes first for Harley riders. A proper helmet is absolutely necessary, and you’ll want one with a good safety rating that covers your entire face and head. Riding jackets are an ever present piece of apparel that will keep you from experiencing the horrors of road rash and help you beat the wind, cold, and heat! Riding pants, gloves, boots, and more all come together to keep riders safe, comfortable, and, yeah, looking really cool!
Practice, Practice, Practice!
You’ve probably heard that practice makes perfect, and while we aren’t sure whether there is such a thing as perfect riding, your skills and technique will grow the more you ride and especially if you ride with the intent of getting better. Find an empty parking lot and break your new toy in. Practice your stopping by squeezing the brakes with a little more force each time until you are familiar with maximum braking. It might take some time to get used to the front brake contributing more to a fast stop than the rear brake does.
Regular Maintenance
While this might not directly impact your riding skill, keeping up with regular maintenance is a twofold way of keeping your motorcycle in operational condition while also help you get acquainted with its mechanical functions. Whether you’re performing pre-ride checks on tires, fluids, and controls, or keeping to scheduled maintenance, the more you deal with the bike’s guts the more you’ll understand how those components come together on the road. If nothing else, keeping regular on maintenance is the perfect way to train yourself to be a better Harley owner.
If you notice anything that seems off but you’re not quite sure how to handle it, bring it in for service. It’s better to be safe than sorry and have something go wrong while you’re out riding.
We hope you’ve gained some insight from these beginners tips for riding your motorcycle. It takes practice to ride safely, after all! For more riding tips, or if you’re ready to check out some awesome Harley-Davidson motorcycles, head into our showroom in Wichita, Kansas. We serve Salina, Derby, McPherson, and Hutchinson with a team of courteous professionals who’ll answer your questions and show you the true meaning of customer satisfaction. Stop by today!