Touring Motorcycle Riding Tips
Regardless of whether you’re a brand-new rider or an experienced road warrior, it’s always good to be aware of the best practices when it comes to riding your touring motorcycle. After all, this isn’t a zero-risk activity and you need to remain vigilant and responsible as a motorcyclist.
Looking for some riding tips? We’ve got you covered. BMW Motorcycles of Burbank, located in Burbank, California, is proud to be your local touring motorcycle dealer. Read on to learn some of our best riding tips for staying safe out on the highway!
Braking With Care
The high speeds that you reach on a touring motorcycle are thrilling and fun to be sure, but being able to successfully slow down is essential to your safety and the safety of those around you. Motorcycles only have two wheels, as you know, but this means that much of the bike’s brake power is focused on the front wheel. You’ll want to apply both brakes at the same time, but the majority of the stopping power is at the front of the bike.
Before you go on those winding mountain roads you dream of, it’s helpful to practice on a straight, flat stretch of road that isn’t very busy. Get up to speed, then practice hitting the brakes to slow down your bike. See if you can do it without a sudden jolt or without your brakes locking up. Ideally, braking should be smooth.
Passing Other Motorists
It is much easier to pass other vehicles on the road when you’re on a touring motorcycle than it is when driving a car. Of course, some motorcyclists take too many risks with this and don’t anticipate how the traffic around them may react, so try to be responsible and judicious when determining whether you should pass other motorists. Try to maximize your visibility as much as you can and do not pass if you can’t legally move into the other lane of traffic. You’ve probably seen some motorcyclists riding on the shoulder, but this isn’t legal, either, and could prove dangerous! Pass with care and be safe.
Shift Gears Safely
You’ll need to familiarize yourself with your clutch when it comes to shifting gears on your bike. This process is more similar to manual transmissions in cars than it is to automatic transmissions, which most people are accustomed to using. Remember that practice makes perfect, so give yourself a lot of opportunities to practice your gear-shifting in a large, empty lot. You may want to have a professional guide you through it. Upshifting and downshifting should be smooth and gradual, rather than jerky and sudden, and this simply takes patience as you get a feel for how your given touring motorcycle handles.
Steering Responsibly
When riding your bike, especially if you’re used to driving a car, you may find that push steering is a bit hard to manage. You’ll need to lean your body weight into turns, for example, and that’s not something you have to do with a car! As you turn your bike, tilt the handlebars in the direction you wish to go and keep pressure on them through the turn while holding the controls. Try to look as far ahead as you can so you can anticipate your next moves, especially on winding roads where you’ll want to slow your speed and make sure you have enough visibility.
We hope this guide helps you to ride your touring motorcycle safely and responsibly. If you’re still trying to find the perfect model, come on down to our Burbank dealership today to take a look at our wide selection of touring motorcycles for sale. We also proudly serve those in Pasadena and Glendale, California.