Motorcycle Night Riding Tips: Let Safety Be Your Inspiration

When the night comes, new road challenges appear in the horizon, mostly because we are not as prepared as we think we are to handle night riding.

If you own a motorcycle, you may need to evaluate how you operate your vehicle, what you do to enhance your safety, and what other things you need to fix to avoid unexpected crashes.

Regardless of your experience, riding at night can be tough and that is something that you cannot control, so watch out!

From using your lights to reducing the speed, riding at night requires certain approaches to safety that you cannot afford to discard.

Connect with your motorcycle by applying 5 night riding tips that will keep you safe to say the least.

Check your lights for safer ride

If you let dirt and bugs block your headlight, you will end up compromising your safety, which is something that could work against you at night.

Make sure your headlights are working, clean the lenses, and use spare bulbs if required. You are also advised to check your brake and turn signal lights.

Not to mention that side-facing reflectors should also be in good conditions and visible. Now, it makes sense to inspect your motorcycle before mounting it, doesn’t it?

Check the road around you and let them see you

By enhancing your visibility and wearing light-colored riding gear, you are ensuring other vehicles notice you and reduce your chances of crashing.

In foggy conditions, fluorescent colors appear to glow by absorbing light that humans cannot see and reflect it in a wavelength light that humans can easily identify.

Safe riders wear jackets made with fluorescent colors along with retroreflective materials in certain areas to let other vehicles see them through their headlights.

Of course, don’t forget that you also need to wear the proper riding gear including: boots, stout riding pants, gloves, jacket, helmet, eye protection, and any other item that could result in increased protection during your ride.

Maximize your vision

There are certain glasses or helmets that may look cool but do not offer a better protection, and, in many other cases, increases your risk of crashing.

Consider carrying shatterproof riding glasses and/or clear helmet shield which can protect you at night, especially during a long ride.

Another great choice is a photochromatic shield. Yet, if you rely on a windshield to check the road ahead of you, keep it clean and free of bugs or dirt that could block your vision, leading to a potential disaster.

Do not speed excessively. Be in control

Speeding excessively when riding a motorcycle jeopardizes your safety, and things get even riskier when speeding at night.

The safest decision you could ever take is to reduce your speed when riding in a straight line and even more when riding through corners.

Another positive habit is to increase your following distance to get enough time to react to unexpected hazards on the road after dark.

Avoid riding under the influence of alcohol or any other substance

Consuming alcohol or any other substance that impairs your ability to ride safely increases your chances of crashing.

There has been multiple campaigns against riding under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, yet local authorities still report accidents involving drunk or drugged driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that motorcyclists involved in deadly road accidents are 2.5 times more likely to have consumed alcohol than passenger vehicle drivers.

To avoid being a victim of drunk or drugged driving, ask someone you trust to drive you home or take a taxi.

You are in charge of planning a safe journey. The more aware you are about your safety, the better!

SEE ALSO: New Survey Says Most US Parents Are Texting While Driving!