10 skills to drive a large displacement motorbike safely

1. Take a safe driving course

One of the important things that new car buyers often ignore is the lessons on safe motorcycle driving skills. Nowadays, car manufacturers are also paying attention to this issue as large-displacement motorcycles are gradually dominating the market.

These courses will provide valuable information on safe riding practices, how to react appropriately in critical traffic situations while riding a motorcycle, and practice these skills during the lesson. The instructor will also provide additional tips on how to maintain your motorcycle.

2. Wear protective gear

You are not required to always wear protective gear when riding a large displacement motorcycle, but it is better to know how to protect yourself from dangers.

Driving a large-displacement motorcycle is potentially very dangerous, sometimes not necessarily colliding with other vehicles, but just being careless can cause you to lose control and fall. In that case, protective gear will play a role in avoiding significant injuries to the driver.

A thick leather jacket and jeans can be worn if you are only going for a short distance. Leather and jeans are more abrasion resistant than regular fabrics in case you fall.

3. Choose specialized motorcycle shoes

It is extremely necessary to equip a pair of motorcycle shoes. Large displacement motorcycles all have a mechanism of 1 forward gear, 5 hook gears; traveling long distances and constantly having to hook gears with exposed feet is an unwise and dangerous thing to do. In addition, with a large capacity engine right where your feet are, it will quickly heat up and directly radiate heat if you do not wear specialized motorcycle shoes.

One thing to note when choosing motorcycle shoes is that the sole must be designed to be anti-slip. Avoid the situation where your foot slips due to slippery road surface and the shoes lack the necessary friction. A standard pair of motorcycle shoes must protect the most important parts: the ankle and heel.

4. Make it a habit to put your hand on the brake

While driving, the driver should place the index finger and middle finger on the handbrake lever. This will help shorten the reaction time when the handbrake needs to be used. In fact, when driving at high speed and encountering an unexpected situation, just one second without applying the brake is enough to create a large difference in the distance from braking to stopping the car.

When driving at slow speeds, especially in urban, densely populated areas, use the rear brake to help stabilize the vehicle without increasing its speed.

5. Hug your knees against the sides of the gas tank

Hugging the thighs and knees close to the body of the car while driving will help the driver and the car become one connected block. From there, it helps the driver maintain better balance while braking or going through corners and slopes; at the same time, it helps reduce the wind resistance created by the body while driving.

6. Place the ball of your foot on the footrest

When continuously driving long distances, if the driver can give up the habit of placing the middle of the shoe sole or heel on the footrest, he will avoid vibrations from the road spreading along the shins to the upper body, thereby feeling much less tired.

In addition, the toes resting on the footrest bar will increase the elasticity of the feet and ankles, helping the driver increase flexible reflexes when operating the vehicle.

7. Note for the person sitting behind

Having a companion on the back seat will make the journey more enjoyable. But keep in mind, when you have a companion, safety is even more important. Make sure the person sitting behind you is also equipped with protective gear like you.

Practice carrying a passenger regularly under safe conditions to master the skill of riding a motorcycle with two people, especially when the passenger weighs more than you.

Remind your riding companions about essential safe motorcycle riding skills such as not distracting the rider, and practice with them how to safely turn or change direction.

8. Weather monitoring

Riding a motorcycle in the rain is much more dangerous; it is more difficult to control the vehicle in slippery conditions.Therefore, the necessary safe driving skill is to always monitor the weather before deciding to travel by motorbike.

If you must, avoid driving when it first starts to rain as that is when the weather is at its worst. Be patient and wait for the rain to wash away the dirt and sand, making the roads less slippery. Drive slower than the speed limit and keep your distance, if the weather gets worse it is best to stop driving and wait.

9. When setting up the side stand, turn the front of the vehicle to the right.

Turning the handlebars to the right when the side stand is up will create space for the driver to easily get on and off the bike without the handlebars getting in the way of the hips or thighs. This is a fairly simple operation, but not everyone who uses a large displacement motorbike knows how to apply it.

10. When parking, put the car in gear to lock the wheels.

This action is really safe when parking the bike with a side stand on a slope, ramp... to prevent the bike from sliding if someone accidentally hits the bike.