We’re all dreaming of the coming motorcycling season and the freedom it will bring. In anticipation of warmer days, we cherish our riding plans, which may take us to the other side of the continent, but will more often than not take place within a few hundred kilometers of home. Safety is an ever-present preoccupation for motorcyclists who want to finish the season accident-free. According to European studies on motorcycle safety, one-third of motorcyclists crash alone, while in the remaining two-thirds, another vehicle is involved because they didn’t see the motorcycle approaching or near them. So increasing your visibility to others is the key to survival.
Be seen: optimize lighting
The first thing that catches a motorist’s eye are light sources, i.e. lights and headlights. Replacing dim halogen bulbs with LED bulbs improves the situation considerably, and will help you to be seen even against the light. The Highway Safety Code now allows you to keep your headlights on high beam during the day to improve visibility.
The addition of auxiliary headlights is fashionable on adventurous or custom motorcycles, and gives an impression of volume to whoever sees you approaching, as well as making it easier to perceive the distance between you and the approaching speed. This effect can also be created by installing LEDs in the area of the rear-view mirrors.
Being seen: high-viz clothing color
When I bought my helmet from the retailer and the salesman saw me looking at the yellow high-visibility helmets, he told me that the majority of helmets sold in Canada are black, charcoal grey or matte black, whereas those in Europe are yellow, white or other flashy colors. It seems they’re more aware of motorcycle safety in the older countries.
However, there’s no denying that bright colors make it much easier for other road users to see you, whether you’re riding from the front, back or side. Whether style is more important than safety for the motorcyclist remains to be seen. A word about reflective strips, which are useless during the day, but take on their full importance at night. They make you more visible, especially from the side where there are no lights on a motorcycle.
Being heard: a louder horn
Being heard is essential, especially if another rider cuts you off and their attention is elsewhere. Everyone knows the tinny sound of a motorcycle’s original horn, which produces around 100 db at its best, but declines in effectiveness over the years. For around fifteen dollars, you can replace it with a more powerful round model that produces 110 db. This may not sound like much, but the decibel scale is logarithmic, and each 10 db increment represents twice the sound volume. If space is available, it’s also possible to install a car-type electric horn that will generate a thunderous 130 db of sound power. Now that’s attention-grabbing!
Tires: checking tire pressure
When doing a quick tour before setting off on a motorcycle tour, those who have kept up the good habits taught by driving schools will check the operation of lights, chain adjustment and the condition of tire grooves. Hands up those who take out the pressure gauge to check tire pressure… So few? Yet tires are a critical element in motorcycle handling and safety, especially when riding as a duo. It’s not just the condition of the tread that’s important, it’s also the correct tire pressure. This is essential if the sidewalls are to work properly, ensuring good control of the motorcycle, not to mention the risk of overheating.
Continuous tire pressure monitoring systems are available. The sensor is housed in the tire valve cap and, depending on the system you choose, gives the pressure value on a small display installed on the motorcycle, an LCD screen on the key ring or directly on the screen of your cell phone.
Rider training update
When riding a motorcycle, your survival is directly proportional to your skill. Defensive driving, continuous visual scanning of your surroundings, low-speed maneuvers, countersteering and obstacle avoiding are skills that need to be cultivated and practiced from time to time. Many driving schools offer interesting refresher sessions at the start of the season.Â
In Quebec, the Société de l’Assurance Automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is funding a two-year pilot project for the FMQ Pro-Moto course. The Fédération des motocyclistes du Québec is responsible for distributing this training. There must be equivalent programs in other provinces – find out more!
