Motorcycle accident prevention…….You ever get that feeling like the universe is just waiting to remind you that you’re not invincible?
Yeah, me too. Especially when I’m on two wheels.
I’ve been riding motorcycles for over a decade—enough years to collect some road rash, a cracked tailbone (don’t ask), and an actual police officer once yelling, “You good, Evel Knievel?” after I wiped out on gravel. Spoiler: I was not good.
So yeah, motorcycle accident prevention? It’s not just a buzzword. It’s survival. Real-deal, keep-your-face-outta-the-pavement type stuff.
And I wish someone had told me all this sooner, preferably before I tried taking a tight corner at 60 on bald tires. Here’s what I’ve learned about motorcycle accident prevention—and what I now swear by.
1. Your Tires Are Like… Shoes. Don’t Ride Barefoot.
Look, I’ve ridden on tires so bald they could’ve passed for cue balls. Why? Because I was broke and dumb and thought “Eh, they’ll last one more month.”
They did not.
If you ride regularly, check your tread depth. If it’s less than 2/32″, it’s basically like walking on ice with socks.
Pro tip: If your tires are more than 5 years old, even with tread—they might be dry rotted. Crack = bad. Boom = worse.
2. Pretend You’re Invisible. Because You Kinda Are.
There’s this messed-up truth every rider learns: drivers don’t see us. Not because they hate us. (Well, not all of them.) But because the human brain is just bad at spotting motorcycles.
So what do you do?
- Never hang in a driver’s blind spot.
- Flash your high beams in the day.
- Wiggle your handlebars slightly at intersections (yes, this makes you more visible—go Google “motion triggers awareness”).
You gotta ride like you’re wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak and everyone else is texting their ex.
3. Don’t Trust That Green Light
One time, I was cruising through an intersection with a green light, vibing out to the wind in my helmet like some budget version of a Harley commercial.
Cue a minivan flying through the red. I swerved. Barely.
Since then? I never enter an intersection without checking both sides—even if I have the light. Because “right of way” doesn’t mean much when you’re airborne.
4. Look Where You Want to Go (Not Where You’re About to Crash)
This sounds obvious until it’s not. Because panic does wild things to your brain. You see a patch of gravel or a deer or your ex crossing the road—and guess what you stare at?
That’s where your bike will go.
Instead: focus on the escape route. Your bike will follow your eyes. It’s spooky how well it works.
I once dodged a pothole the size of a kiddie pool this way. I also once didn’t and now I have a metal plate in my wrist. Fun!
5. Gear Up, Even if You’re “Just Going to the Store”
I’ve done the whole “shorts and a t-shirt” ride before. Felt the wind. Felt cool. Then I low-sided in a parking lot and felt the asphalt—right through my shoulder.
Now I wear:
- Helmet (obviously, DOT or Snell)
- Armored jacket (even mesh in summer)
- Gloves (because palms aren’t optional)
- Boots that actually protect ankles
And yeah, I still get funny looks when I roll up to the gas station looking like RoboCop, but I also still have all my skin.
6. Ride Sober And Clear. Ride Chill.
Let’s be real: booze and bikes don’t mix. Neither do painkillers. Or riding angry. Or racing some teenager in a Honda Civic just because he revved at the light (I know, it’s hard).
Your reaction time, balance, and judgment are everything. Muck one of those up, and it’s game over.
Bonus tip: even fatigue is a beast. I once nodded off at 60 mph on a straight road in Arizona. Not proud. Very awake now.
7. Know Your Route—or Pretend You’re in a Video Game
I always tell my buddies this one:
If you’re riding somewhere new, especially rural or twisty roads—pretend you’re in Mario Kart. There’s bananas everywhere (in this metaphor, they’re gravel, oil, potholes, deer, etc.).
Ride cautiously until you know the rhythm of the road. I once hit a blind curve in Virginia and discovered that it just… ended. Like, mid-curve. Just became gravel. My stomach still tightens thinking about it.
8. Keep Your Bike as Sharp as You Are
Maintenance isn’t sexy. But you know what is? Not flying over your handlebars because your front brakes failed.
Do the basics:
- Check oil.
- Lube chain.
- Look over cables and brakes.
- Don’t ignore weird noises (unless you enjoy roadside repairs and questioning your life choices).
If your bike runs like a shopping cart with a bad wheel, that’s not “character.” That’s danger, my friend.
9. Take a Skills Course (Even if You Think You’re Hot Stuff)
Look—I thought I was the guy. Leaning hard. Doing clutchless upshifts like some kind of MotoGP hero. Then I took an advanced rider course and realized I was basically Fred Flintstone on wheels.
They teach you stuff like:
- Emergency braking without panic
- Swerving around surprise obstacles
- Precision cornering
Plus, it’s kinda fun showing up and seeing who drops their bike in the parking lot first. (Guilty.)
Check out the MSF Advanced RiderCourse—that’s where I started.
Final Thought: You’re Not Paranoid. You’re Prepared about Motorcycle accident prevention
Riding a motorcycle is this wild mix of freedom, fear, joy, and adrenaline. But it’s also unforgiving.
The road doesn’t care how experienced you are. That truck driver doesn’t care you just got a fresh paint job. And asphalt? That stuff bites hard.
So take these motorcycle safety tips and actually use ‘em. Tattoo them in your brain. Or on your arm—I don’t know, live your life.
And hey—if you’ve got your own near-miss story or tip? Drop it in the comments. Let’s swap crash confessions and stay upright together. https://bikelovezone.com/mastering-motorcycle-control/.
Outbound Link Suggestions:
- MSF RiderCourses
- Hilarious real crash stories from Reddit’s /r/motorcycles (for the “I’ve done dumb stuff too” solidarity)
