freebyrd78

Happy Happy BD Freebyrd...
Enjoy Your Special Day <:o)

As I mentioned, a lot of people have been riding for years, but that doesn't mean they know how to ride SAFE. So, I thought I'd pass a long a few safety tips. See More
1. Do not ride in the center of the lane! Cars and trucks leak oil. You may not always see it, but it's there. Ride in the tire track. The most dangerous time to ride in the oil lane is when it's misting rain. It will be like riding on ice. If it's raining, the best place to ride is hugging the white line on the far right side of the lane. You do that in case the tire lanes are worn down and water is standing.
2. Cars waiting to turn are always a danger to a rider, and I've picked up a couple of tips that will give you a split second more time to react to an idiot motorist. When you have a car waiting to pull into your lane from a stop sign, focus on the left front wheel. Most cars have spoked wheels these days. focus on the spoke pointing towards the ground. You'll be able to see it move faster than if you're watching the car itself. If you're riding on a two-lane and an oncoming car id waiting to turn left, focus on their hands on the steering wheel. You'll see it move before you see the car move.
3. Dress the part. Most of us dress like outlaws when we ride, yet many don't even know why. One word: SAFETY. If you're dressed like someone who would rape and murder someone, people tend to not pull out in front of you. Trust me, it makes a difference.
4. Dress the part, pt 2. DON'T wear shorts on a bike!!!! You're asking for trouble if you go down. I know a guy who got road rash on his leg so bad, they had to amputate it because so much of the leg muscles were ground off. And guys who don't wear shirts while riding? They're fools. Wanna work on your tan? do it in your back yard...NOT on your bike.
5. For the ladies. Nobody likes short shorts on a woman more than I do, but wearing them and sandals when you;'re on the back of a bike is just plain stupid!!! And guys, if you let her on the back dressed like that, you obviously don't give a rat's ass about her. The back rider is 85% likely to get more injuries than the operator in an accident. She needs to be more safely dressed than you do!
6. Whenever you're riding in a large group, like a poker run, stay in formation! It never fails there;'s always at least one idiot that rides the oil lane, or decides to show off, thinking his bike is faster than everyone elses's. He's not only risking his own life, but everyone's life who's behind him too. If that clown goes down, everyone behind him does too. I don't treat these guys very nicely at the next stop, and neither should you. And for the guys who do this? You want to be a daredevil go ride motocross. Stay off my street!
Riding is great, as long as it's done right. Feel free to copy and post this entry,. The more people who read it, the better off we'll all be. freebyrd78

Over the weekend I saw a kid drop the clutch a little too hard, and he lost control and laid the bike down. THAT wasn't the problem. He was wearing SHORTS at the time. Then, the other day, it was raining and I saw several bikes, and where were they riding? In the center of the lane...also known as the OIL lane. Do people not know how to ride properly?! I've been riding 34 years, and nobody loves it more than I do,...See More but I also know how to ride SAFELY. If people would start pulling their heads out of their asses and THINK about what they were doing, and what could happen, there would be a lot less people getting hurt or killed. I don't care how good looking she is, I'm not letting a gal wearing shorts and sandals on the back of my bike. The back rider is 85% more likely to receive serious injuries than the person operating it. Ride safe, or don't ride at all!!

All my life, I've called riding my therapy. Now, it truly is. In February, I slipped at work and tore the quads off both knees. I spent 10 weeks flat on my back and have to learn how to walk all over again. 10 days after getting out the care facility, I rode all of the Royal Ride poker run. Turns out that riding uses muscles not used in Physical Therapy. Thanks to my bike, I'm getting better daily.