To about 90% of the population we are an odd lot, riding around on two wheels.  Many people think we are crazy and taking our lives in our hands every time we climb on.  But we know better, don't we?  We know that although the motorcycle statistics that people see are rather startling, they do not really apply to us because we are careful riders, not doing the crazy teenager stuff.  Plus we ride safe motorcycles safely.  Or do we?  Okay, we have ABS brakes, electronic adjustable suspension, computers that tell us the bike's performance characteristics, etc.  And when was the last time you took your eyes off of the road for a second or two to adjust the radio, or punch something in to the GPS, or mess around with a piece of equipment on the bike?  That is all it takes to send you into a situation that you do not want to experience.  And then, of course, there is the other guy that is really doing the crazy stuff (cell phones, texting, eating the proverbial hamburger which he has slopped all over his lap, etc.).  There are a lot of things we can do to make our riding experience safer.  You know what they are; here are a few refreshers.

There was an article on TV the other night that talked about the age of tires that people are purchasing and putting on their automobiles.  They did a clandestine investigation of tires in dealerships and purchased online and the age of the tires.  It was nasty.  The dealerships fared better than the online purchases, but in too many of the instances the tires were five or six years old.  This is not good.  Tires breakdown over time and at Ride West we do not advocate installing a tire over three years old.  Tires that are purchased elsewhere and brought here for mounting over this age necessitate a disclaimer on our part.  We have seen these tires cause problems.  Of course we would suggest that everyone purchase tires from the dealership to ensure their performance but this does not always happen.

How about "deer alerts", those  gizmos you stick on to the bumper of your car or somewhere on your motorcycle that supposedly will alert deer in your path that you are coming.  There is plenty of controversy regarding these devices, but the authors of this missive will not own a bike without them.  Half a million miles on two wheels with and without them have convinced us that they work---and saved us a few times from what could have been nasty.  At any rate, for around thirty bucks it is cheap insurance and great peace of mind.

Now this is not a safety issue, but what we consider really good advice. Hide a key somewhere on your bike.  We sell key hiders for $3.99, but even if you use a piece of duct tape, hide a key on your bike.  We have had too many calls from customers that are stranded in some remote part of the country (or world) because they lost their key.  We always get the excuse that "I carry a spare in my wallet", or "my wife has a spare in her purse", or some such thing, but inevitably, the wallet is stolen, the purse left in the hotel room, etc.  By the time we get the key thing sorted out, their trip itinerary is ruined.  So please hide a key on the bike somewhere.