Many of us have friends that they would like to introduce to motorcycling. Some of those friends may have "irrational fears" about the aspect of riding on one.
I have a very dear new friend that I would love to take for rides on my bike. This posting will describe my plan on introducing her to motorcycling and help over come her irrational fears.
Step 1: Even though the fears are entirely irrational, respect that they are real to your friend. No matter what they might be (and some I have heard are actually sorta funny), they do matter. Best start is to talk about motorcycling - the joys the sport has brought you.
Be sensative that your words may actually be making those irrational fears worse. For example, if your friend is concerned about the lack of a cage protection on a bike, DO NOT tell stories about carving canyons and knee dragging at extreme speeds. That will only excerbate the concerns.
Adjust your side of the conversation to describe the benefits.
Step 2: Introduce them to the bike. Sounds silly, but a lot of people have never really looked at one up close and personal. Point out the "do not touch parts", the "where to step, hold on, etc" parts and so on. Go slow - this is likely a little scary for them.
Step 3: Show them the gear. Talk about the gear. And whatever you do, make sure you have appropriate gear for them. If you don't, do not try to convince them to "go for a ride down the block". Yeah - I know - but remember, this is something they are likely only considering because of the trust they have in you. Do absolutely nothing to breach that.
Step 4: By now, they will have articulated why they have the irrational fear. It will likely be that someone in their sphere of influence has died as a result of a motorcycle accident. This one is a toughy to react to. Let them vent, ask questions, be attentive. Even if it is obvious the answer to why the person wrecked was user error - show concern. Take that data into consideration as you continue to converse on the topic of motorcycling.
Step 5: Similar to step 4, they will almost certainly say they are afraid of the other guy. We all know that the cagers are evil. But we also all know what we need to do to mitigate those risks. For the purposes of your friends first ride, do everything possible to mitigate this concern. A good example might be to offer the ride in a residential area that has little or no traffic. Anything to get them on the bike in a way that is comfortable to them.
Step 6: Assuming they agree to go for a ride, choose a day that the weather is most agreeable. We are all hard core riders - your friend is a pre-NOOB. Don't force them to also deal with cold air, rain, etc. Pick a warm enough day but still comfortable for them to wear ALL the gear.
Step 7: When that day comes, be very deliberate in your actions. Talk about what it means to be a passenger. If you will be taking a ride that involves turning, talk about their body position and what is expected of them. Do not forget - they are only doing this because they trust you. Discuss hand signals or other means of communication so the passenger knows they can let you know to stop, slow down, etc. They need some element of control to be comfortable. When you do finally get this all sorted out, go slow! I can't tell you how many people have told me stories about riding once before and the rider doing wheelies, stoppies, going insanely fast, etc. It really isn't funny to purposely scare the crap out of someone on a bike. Don't be a jerk - make them feel comfortable.
Step 8: Post ride. Chances are your passenger was too scared to even appreciate riding. They may have a problem expressing why they were so scared - be patient. Let it drop for a while if they don't want to talk about it. When the time is appropriate, talk about the ride, the things you like about motorcycling, etc. Hopefully, they will give you a second chance to "sell" them on riding. If not - don't press it.
Ok - that is about all I have for this. I will post back my success (or lack thereof) with my new dear friend over time.
Ride safe.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Winter in the Pacific NW
Generally speaking, motorcycling is a year round activity in the great Pacific NW. This year has been the exception! We have had at least 3 storm systems come through that has dumped a LOT of snow on Seattle and the surrounding areas. Seattle is not well equiped to deal with snow and ice removal - so even a couple inches of snow brings things to a halt. I had 26" of snow at my house!
Having to cage it meant that I have been kind of slow posting here. A new dear friend reminded me that I should post soon. Thank you S!
I thought I would make up for it by posting some suggestions on prepping your bike for winter riding.
If you are like me, your bike is a cherished possesion - something that possibly gets more attention than the family dog! Because of this unnatural affection, many of us would prefer to not take our babies out in the wet, sand covered streets. It doesn't have to be this way.
Note that everything is on top of normal maintenance. Your ride should be up to date on all services.
Tires: Slippery roads require more grip. Sporty rubber is great - but must be warmed up to provide optimum grip. Sport touring tires tend to have a wider range of operating temperatures. No matter what is on your ride, ride extra carefully while your tires are warming up!
Lights: In this part of the world, days are often overcast. Yet another reason to make sure all lights are in proper working order. Clean the lenses after EVERY ride! If you have been thinking of upgrading your lights, LEDs are great for turn signals and running lights. HIDs are great for increasing your visibility! Be sure to check with your local LEO on the HIDs - not all areas allow them.
Weather protection: A decent windscreen/windshield can redirect a lot of the rain and cold air without having to bend in unnatural ways. Fortunately, these are relatively inexpensive aftermarket parts.
Cold Hands: Hands are probably the most exposed part of your body while riding. Fitted hand guards will help deflect some of the cold/wet. I highly recommend heated grips! I have heated grips on all my bikes.
Mudguards: I saw these at the Internation Motocycle Show in Seattle this year. Basically, they work like a trucks mudflaps work. A small piece of plastic or rubber like material minimizes the spray from your front wheel on to your engine. My Harley has a full front fender - but my sport bikes don't. I suspect these will keep a lot of crude from the "delicate bits".
Coolant: For water cooled bikes, make sure you are running with antifreeze! I know I often will run distilled water on track days (depending on the track). Riding a water only bike in freezing temps is a fast way to ring up some big mechanical problems!
Chain: For bikes that are chain driven, proper lube is essential! I recommend the silicon based chain lubes (especially in the winter time).
Reflectors: Habor Freight sells a very cheap (~$10) reflective vest that will help you be seen. Cagers seeing bikes is a problem all the time - but even more pronounced during the winter season. A cheap reflective vest makes the bike (ok - the rider) more visible.
Storage: Obviously, best is to store your bike in a covered space that won't be subject to freezing temperatures. You may want to consider getting a cover as well. The cover will help keep the seat from freezing and will also keep dust and dirt from soiling your ride while it rests in the garage. If it must be exposed to the elements, an all weather motorcycle cover is highly recommended.
After the ride: If possible, rinse your bike with cold water after the ride. Especially true in areas that use salt for snow control. Rinsing will help get rid of any salt that has found its way to the metal bits. Even if you live in an area that doesn't use salt (like Seattle), rinsing will flush away some of the grime that is very hard to clean when you are ready for that springtime detail cleaning you will do.
Ride safe!
Having to cage it meant that I have been kind of slow posting here. A new dear friend reminded me that I should post soon. Thank you S!
I thought I would make up for it by posting some suggestions on prepping your bike for winter riding.
If you are like me, your bike is a cherished possesion - something that possibly gets more attention than the family dog! Because of this unnatural affection, many of us would prefer to not take our babies out in the wet, sand covered streets. It doesn't have to be this way.
Note that everything is on top of normal maintenance. Your ride should be up to date on all services.
Tires: Slippery roads require more grip. Sporty rubber is great - but must be warmed up to provide optimum grip. Sport touring tires tend to have a wider range of operating temperatures. No matter what is on your ride, ride extra carefully while your tires are warming up!
Lights: In this part of the world, days are often overcast. Yet another reason to make sure all lights are in proper working order. Clean the lenses after EVERY ride! If you have been thinking of upgrading your lights, LEDs are great for turn signals and running lights. HIDs are great for increasing your visibility! Be sure to check with your local LEO on the HIDs - not all areas allow them.
Weather protection: A decent windscreen/windshield can redirect a lot of the rain and cold air without having to bend in unnatural ways. Fortunately, these are relatively inexpensive aftermarket parts.
Cold Hands: Hands are probably the most exposed part of your body while riding. Fitted hand guards will help deflect some of the cold/wet. I highly recommend heated grips! I have heated grips on all my bikes.
Mudguards: I saw these at the Internation Motocycle Show in Seattle this year. Basically, they work like a trucks mudflaps work. A small piece of plastic or rubber like material minimizes the spray from your front wheel on to your engine. My Harley has a full front fender - but my sport bikes don't. I suspect these will keep a lot of crude from the "delicate bits".
Coolant: For water cooled bikes, make sure you are running with antifreeze! I know I often will run distilled water on track days (depending on the track). Riding a water only bike in freezing temps is a fast way to ring up some big mechanical problems!
Chain: For bikes that are chain driven, proper lube is essential! I recommend the silicon based chain lubes (especially in the winter time).
Reflectors: Habor Freight sells a very cheap (~$10) reflective vest that will help you be seen. Cagers seeing bikes is a problem all the time - but even more pronounced during the winter season. A cheap reflective vest makes the bike (ok - the rider) more visible.
Storage: Obviously, best is to store your bike in a covered space that won't be subject to freezing temperatures. You may want to consider getting a cover as well. The cover will help keep the seat from freezing and will also keep dust and dirt from soiling your ride while it rests in the garage. If it must be exposed to the elements, an all weather motorcycle cover is highly recommended.
After the ride: If possible, rinse your bike with cold water after the ride. Especially true in areas that use salt for snow control. Rinsing will help get rid of any salt that has found its way to the metal bits. Even if you live in an area that doesn't use salt (like Seattle), rinsing will flush away some of the grime that is very hard to clean when you are ready for that springtime detail cleaning you will do.
Ride safe!
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