How To Ride a Sport Bike Safely

Riding a motorcycle is obviously nothing like driving a car. Everyone knows that it’s a lot of fun, but people need to know that it can be quite dangerous, as well. In the U.S., thousands of motorcycle accidents happen each year, and a lot of them result in serious injury or death.

That’s why, before buying a bike and start riding it, you have to learn how to ride in a safe and proper manner, and taking a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course is the best way to do that. This way, you will learn the basic motorcycle controls, handling skills, and how to be a responsible motorcycle rider. While some types of bikes are not too difficult to handle, such as scooters, there are also bikes, such as sport bikes, that require a lot of strength and a special set of skills, so you could use a couple of tips on how to ride a sport bike safely.

Make sure your bike fits your body type
It’s very important to choose a bike that is the right size for you. You shouldn’t have to be reaching too far out to get a good grip on your bike’s handlebars, and you should be able to sit on your seat comfortably during those fast rides. Also, you must take your time and learn the controls on your motorcycle, before you start riding it.

Find the right riding position
Riding a sport bike is quite different from riding a touring or a dirt bike. You must have the right riding position so that you can control and handle your bike properly. You have to be able to steer, accelerate and brake quickly, which is why you have to lean forward, and grip the bike’s tank with your knees, with your elbows just below the handlebars and your forearms nearly parallel to the ground.

Accelerating and decelerating
After you have learned how to sit properly, it’s time to learn how to accelerate and decelerate, which should be done in straight lines at first. If you want to accelerate, you have to move forward on your seat, because you need to add some extra weight on the front tire, which means in order to decelerate, you have to move back and add weight on the back of the bike.

Making turns
This can be a bit tricky when riding a sport bike. If you don’t do it properly, it can be quite dangerous. It’s actually pretty simple, but you must be focused and slow down whenever you are making a turn. If you need to make a right turn, you have to lean your body to the right, and shift the weight, which will reduce the effect of the centrifugal force. This is especially important at high speeds, where a significant degree of lean is needed, so that the centrifugal force doesn’t pull you back and tip your bike over.

In addition to these basic things you have to remember when riding a sport bike, you also have to make sure you wear protective gear, obey traffic rules, and never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.