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Summer Season!
Published: 04/25/2011 by Kellie Estes
The summer motorcycling season is one of the most event packed seasons for riding. Whether you are traveling or riding close to home there is something for you this season. Most coastal cities have a rally of sorts and mountainous cities have all types of charity rides and poker runs. During this season it is especially important to make sure you as well as others on the road are safe. It is also a time that you will be out of your home more than normal. During the summer riding season there is also a multitude of festivals where you will be around a lot of people so you may need to protect yourself and your belongings.
The summer season is notorious for motorcycle accidents as there are just more motorcyclist on the road out enjoying the weather. There are a few precautions you can take to make sure you are doing all you can to avoid an accident. Be aware of the blind spots that four or more wheeled vehicles have. If possible avoid weaving in and out of lanes as it is hard for people see you and have time to react in a positive way. Always use your signal when turning and keep your headlight on regardless of a shining sun. Twenty states and the District of Columbia require all riders to wear a helmet. Despite relaxed helmet laws in some states I would recommend always wearing a helmet or some sort of protective head gear. Also make sure to wear reflective clothing while riding during the evening and night.
The best part of the summer motorcycle season is the events. There are so many to choose from and so many places to travel too. This may leave your home a little lonely. Protecting your home and livelihood is something that most people know about but take for granted. Always double check doors and windows to make sure they are locked before a trip. Ask a close neighbor or family friend to check on your home and pick up the mail and newspaper. If these things are left to collect it is a sign to intruders that no one is home. Something that is often forgotten is unplugging and turning off all things using electricity. This is potentially a fire hazard. Nothing can ruin a trip faster than a call from the fire department bearing discouraging news.
While out enjoying the festivities something to think about is protecting your motorcycle and yourself. A few ways to protect your motorcycle from theft are to use disc brake locks, this will not allow the bike to be rolled. Parking in a well lit area and loosening a few spark plugs is also a way to discourage thieves. The loosed spark plugs fool the intruder by making it seem the vehicle has mechanical errors and not suitable for theft. When riding with a group linking a chain through the spokes of all the bikes tires is also a great theft deterrent. Installing a GPS tracking device so that you can always find the motorcycle in the event it is taken is always a good idea.
I hope you have a great riding season and always think safety first. Your life is your most valuable possession it is worth protecting and by following a few simple rules you can keep it in your possession.
