Safety Tips

Hand Signals

These are some basic motorcycle hand signals. Remember, these signals must be seen to be understood.

Acknowledge comprehension of the signal by a nod of the head or a flick of the dimmer switch.The rider in the rear can turn off or flick the headlight to attract the attention of the forward rider; the forward rider acknowledges with a nod or a "come alongside" signal, then the rear rider makes a signal. These signals have been purposely kept left-handed to keep the right hand on the throttle-brake controls for safety's sake.

	Headlight Tap on top of head, open palm down.
	You Lead Arm extended (palm forward) down. Begin behind hip and swing forward in an arc away from the body about 45 degrees from vertical. Come Alongside Same motion as You Lead, but stop at side and point to position for the other motorcycle.
	Obstruction on the Road Point immediately with emphasis. (Sometimes this must be done with Right arm)
	Stop or Slow DownSlow down or Stop Arm extended straight down, palm back. Animal or physical hazard in road, point to hazard
	Single File Arm and Index finger extended straight up
	Return to Staggered Formation from Single File Staggered Formation Arm extended straight up with "rams horn" sign. Swing hand left and right.
	Ride Double File (Two abreast) Arm extended straight up with "rams horn" sign.

Group Riding Safety

• Keep each group small, a maximum of 5 bikes per group.
• Give passing vehicles a break. If it is safe to pull over to the shoulder, do it. Form a single file and let him pass.
• Never ride side by side. Always travel in a staggered formation. Keep at least a two second distance behind the bike directly in front of you, and at least one second behind the bike off to your side.
• Ease the group apart or form a single file when entering or leaving a highway, when potential hazards appear, or entering your favorite twisty road
• A group has no special privileges. Everyone must stick to the rules of the road
• When passing slower vehicles, do so one at a time, and only when it is safe.
• Use common sense. Group riding is fun and can be done safely and in a manner that does not interfere with anyone else.

Group Riding Tips

• Don't be a lemming. You, not the leader, are riding your bike - check for traffic - don't just follow
• Stay within the bounds of your skill level. Don't be influenced by the bike ahead of you diving into curves like a F-16 - this is not a race.
• If someone in your group pulls onto the shoulder and stops - Don't follow him - stay with the group. The tail-end bike is designated by the leader to stop and help.
• In parking, the leader will try to find an area big enough for everyone. If he can't, find your own spot.
• Remember the ride leader appreciates your suggestions, but not at 100kph. If you know of an interesting place, restaurant or route, tell him/her before the ride. NOT while cruising down the highway.
• Relax and enjoy the ride - remember, getting there is half the fun

Team Riding
Group Riding: Leisure riding in a group. This is where you are traveling with people you know and you all agree to conform to, and abide by, certain "rules of the road".

Team Riding: Riders in a group act as a "unit" or "team" while moving down the highway and working through traffic together as if they were all "one" motorcycle. Tighter in formation and "rules" than Group Riding.

A good team member...

• Assumes a responsibility to work with his or her team mates for the safety and protection of the team while on the road and especially while in traffic.
• Maintains a steady speed and spacing. (Yo-Yo-ing, and/or straggling, by a member of the team disrupts the efforts of the other team members to regulate their speed and destroys the main purpose of riding as a team).
• Stays alert and aware, because the lives of each team member is in his hands.
• Maintains a MINIMUM, but SAFE, riding distance from the bike in front of him, depending on riding conditions. ("Holes" in the team formation not only makes the group take up more highway, but invites motorists traveling at higher speeds to cut into the formation and run up on the bike in front of the straggler. Each team member is to work together to protect the other.)

Suggested Guidelines...

• Anyone NOT wishing to ride as part of the team should separate themselves at a safe distance from those riding as a team while on the road.
• Each team should consist of NOT more than five motorcycles. Four is the preferred number.
• More motorcycles than five should break into two or more riding teams and travel independent of each other, with each team traveling at least several hundred yards apart.
• Each team should have a designated "Team Leader" and "Drag Bike". They should work together to maneuver the team safely through traffic.
• Each team travels in a staggered formation within a given car lane with the Team leader taking the position next to the center stripe.
• When entering "Moderate" traffic, from a parking lot to the street for example, the Drag bike MAY move slowly into the traffic stream first, giving the Team leader and the other team members an opportunity to pull out ahead of him. This, when done with caution, will keep the team together while getting on the road. Each team member should be prepared to move out quickly and assume his riding position within the team as they pull out onto the street. NO attempt should be made to pull out onto the street and stop to block the traffic so others can pull out. This is UNWISE, UNSAFE, and ILLEGAL.
• When passing a vehicle on a two lane, two-way road, each team member should pass in order and in turn. The Team leader should accelerate far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to allow room for the rest of the team to pass and the Drag bike should inform the Leader when he's around and back in formation.
• Lane Changes by the Team on Highways with two or more lanes going in the same direction should be made from the last bike first to the first bike last. That is, the Drag bike is the first one in the group to make the lane change. The Team leader will inform the Drag of the need to move the team into another lane and the number of the lane to move into. As the first opportunity, the Drag bike moves into the new lane, preventing any traffic from trying to pass the team in that lane. The Drag bike informs the team when the lane is blocked an each team member, making a head check first, moves into the new lane starting with the team member closest to the Drag bike, (which is already in the new lane), and in sequence up to the Team Leader. The Team leader is the last one to move into the new lane.
• When stopping at a traffic light or stop sign, all team members should pull up two abreast while waiting, each one behind the bike they were directly behind when they were moving.
• When leaving a traffic light or stop sign, the Team leader always moves out first. The number two bike, which had been parked beside the Team leader at the light, moves ONLY after the Team leader's bike has moved far enough forward so that any sudden sideways movement will not result in a collision. The other team members start, and in turn, and in the SAME manner, leaving the Drag bike to be the last one to move. No one should accelerate up, even with, or past, any team member that was in front of them while traveling. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PRACTICE.
• When the team moves from a stopped position, the Team leader should accelerate slowly enough for all team members to get rolling and regroup without having to turn on a lot of speed to do it. Each team member should move out smoothly and the Drag bike inform the Leader so he can attain the posted speed
• When turning at intersections, each team member should stay in his or her respective lane positions throughout the FULL ARC of the turn.
• Riding in Mountain curves should always be done single file
• Riding on narrow one lane roads should always be done single file.

Choosing A Helmet
Motorcycle riding has special personal hazards and no helmet can protect the head against all foreseeable high speed and low speed impacts. The protective capability of a helmet is difficult to measure at the time of purchase because there are untold number of accidents. A helmet can provide protection only to the extent that your head is covered with the helmet.

For maximum head protection, the helmet must be of proper fit and the retention system must be securely fastened under the chin. Failure to have a proper fit and to securely fasten the helmet is dangerous as the helmet could come off in an accident resulting in severe head injury or death.

Before purchasing a helmet, please read all the steps below carefully.
If any helmet, by any manufacturer, doesn't feel like it fits you properly, or doesn't meets your needs, Keep looking!

To determine proper fit:

1. Measure your head size. Pass a tape measure horizontally around your head at a height of about one inch (2.5cm) above your eyebrows that results in the largest measurement.
2. Select the helmet that is closest to your head size using this sizing chart. In some cases, the helmet may not always exactly meet your head size. If your measurement falls between two sizes, try on the smaller size first.
3. Try the helmet on: Expand the helmet opening with your hands, (see Diagram A) and slide your head into the helmet. Pull the chin-straps only, not the chin strap covers. Pulling on the covers may rip them. If the helmet is not tight, it is too big for you. If you are unfamiliar with helmets you may be reluctant to pull down the helmet, which should feel tight. Even if you feel it is difficult to put it on, please use the smallest helmet possible. You should feel a snug fit.

Check for a proper fit: With the helmet on, go through the following checklist to determine whether the helmet is the correct size.

1. Check whether the helmet inner lining fits snugly all around your head.
2. Check whether the top pad presses closely on the top of your head.
3. Check whether the cheekpads are in contact with your cheeks.
4. Check to make sure there is no space around your brow under the inner lining, where you can insert your fingers.
5. Now, take hold of the helmet with a hand on each side. Without moving your head, try to move the helmet up and down, and side to side. You should feel the skin of your head and face being pulled as you try to move the helmet. If you can move the helmet around easily, it is too big so get a smaller size.

Check the retention system:

1. Fasten the chin strap as tight as possible without causing you pain (see diagram B). There must be no slack in the strap and it must be tight up against your chin.
2. With the chin strap secured, put your hands flat on the back of the helmet and try to push the helmet off by rotating it forward.
3. Next, put your hands on the front of the helmet above your forehead (or on the chin guard) and try to push the helmet off by rotating it toward the rear.(see diagram C)
4. If the helmet starts to come off in either direction, do not use the helmet. Either the helmet is too large for you or the chin strap is not tightened enough.

REPEAT ALL OF THE ABOVE STEPS UNTIL YOU HAVE A PROPER FIT AND THE HELMET IS SECURELY FASTENED.

Tightening the chin strap correctly is extremely important:

Try to pull down on the chin strap with the tips of your fingers - if the strap is not up against your chin or loosens, you have not properly put the strap through the D rings. If your chin strap is loose, the shock of an impact may knock your helmet off, leaving your head completely unprotected. Do not use a helmet that can be rolled off the head with the chin strap fastened, because that means that helmet may come off in an accident, resulting in death or serious personal injuries.

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