10 Bike Riding Hacks that Every Rider Should Know

Riding efficiency offered by motorcycles make them the undisputed leaders of Indian roads. They are not only convenient and fun to use, but also are fuel-efficient. This makes them an ideal substitute for public vehicles and other modes of personal transport.

But with great convenience comes greater risk. It is essential to be cautious while using a bike. Your ride must be as safe as your bike’s efficiency. Having bike insurance will secure you and your bike from any losses occurring due any accidents. Here are some quick bike hacks to take care of your bike and ensure safety while using it:

1. Keep the right accessory set handy

One of the top bike riding hacks is to keep all the essential accessories handy. It will not only ensure safety but also improve the bike riding experience. Gearing up with the right clothing is equally essential as carrying additional accessories. For instance, when out on a long ride, riding a two-wheeler in t-shirts, shorts and sandals can be uncomfortable as well as unsafe.

You may thus want to switch to clothing options such as reinforced jackets, leathers, boots and pants. Essential accessories can include glasses for open-faced helmets, gloves, and the right helmets to go with for the highest safety reinforcements.

2. Continue bike ride in your comfort zone

Bikers, especially those who have purchased new two-wheelers, often choose to experiment with their riding styles and take unchartered routes. However, an unfamiliar riding route that is out of your comfort zone comes with a set of risks such as skids and badly-timed brakes. If not cautious, these can lead to unfortunate accidents.

Similarly, riding a bike on new routes with unknown bends and turns poses a high degree of risk to the rider as well as the two-wheeler. For example, going for off-road trips with your bike where the riding surface is uneven can result in dysfunctional shock absorbers, loosened brake systems etc. Thus, one of the important bike hacks is to use your bike in familiar territories within your comfort zones only.

3. Inspect before gearing up for your ride

Giving your bike a quick inspection before taking it for a ride can prove to be a life-saver. For instance, checking tyre pressure, mirror placements, and light focus before the ride can help you drive safely on dark roads, uneven surfaces and busy routes.

Going for a quick inspection can also reveal minute misplacements such as loosened bolts, fuel leaks, or any other mechanical hazard that can bear high risks. Staying diligent regarding timely vehicular care and maintenance can prove to be another great bike riding hack that can nip any riding risks in the bud.

4. Combine manual cognizance with mirror check

When riding two-wheelers, we often rely heavily on mirrors to track surrounding traffic. While side mirrors lend essential insight for improved safety during a ride, it is also equally prudent to manually check for nearby vehicles, especially at the road bends. In such situations, mirror views are often limited with defined easy-to-miss blind spots.

5. Be cautious of steep road curves while riding

One of the trickiest bike riding experiences is to tread through sharp turns since steep road curves can be risky if not navigated discreetly. Extra care is needed when the roads are not clear and could have loose gravel or potholes. The most prudent bike riding decision would be to read such road conditions well and drive slow while driving through road bends.

6. Keep weather forecast information handy

Readily available information about the impending weather of the place you are going to travel to is an essential bike hack. You can keep track of weather updates and plan your bike ride according to the circumstance. Your riding experience critically depends on the location’s weather and preparing for it can help you decide on the speed, braking techniques based on the road conditions, associated risks etc.

7. Avoid high-speed rides in crowded places

One of the most commonly known and equally ignored bike-riding tricks is that one should not travel on a two-wheeler at high speed, especially in crowded locations. Most road safety guidelines include this bike riding hack as an essential inclusion to one’s everyday travelling experience.

8. Use right braking techniques

Using the right braking technique is the key to safe riding and the long-lasting performance of your bike. Front brakes of the bikes are often critical to timely speed reduction, changing the velocity of your bike right in time as and when needed. However, when driving at high speeds, using the front brakes can be equally dangerous due to the risk of sudden velocity shift. Therefore, it is advised to use a mix and match of front and rear brakes as the latter helps in successfully slowing down the bike without skidding.

9. Avoid using all four fingers to initiate clutch shifts during full-throttle bike rides

Using all fingers to initiate clutch shifts is okay while travelling at slow speeds. However, once the bike is rolling, especially when the terrain is uneven, there needs to be equal control on the clutch and brake for a smoother ride. Thus, using the clutch with two fingers while the rest are focused on the braking system offers improved control while riding the bike.

10. Practice circular turns

One of the essential life-saving bike riding hacks for improved safety is to enhance control over bike turns by practising circular turns—both to the left and right. While it may sound basic, such practice can offer critically improved control, especially when travelling through crowded places that require frequent braking and taking turns for safe driving.

Using these bike hacks can be critically essential to the overall riding comfort and convenience. Not to mention, using them allows you to ride your desired bike for longer than its standard life duration, offering increased value for money.