There are a lot of myths attached to motorcycle riding. So, we here bust some of those this week? However, do keep an eye on the segment for more points coming your way next week.
We have heard all the big stories about what might happen if you ride a motorbike, the absurd things you can do to make your machine run faster or thing you should do to prevent any sort of crash. Most of them, if not all, make no sense at all.
Here’s our list of motorcycle myths and legends that you should ignore, if not rubbish it completely.
You should lay down your motorcycle if you are about to crash:
Well, that’s not going to happen. Accidents don’t come with prior warnings; and they happen so quickly that as a driver you are not left with much time to think about doing this. Moreover, it is also pretty weird that you would try and crash even before potentially hitting any sort of risk you are about to encounter. Instead what we suggest is never ever try to lay down your bike; instead, shed your bike’s speed as much as possible and try to stay upright and press both the brakes.
Race tires will make my motorcycle faster on the roads:
This is one of the weirdest motorcycle myths you would hear, for sure. For the record, race tires are entirely different from road tires. Both have different properties and are made from different compounds and are created to work best when really hot to get a good grip of the roads. You are never going to get a perfect set of race tires up to the required temperature out on the highway. There are high possibilities of you falling off at the next crossing, after you set off on your bike. So for safety and security, always stick to your road tires when you are riding on anything apart from race tracks.
Motorcycles are smaller than trucks and cars so police can’t detect you:
Just because your bike is not as big as some of the other vehicles on the road, doesn’t mean you are above the law or out of the police radar. To enjoy a motorcycle ride fully, you must follow the ground rules. By following the traffic rules, you not only make life easier for yourself, but also for other travelers on the road. Moreover, nobody wants to get stopped by the cops and fined on the road. So it’s better to follow rules and stay away from all the police hassles.
I am the safest driver in town:
Well, maybe you are; but just because you have ridden your bike safely for years, without falling off or getting hurt, don’t mean you are safe the next time you go out. However, scary this may sound you must never be complacent. Always ride your motorbike expecting the unexpected. Several tragic stories of motorcycle rides begin with driver’s over-confidence or complacency.
Traction control of a bike will help to go faster:
Well, this is one of those motorcycle legends where the answer is both yes, and no. If you are a newbie into bike riding you will never realize what traction control does; on the other hand, if you are a hardcore racer then chances are traction control might come in your way and slow you down. However, if you feature somewhere in between then it might be a good idea to have traction control as a safety net if you find you are little too fast than expected and out of the corners.
These are 5 crucial motorcycle myths and legends busted by us today; and we shall talk about 5 more points next week. Do watch this space for more. Until then, if you have any new motorcycle myths do share with us!
