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Safety, safety, safety – we can’t say it enough

There’s nothing like a great ride on a beautiful day. Cruising down the back roads of New England is one of life’s pleasures. You get a great sense of freedom when you ride a motorcycle, but to be safe, you should always be aware of your surroundings.

While there are many variables you can’t control, there are some that you can. You can greatly increase your safety by making sure you’re always visible to other vehicles.

Please remember to be safe, be seen and enjoy the riding season.

1. Always wear the proper attire. Boots, jeans, chaps, leather jacket or vest, gloves and safety glasses of some kind are a must to keep yourself safe if you ever hit the pavement. This will help you avoid road rash.
   NOTE: Although helmets are not required for adults, they are required for 17-18 year-old riders and permittees.
2. Check your tire pressure every time you ride. You only have 2 tires on the road and they should be properly inflated for the bike and load you’re carrying.
3. When riding your bike try and stay out of other vehicles blind spots and make sure you are SEEN! You can do this by flashing high beams at cars in front of you, keeping a safe distance behind another vehicle, using your horn when passing.
4. When carrying stuff in your saddlebags try and load them evenly with heavier items going in the right saddlebag. This is due to the heavier primary being on the left of the bike.
5. A quick safety inspection before you ride can save your life. A fast walk around the bike looking for leaks, broken wires, cracks in brake discs, spoke damage, loose chains or belts, tire pressure, these should be checked EVERY TIME.
6. Make sure your bike is properly insured. If you have custom parts or motor work keep the receipts in a safe place.
7. For those that have custom bikes get a CT State Appraiser to write an appraisal on your bike. This will help establish the value if anything ever happens to it.
8. Take pictures of your bike from all sides and keep them in a safe place just in case.