Debunking 10 Common Motorcycle Myths

Riding motorcycles can be a wildly fun and exciting experience. However, this complex activity is fraught with potential danger and misinformation. For those new to riding, separating fact from fiction could make the difference between enjoying the ride and falling into costly or dangerous mistakes on two wheels.

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1. Rider Training Courses are a Waste of Time or Money  

Rider training courses can have a high cost of admission, but they’re always a bargain for the information you receive. A basic riding course is imperative when starting out, especially in specific states. Taking advanced rider training courses, or even track day lessons, will help improve a rider’s skills and confidence.

The lessons you learn in a motorcycle safety course could potentially save a rider’s life, making it priceless.

2. Sometimes it’s Okay to Not Wear All the Riding Gear

Some riders feel riding gear doesn’t look cool, or that it’s simply too hot to wear all the gear every time they ride. Nobody plans to have an accident, but they can, and often do, happen just blocks from home. 

It’s important to prioritize your comfort and safety when riding. If extreme temperatures, like riding your motorcycle in the heat, prevent you from comfortably wearing appropriate protective gear summer gear, it’s advisable to postpone your ride. 

3. MYTH: All Riding Gear is Basically the Same

Many believe that wearing any old boots, jeans or helmet will suffice, but not all gear is created equal. Slide-on boots with elasticized ankles provide no protection or support. While regular jeans are better than shorts, they’re not designed to withstand a big slide. 

Alternatively, the way proper riding pants are often designed with reinforced seams and Kevlar-stitched fabric for added protection. A full-face helmet is proven to be much safer than a beanie lid in the event of a crash.

4. All Riders Should Start with a Small Bike

As a general rule, starting with a small-displacement bike around 250 – 500 ccs, is a good idea. These motorcycles tend to be lighter and easier to handle, with low power outputs, helping to prevent a novice rider from getting in over their head. Slightly larger bikes, like the Triumph Bonneville T100 or a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883, can also be easy to manage thanks to low seat heights and modest power– these models may be well-suited for tall or plus-size riders.

5. Motorcycle is Past its Useful Life by 30,000 Miles

This may be true for bikes that have been poorly maintained, but many motorcycles built in the past few decades are engineered to go much farther, even up to 100,000 miles with proper care. A higher-mileage motorcycle, diligently cared for by a fastidious rider, is a smarter choice than a low-mileage bike that’s been poorly maintained.

Plus, new riders can save money on their first motorcycle purchase since higher mileage bikes tend to depreciate in value faster.

6. It’s Safest to Just Ride Around Town

Many new riders believe they’ll be safest riding if they avoid the interstate freeways. While the higher speeds of the freeway do offer less reaction time to avoid an incident, and the consequences of a high-speed crash can be more serious, statistically there are fewer accidents on the interstate.  

The controlled-access of freeways mean there aren’t intersections which are where most incidents occur. 

7. Riding in the Middle of the Lane is the Safest Place

Most new riders want to ride in the middle of the lane, thinking it’s safest to keep distance between them and anything in the surrounding lanes. In fact, it’s safer to ride either side of center where you can maintain a defensive position. Plus, the middle of the lane tends to be where the most oil or debris collects, making it more slippery, particularly when it rains.

8. Steer Where You Want to Go

Riders who’ve spent most of their time on a bicycle before getting into motorcycling may find the idea of counter-steering counterintuitive. At speed, a motorcycle changes directions easiest when a rider leans the bike into the turn, pushing on the handlebar that’s at the inside of the turn, effectively steering away from the turn.

This is called counter-steering, and it becomes a natural, fluid motion for riders with even a little bit of experience.

9. Other Motorists Will Follow the Rules of the Road

Being on a motorcycle is a more vulnerable position than being in a car or truck. There’s no safety cage built around a bike, and motorcycles are much smaller, making them sometimes trickier to spot on the road by fellow motorists than a larger vehicle. Because of this, a smart, defensive rider should always assume he or she cannot be seen by other drivers. Other drivers do make mistakes, but in a fight between motorcycle and car, the bike will never win.

10. Loud Pipes Save Lives

Lastly, many riders, both new and seasoned, believe that having a loud exhaust on their motorcycle will help other motorists notice them. While it can help a rider get noticed when riding beside or in front of a car, chances are the driver has already seen the rider.

When coming from behind, science dictates the Doppler effect prevents most of the sound from those loud pipes from traveling ahead of the bike, making them far less effective than a rider believes. Plus, if a driver has the windows up and the stereo cranked, it’s unlikely they’ll notice those loud pipes until they’re very close, at which point it might be too late.

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The more you understand about these common myths, the easier it becomes to make smart, safe decisions every time you ride. A little knowledge goes a long way in helping you stay confident, enjoy the journey, and get home safely.