A street bike can liven up your daily commute, and make work and errands a lot more enjoyable. But riding your motorcycle in traffic is not exactly a cakewalk! After all, you are surrounded by much larger vehicles with drivers that may not always behave in predictable ways. This is a hazardous situation for even the most skilled rider, and beginners need to establish safe habits before they can take on city streets.

This guide from Northern Power Sports covers the basics of street bike safety. If you are looking for more information about street bikes, feel free to ask our qualified staff. You can find us in Fairbanks, AK.

Visibility is perhaps the most important key to staying safe on your street bike. Forget about wearing all black: you need brightly colored gear to make sure drivers and pedestrians can see you. High-visibility helmets and jackets are readily available at gear shops, and they come in a wide variety of styles. You can also upgrade your bike with brighter headlights and reflective decals to boost visibility.

Riding in traffic often means having to make split-second decisions, and you never want to find yourself fumbling around for your brake lever. To keep reaction time to a minimum, keep a finger or two on the brake lever, and place your right toe near the rear brake pedal. That way you will be ready to brake at a moment’s notice.

You should watch your mirrors closely, of course – just remember they don’t always give you the full story. When making turns or changing lanes, be sure to glance over the appropriate shoulder to gather more information about your surroundings before you proceed.

In a perfect world, every motorist would make good use of their turn signals. In the real world, you sometimes have to make an educated guess about a vehicle’s trajectory. Watching the head movements of motorists through their windows and mirrors can help you anticipate their actions. Most drivers will not make any sudden moves without first moving their heads one way or another, even if they do not bother to check their mirrors.

Motorcycles are light and maneuverable, and you can use that to your advantage in sticky situations. Always be on the lookout for escape routes, whether they be openings between vehicles or safe places to pull over.

We hope you found these tips helpful! Looking to get your hands on a new street bike? Come check out our selection at Northern Power Sports in Fairbanks, AK. We welcome customers from North Pole and College, AK.