Fall poses dangers for bikers Glorious fall is upon us. 

Football, foliage and festivals.

Flushing pheasants. First frost. 

And motorcycle crashes, too. 

Fall, it seems, sees more than its share of cycle wrecks, riders and others say. That makes it a time when safety becomes more important than ever. 

It’s more than likely due to the weather. It brings more people out when it’s nice they are getting in as much riding as they can before winter. 

When the weather is nice, you see more and more motorcycles, it’s important for everyone to share the road. Motorcyclists and other motorists have to be aware of this. 

There are many reasons: 

- Deer running out into the road. Deer are more active in the fall. 

- Poor road conditions, basically, this is the time of year when they oil and chip roads.A lot of times, they don’t do the proper signage or warn of loose stone. 

- They crack-fill the roads this time of year, crack-fill has the friction coefficient of ice. You get a little dew in the morning and, bang, the bike is out from under you. Crack-fill serves its purpose. But when they over-bond, in other words, put it on wider than the crack, it becomes a problem. It’s also a problem when they put it on curves. 

- Leaves is another one, they don’t have to be wet, even dry leaves will kick you. 

- Fall foliage can distract cycle drivers. And there tend to be more riders in the fall. 

- Morning fog is a factor, as well as the time change and the fact that it is getting darker earlier. 



To combat these issues you have to get the proper training, according to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, more than 90 percent of all drivers involved in crashes were either self-taught or taught to ride by friends. That’s why we believe it’s so important to take a motorcycle safety course. 

Responsible driving by all motorists, not just bikers, is vital to reducing the number of motorcycle crashes. What causes crashes is the left turns in front of you, that happens a lot, and generally … the biker gets hurt pretty bad. 

Sharing the road and anticipating problems are important in reducing motorcycle crashes, the results of which tend to be much more serious than crashes of cars and trucks. 

“The biggest thing is this, and it should be your mantra: You have to drive responsibly, you have to observe the speed limit. Do not ride impaired by drugs or alcohol. Maintain the motorcycle in good operating condition. 

Wear safety gear, we recommend the wearing of helmets by all drivers and passengers. Be highly visible in the way you dress. You need to be cautious at intersections. Remember that you’re smaller to the eye than a vehicle or a truck. You have to be alert at all times. And when the weather is bad, stay off the road. 

Motorists in cars and trucks need to be aware of motorcycles on the road as well, double-check your blind spot before changing lanes. Motorcycles can get hidden in traffic because they are smaller. 

Increasingly, motorcyclists are injured or killed in crashes they didn’t cause. The responsibility falls on everyone and the common answer you get after someone turns left right in front of a biker is, ‘I didn’t see him. 

You should run your high-beam headlight during the day, run your spotlights if your bike is so-equipped. Be seen. That’s the most important thing. 

Because increasing numbers of aging baby-boomers are buying and riding motorcycles, more and more of them are involved in crashes. 

There’s no question that we’re seeing more and more middle-aged riders. They are the most likely buyers of big, heavy touring bikes, but not the most likely to be killed. That distinction falls to youngsters riding jet-fast imported bikes grouped under the evocative name “crotch rockets.” 


Crotch rockets make up 5 percent of the market, but they account for almost 25 percent of the fatalities.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 16th, 2007 at 11:13 am and is filed under Sturgis News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.