A strong argument to be made against having an audio system in your helmet for example like a Cardo system is that it is distracting to the rider if they are listening to music. That is a strong argument and is true and some cases but I believe the benefits outweigh the cons drastically.

When riding in a group having good communication with one another is key. Throughout the years people have come up with plenty of hand signals to try and convey what they are trying to say.

https://schroeder-mandel.com/a-drivers-guide-to-motorcycle-hand-signals/

As you can see many of these signals look incredibly similar and would also be incredibly easy to get mixed up. That’s why audio systems are so important. Rather then hoping the other rider understands what your saying you can directly talk to them and say exactly what your thinking.

Personally I’ve had experiences where I’m warned ahead of time about hazards in the road, cars, police, and even deer jumping out into the road. That’s why I feel so strongly about having audio systems installed in your helmet and that its not just for listening to music.

Rumors about Yamaha discontinuing there premium 1000CC sports bike has been stirring up the motorcycle community as of late. The R1 is many peoples favorite bike with many people wishing to one day own one but with Yamahas concerning comments surrounding the bike it is looking less and less likely that they will continue making the R1 for road use.

This is not Yamahas first time discontinuing a bike not to long ago they discontinued the R6 which was a 599CC engine which was also a fan favorite but Yamaha decided to replace it with their R7 which doesn’t nearly output as much power but has better margins for the company. With the R6 having 4 cylinders and the R7 only having 2 it is quite clear why people were upset with both bikes also being similarly priced.

The reason its quite clear why Yamaha will be discontinuing the R1 is they have not made any statements about the new Euro 5+ emissions requirements, and with a new motorcycle called the R9 expected to be released in 2025 Yamaha has very little incentive to keep producing the R1 which is already in a dying segment in the markets. The reason the market is dying is many people are either not skilled enough to ride such a powerful bike or simply do not have enough money to purchase it. Yamaha is trying to grab the middle market which is exactly where the R7 is placed.

Fortunately people will still be able to get their hands on the R1 through the use of private sales. The only downside to this is the prices will sky rocket and many people will be forced to pay a premium for a used bike. The good news however is companies like Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Honda have not expressed any desire to discontinue their high preforming sport bikes which are direct competitors with the R1.

A lot of people are not familiar with the 70/30 rule. The rule states that you should use about 70% of the front brakes and 30% of your rear brakes to come to a complete stop.

I have been told by many people that you actually don’t want to use the front brake when coming to a stop because you don’t want to wear out your front disk brakes. This is an unsafe practice however because it is incredibly easy to lock up the rear tire using this practice as the rear brake will not stop you nearly as efficiently as the front brakes. After all, the suspension is not dipping into the road for extra traction like the front does.

Always remember to use your front brake when stopping but never in a turn as it could result in a highside. There are many rules on when you should use the rear or the front brake which is why I highly recommend going and taking a basic rider course to help you understand.

The big question that many up-and-coming riders have when first starting out is “What kind of motorcycle should I get”? If you happen to be blessed enough to be able to afford any time of motorcycle you want then this article may help you decide.

As the picture at the top shows sports bikes have an appeal to many people. There are two main sports bike groups to look at. The first one which is what the picture shows is called a “super sport”. Supersport bikes typically come in around 600 CC engines or their larger brothers the 1000 CC engines “CC” meaning cubic centimeters which are measuring the engine. The super sport sports bikes typically have an inline 4 engine which means they have four cylinders and are typically pushing 130 horsepower or over and reaching 150 MPH+. If you’re first starting out these types of bikes should immediately be off your radar. They are the opposite of beginner-friendly with the Kawasaki zx-10r being nicknamed the “widow maker” back in the day solely because of the sheer power it produced with minimal electronic assistance. If you were still interested in sports bikes and one day wanted to move into getting a super sport bike I would recommend the second category of sport bike which is known as the “sport touring” bike. Sport-touring motorcycles have a much more relaxed body position while still having that sporty feel and look to them. Sport touring bikes are typically much less powerful and incredibly more beginner-friendly. Some sport touring bikes I would recommend looking into are the (Kawasaki Ninja 650, Kawasaki Ninja 400) (Yamaha R7) (and Honda CBR 650 R).

The Dual Sport dirt bike has an incredible following from people who want a little adventure in their lives. Speaking from experience riding a dual sport motorcycle is one of the most freeing experiences you can have as you feel like no road or no mountain can stop you. You feel as if you can go anywhere at a minute’s notice and that is a part of the appeal for many. Dual sport motorcycles are also incredibly beginner friendly with many of them either being 250CC all the way up to 500CC. If you wanted to experiment with some off-roading I would highly recommend getting a dual sport bike as they are one of the cheapest motorcycles you can get new or used.

Now we have a motorcycle which is known as the “cruiser” or “bagger”. The word cruiser is for obvious reasons they are meant to cruise on at a slower pace and are far more comfortable than any other motorcycle. These types of bikes are also named “baggers” due to them usually being equipped with bags near the rear tire for storage as they are often used to travel across the country! If you’re not looking to go fast and dip down into corners are explore trails and dirt roads and would much rather go at a slow pace as the wind hits your face then I would highly recommend getting a cruiser. The only downside to getting a cruiser is that they are extremely heavy and harder to maneuver at slower speeds which could be quite difficult for a beginner to get used to. Luckily there are lighter cruisers available for beginners.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what your needs are and frankly what you can afford. If you’re strapped for cash investing in a used dual sport motorcycle off facebook marketplace would be in your best interests. But if you’re dying to go 150 MPH+ and you don’t mind dropping a pretty penny then you know just what type of bikes to search up.

ID 21218976© Antonella865| Dreamstime.com

It’s no secret that wearing a helmet can prevent serious injury but the question is by how much does it actually reduce injury? Well according to the CDC by just wearing a helmet it can prevent head injuries by a whopping 69% and even when they were injured the helmets helped reduce the injury to the person.

I understand that not wearing a helmet can be very freeing but is it really worth all that much added on risk? I don’t think so. I personally know a friend whos brother recently got in a motorcycle accident and he was not wearing a helmet and unfortunately he will never be able to go back to 100% functionality. The kicker of the whole ordeal is that they explained that the injury could have been prevented if he had just worn a helmet.

The next time you decide to ride without a helmet think about the consequences and whether or not it’s really worth it because at the end of the day, the roads are unpredictable and we should do everything in our power to minimize that risk.

Work Cited

Levin, Gabriel. “How Much Does a Motorcycle Helmet Increase Survivability?” The Levin Firm, 21 July 2022, levininjuryfirm.com/motorcycle-helmet-survival-rate/#:~:text=The%20risk%20of%20a%20head,injuries%20in%20a%20motorcycle%20accident.

As a motorcyclist myself I have noticed that a lot of people in the biker community seem to get along quite well with each other and strike up easy going conversation right on the spot. Not only that but it is very common to get a wave from another biker on the road almost as if they are saying hi and to be safe.

Not only that but it also seems that bikers are always willing to offer a helping hand and almost looking to offer a helping hand at any chance they get. I believe the unspoken bond comes from the realization of the risk that each rider takes every single time they get on a bike. Not only that but I also believe many bikers are passionate about riding and like sharing that love with other riders.