How safe are motorcycles? This is the question that all nervous mothers fret over when their son or daughter decides to start riding. This makes you wonder, “Is there such a thing as a safe motorcycle?”

Are Motorcycles Safe?

If you’re an experienced rider, you might know that you’re 27 times more likely to be killed on a motorcycle than as a passenger in a car. Although these numbers don’t look great, there are a number of ways you can stay safer on the road, including:

  1. Following the motorcycle safety tips in this article
  2. Choosing the safest motorcycle for you

Let’s get into those tips now so you can start saving your parents some sleepless nights!

Tip #1: Ride Responsibly – Don’t Rely on Others to Be Aware of You

If you’re wondering how to ride a motorcycle safely, the answer is always the same: you need to ride with full awareness.

Motorcyclists are among the most aware road users. However, they remain some of the most vulnerable. As a result, it’s vital you practice safe motorcycle riding habits to maintain rider safety:

  • Always signal early
  • Don’t assume others have seen you
  • Stay out of drivers’ blind spots
  • Respect and obey all traffic laws

The best way to instill these riding habits early on is through a riding school. Even those with experience on dirt bikes, scooters, etc. can benefit from learning the fundamentals and best practices of navigating the road on two wheels.

Riding responsibly with high awareness will make you a safe rider. Moreover, tools like Damon’s award-winning 360° Advanced Warning System for Motorcycles (AWSM™) can deliver situational awareness like never before.

Learn more about our AWSM™ and our other groundbreaking electric motorcycle technology. 

Tip #2: Ride a Motorcycle that Fits You Correctly

This is so important. If you’re riding a motorcycle that’s uncomfortable or ill-fitting, get it on Craigslist right now and go get a motorcycle that fits you properly!

Comfort is essential to ensuring your own safety on the road, and it’s impossible to be comfortable if your bike is the wrong size, height, or weight. 

Which factors determine whether a bike fits you or not? Here are some tell-tale signs:

  • You are easily able to reach the controls
  • You can reach all shift levers with your feet
  • You have control of your bike when standing up in a stopped position

For certain types of bikes – such as sports bikes – motorcycle ergonomics and rider comfort are often an afterthought. However, brands are now using technology to ensure high speeds don’t mean low comfort levels. One example of this is our Shift™ technology, which allows riders to adjust both their footpegs and handlebars at the touch of a button. Take a look at it in action below:

If you don’t choose a motorcycle that prioritizes bike ergonomics you won’t just be uncomfortable – you may also be increasing fatigue and, therefore, the likelihood of an accident. Therefore, our second tip is to make sure your motorcycle fits you and is comfortable to ride. 

grey damon hypersport premier in a parking lot
Damon HyperSport Premier Prototype

Tip #3: Choose a Bike with Forward-Thinking Safety Features

As previously mentioned, the technological innovations that motorcycles have undergone in the past few years mean that new motorcycles have features to help you ride with more awareness.

These innovations include:

  • LED Lighting: It might not sound that exciting, but the switch across the board to LED lighting is a game-changer for nighttime rides. LEDs produce more light and visibility while using significantly less power. If you’re an electric motorcycle rider, this is music to your ears. 
  • Onboard Diagnostics: Interactive dashboards have improved tenfold over the last five years. For electric motorcycles, not only is Bluetooth connectivity and information on the nearest level 2 chargers expected but so is onboard diagnostics. Active suspension, battery levels, tire pressure monitoring, rearview cameras – all of these increase riders’ understanding of their bike and provide a feeling of safety and self-control. 
  • Stability Control: A stability monitoring system can analyze traction and lean-angle to ensure the right level of braking and power is applied when taking corners. This is a safety game-changer, especially in poor weather conditions.
  • Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS): ABS prevents the wheels from locking up while braking in emergency situations. This helps the wheels maintain tractive contact with the road’s surface, allowing you to continue to steer to safety.

Technology’s influence can only further improve rider safety and contribute to safe motorcycle riding. So, why not take advantage of that? If you’re in the market for a new motorcycle, make sure you choose a motorcycle that has forward-thinking safety features.

Tip #4: Carry Out Regular Motorcycle Maintenance

If you want to stay safe, you have to keep your motorcycle humming along nicely with regular motorcycle maintenance. Here are a few items you’ll have to regularly check off your motorcycle maintenance checklist:

  • Change the oil
  • Replace the air filter
  • Change the coolant
  • Check the chain slack
  • Inspect the brake pads

While all riders will have to perform some maintenance, electric motorcycle owners will spend less time on maintenance and more time riding.

Besides the clear environmental advantages of owning an electric motorcycle, the lack of maintenance and the increased level of onboard diagnostics available are two of the many reasons electric motorcycles are better than their ICE counterparts.

The little maintenance involved in electric motorcycles makes them safer, easier to pick up as a beginner, and could potentially save you thousands of dollars in maintenance costs during your ownership. 

Read our blog on electric motorcycle vs gas motorcycle for more information on the key differences. 

Tip #5: Always Ride with the Correct Safety Gear

In addition to following our motorcycle riding tips, you also need to have the correct motorcycle gear. And by correct, we mean safe.

The first on the list is a motorcycle helmet with a protective shield. On top of being lawbreakers, people who don’t wear helmets are also five times more likely to sustain a critical injury.

In addition to a helmet, gloves, leather clothing, and boots with non-skid soles can also protect you in an accident. Furthermore, if you’re driving at night, reflective strips or helmets with LED inserts are also recommended.

You can find the right protective motorcycle gear for you in our guides to motorcycle gear for men and motorcycle gear for women. 

motorcycle rider putting on gloves next to damon hypersport premier prototype
Damon HyperSport Premier Prototype

Tip #6: Pick a Motorcycle for Your Skill Level

In spite of what you’ve heard, bigger is not always better.

New riders are recommended to start off with a motorcycle suited to their comfort and skill levels. This gets you used to the rigors of riding as you hone in your skills. This will eventually prepare you for a higher-performing bike in the future.

Once you’ve got some miles under your belt and riding feels like second nature, you can confidently explore a more powerful bike. Therefore, one of our biggest tips for new motorcycle riders is to start slow and build from there. 

Tip #7: Get Yourself Some Motorcycle Insurance

Even if you’ve found the right motorcycle for you and kitted yourself out with safe motorcycle gear, there’s still one missing piece of the puzzle: insurance.

Without insurance, all these safe motorcycle riding tips are largely redundant. A motorcycle insurance policy gives you the peace of mind that you will be protected even in the worst-case scenario.

Motorcycle insurance policies can be as comprehensive as you want, but there are four motorcycle insurance coverage options that are pretty much non-negotiable:

  • Liability Insurance: This covers the rider if he or she is the cause of an accident that results in personal injury to another party or their property. Plus, it may also cover legal fees in the event of litigation.
  • Medical Payment Coverage: This insurance takes care of those mega-hospital bills for you and/or your passenger. This is particularly helpful in the case that your health insurance plan is inadequate.
  • Uninsured or Underinsured: With as many as one in eight drivers in the USA operating without insurance, being able to guarantee you’re covered is important if you don’t want the bill for someone else’s uninsured mistake.
  • Collision: This covers you in the event of a collision. Should you lease or take out a loan for your motorcycle, this may even be compulsory. Whatever happens, this policy will see you covered even in the event of a self-inflicted slide.

How Safe are Motorcycles? As Safe As You Make Them!

To stay safe on the road, riders need to follow the motorcycle safety tips covered in this article. However, when it comes to the two-wheeled wonders themselves, motorcycles are as safe as they have ever been.

The increasing emergence of technological innovation and forward-thinking safety features has brought the future of motorcycle safety into the present day. This is a belief we truly subscribe to at Damon.

Whether through CoPilot™, Shift™, or HyperDrive™, we believe the only way to bring about a significant change in the future of motorcycle safety is through disruptive technology. And this is only the beginning. 

So, are motorcycles safe? More than ever before, mom.