There always seem to be a lot of misconceptions about motorcycles out there, some can even be dangerous. People who ride tend to ignore most of them, but it is really important to decipher some of the facts from the fiction out there.
One thing for sure, motorcycles are not for everyone but for those who get it, the passion for bikes and everything that goes with them runs deep. So, let's establish which 5 myths people believe about motorcycles and 5 that are actually true.
10 Myth: Loud Pipes Save Lives
This is one that may well have been born out of somebody's desire to purchase (and justify) a high-performance aftermarket exhaust. These pipes tend to be pretty loud, and the theory does hold some water in the sense that it makes other motorists more aware of the bike by being louder than anything else out there.
The reality is loud pipes tend to just be an annoyance to others, no matter how much we enjoy them!
9 Fact: Motorcycles Are Dangerous
For most people who own bikes, this is part of the thrill, and even though there have been many advancements in both safety and safety equipment, motorcycles are still dangerous.
They are two-wheeled machines, a couple of feet off the tarmac with no seat-belts, and a power to weight ratio that no 4-wheeled machine can match.
8 Myth: Crash To Avoid A Bigger Crash
The fact that riders do this is rather bewildering and the fact that they spread this crazy fallacy is downright dangerous. Ride the bike and keep it going at all costs!
If you crash, so be it, for the vast majority of us that is the reality of riding, but for goodness’ sake, don’t intentionally find a ditch, there is no such thing as a controlled accident on a motorcycle.
7 Fact: Motorcycles Are Harder To See
This is a pretty simple one to clear up; most bikes are just so much smaller than even a compact car the average distracted motorist can look straight at them and not see them. Simply because it isn’t the ‘car’ they are reflexively looking for.
As a rule, most bikers make themselves as visible as possible, so the next time you see a luminescent pink helmet it may not be a fashion accessory, more like a safety feature.
6 Myth: ABS Hinders Braking Performance
This is another myth that if believed can be dangerous, especially for new riders. For seasoned riders who have never owned a bike with ABS this might be true, but anyone who owns a modern bike will tell you ABS has saved them a spill, often many times over. It is arguably the biggest safety innovation to come to motorcycles since the full-face helmet.
5 Fact: Lane-splitting Can Actually Be Safe
A lot of countries outlaw this, which is almost bizarre when you consider that the police on highway patrol are on bikes to do precisely this. One of the main reasons people buy a motorcycle is because of how easy it is to negotiate slow-moving traffic; the problem is some people take it too far and blast between cars at over 100 mph putting themselves and other motorists in danger, ruining it for everyone.
4 Myth: Riding Gear Is Too Hot
There is now riding gear out there for every season, so if you live in a tropical country or just have seriously hot summers there is a jacket made for you.
Mesh jackets, in particular, have come a long way in the last decade, still pretty warm in slow-moving traffic but if you only ride in slow-moving traffic there are even protective shirts on the market that are even lighter and cooler.
3 Fact: Old Riding Gear Is Unsafe
Firstly, riding with old or expired gear is still safer than riding with no gear at all. So not wearing a helmet, or hopping on a literbike with a t-shirt is still inexcusable.
Most gear has an expiration date; helmet lining will only see 5 years of duty, the most commonly used armor in a jacket will only last around 4 years, and gloves generally just wear out.
2 Myth: Other Drivers Don't Care About Motorcycles
This is a myth likely based on the frequency of lethal accidents involving motorcycles and cars. It is a pretty obvious reality that if you hit a car, or a car hits you the car will win every time.
Another issue is the public perception created by some sort of imagined rivalry between car and motorcycle enthusiasts, which is strange because most people who love one also love the other.
1 Fact: Experience Helps
Although obvious, somehow people will still beg to differ. Years of riding will teach you a few things, by no means do you ever stop learning, no matter how long or how far you have ridden, there are still things you can learn, a technique to improve or a new bike to master.