1. Learn to ride. Yeah, I know it sounds stupid. But you wouldn’t believe how many people buy motorcycles without knowing how to ride one first. Many Harley dealers offer Rider’s Edge courses, aimed at both New and Experienced riders. Or find one of the many Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses in your area. Not only will these classes teach you the fundamentals of operating and riding a bike, but they usually provide a machine for you to ride on. If you are going to drop your bike (and you will, trust me..) its probably better than you do it with a well-worn Buell Blast, rather than your chrome-draped Fatboy.
2. Get a Helmet. Let’s leave that wind-in-the-hair freedom for people who’ve been riding for a while. Next to the bike itself, a helmet is probably the most important purchase you’ll make. And one where buying cheap can definitely cost you. Proper fit is critical, so resist the temptation to buy from a catalog or the web. Go to a motorcycle dealer, find a style you like, and try it on. A good fit will seem “tight” at first, but wear it around the store for 5 minutes or so to allow the foam lining to conform to your head. A fit that seems “right” immediately is probably too loose.
3. Get a license. Again, I’m often amazed at the number of long-time riders who never get around to getting their motorcycle endorsement. Studies show that unlicensed riders are statistically far more likely to be involved in an accident. And even if you don’t crash – not having the right license will cause embarassment, if not worse, if you ever run into the Police.
4. Get the clothes. And no, I don’t mean a fringed leather vest and assless chaps. A good leather motorcycle jacket to start with. Those things they sell at Wilsons don’t count. The leather they use is too thin (bike specific jackets usually have leather 1.4mm+ thick to provide abrasion resistance) and have silly flaps and straps that will blow about in the wind. Sturdy denim jeans will protect the legs, although these are really a minimum. Considering adding knee protection such as these Icon Knee Guards, or full protective riding pants. Wearing shorts on a motorcycle is just stupid. Even if you don’t fall off, you’ll probably burn your legs on the exhaust pipes.
5. Get the boots. Sturdy leather boots that cover the ankle will not only protect your feet in the event of a crash, but they will also provide added traction when you are stopped on wet or oily pavement. This is more of an issue than most non-riders believe.
6. Leave your exhaust alone. If you buy a new bike the exhaust system it comes with is designed for, and perfectly tuned to, your bike. It is possible, but extremely unlikely, that you will add a couple of Horsepower by going to an aftermarket or “performance” muffler. It is far more likely that a) you will end up making your bike run like crap, b) you will annoy your neighbors, and c) you will get a ticket from the local Police (see above). After you’ve got ten or twenty thousand miles on your new bike, then, and only then should you consider changing your exhaust.
7. Learn basic maintenance. For most riders this means three things: Keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure, check your oil level, and keep your battery charged. The correct pressure for your tires is listed in the owners manual that came with your bike. Memorize it, maintain it, and ignore “helpful” advice from riding buddies, internet forums, and the like. Buy a decent tire pressure guage and check your tires at least a couple of times a week during riding season. Check your oil level once a week, or with every gas fill up. More if you start noticing oil drips on the ground. Lastly, bike batteries are small, and have a nasty habit of going flat on bikes that aren’t ridden every day. Buy a BatteryTender and plug your bike in every time you put it in your garage. Trust me on this: maintaining your battery will eliminate at least half of all problems encountered by new bike owners.
8. Develop a relationship with your Dealership. Resist the temptation to classify all Harley dealers as “stealers.” Honestly, there are good, as well as not-so-good, Harley dealers. Recognize that, despite what you may read online, many times the service technicians employed by Harley dealers have extensive training on your bike, to say nothing of a wealth of experience. I’ve also found that having a professional, friendly customer relationship with my local dealer has proven very useful on the couple of occasions when I’ve had a problem.
9. Learn the Lore: There are a few biker customs that probably ARE worth upholding. For instance, its generally considered good manners to park your bike with the back wheel against the curb, and the bike almost perpendicular to the direction of the road. Not only does this allow several bikes to be parked in a single parking space, but it also means you bike is less likely to roll off the kickstand. And it is also customary to wave to motorcycles passing in the opposite direction. I’ll wave to everything from Vespa scooters on up. Its just good manners, however NOT waving is not necessarily an indication of rudeness. Maybe the guy just didn’t see you.
10. Ride your own ride. Motorcycling used to be a pastime for individuals, people who wanted to explore the open road, and weren’t afraid of fitting into society’s neat roles. Somewhere along the line many Harley owners missed this. Owning a Harley suddenly meant that you had to be white, middle-class, middle-aged, conservative. It doesn’t. If you are a white, middle aged conservative guy – great. But if you’re not: don’t worry. There are religous guys who ride bikes, gays, African Americans, Hispanics, women, college professors, garbage collectors, business executives, probably every type of person you can imagine. Just don’t worry about “fitting in.” Learn how to ride and take care of your bike – and you’ll be doing just fine.
