Now you have your brand new motorbike license, maybe you are lucky enough to have a fancy new bike in the garage and you’re ready to go riding. It is a hot summer day and the roads are perfectly dry so now is the perfect opportunity to jump on the bike and go riding for the day. Let’s also pretend that you live in the end of one of the best twisty roads in the country, just to make this scenario every rider’s dream.
You may start doing your mental checklist at this point. You have your license, you have your mobile phone, you even have enough petrol for a few hours of writing, but maybe there is something even more important which has not made this checklist, and just for a clue, your not married to her.
It is at this point that there is a very important acronym that you need to remember, this is ATGATT. What is ATGATT? This acronym stands for All The Gear All The Time. This means that even on the hottest summer days it is important to be wearing all of your safety gear when you go riding. This is something that motorbike theory test may not tell you.
There are too many motorbike riders on the roads today who decide that once it becomes a hot that it is no longer important to wear all of that motorbike protective gear that you have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on. No matter what your initial motorbike test costs were, having the correct motorbike protective gear from the very beginning is definitely worth the investment. And I can’t emphasize enough the word investment, because an investment in the safety of your body is really what it is.
You see these sorts of riders fly past you wearing a pair of thongs, shorts and a T-shirt. What was the point of purchasing the rest of your motorbike protective gear if you’re not going to wear?
What whole motorbike riders need to remember is that the road surface does not care if it is the hottest of summer days, you will still get road rash if you go sliding down the middle of the road. If you can see skin, then so can the road. Just think about the scrubbing the gravel out with a brush, there are not too many things worse.
What is even a worse scenario is when there is a pillion passenger on the back, particularly children, without the correct protective gear on. Sometimes these children wearing nothing but shorts and a T-shirt along with the helmet. Please don’t be one of those riders who put children on the back without the correct gear on, the children don’t have a motorbike license so they don’t know any better.
The important thing to remember is that every single time that you jump onto your motorbike and about to go riding you need to make sure that you have on your helmets, gloves, pants and boots. Although at times, especially in the middle of summer, this will mean that you’ll be sweating and often uncomfortable, at least in the worst case scenario where you have an accident.
Put up being slightly uncomfortable now, and you will save a lifetime of road rash scars, or possibly something even worse. This really is only just common sense that I am preaching here. Maybe this is something of a motorbike theory test didn’t cover off for you. What is the safety gear that you will be wearing it was not a hot day? Your answer should be the same no matter what weather is.
Keep riding and stay safe. Enjoy everything that having your motorbike license has to offer.
Have you noticed people wearing less than adequate safety gear when riding in hot weather? Do you disagree with this post? We would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.
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