6 tricks for motorcyclists

Motorcycling is one of the more thrilling forms of transportation, but the freedom is also dangerous. Here are some tips for staying safe on a motorcycle:

If you ride a motorcycle, you have to put extra effort into being seen — your life depends on it.

• During the day, ride your motorcycle with the high-beam headlight on.
• Check the alignment of your headlight and running lights to make sure motorists can easily see them. Many headlights are pointed too far down.
• Replace weak brake lights with bold halogen lights that will command attention.
• Adding side lights and reflective devices to your cycle and clothing will reduce the odds of getting smacked by another vehicle in an intersection at night.
• Also, if your cycle is dark-coloured, customize it with a touch of contrasting light colour to increase your visibility.

When you're riding long-distance on your motorcycle, remember that tollbooths are one of the most treacherous locations you will encounter.

• There are fewer spots on the road that are more likely to be slimy with oil — a tricky obstacle for two-wheeled vehicles.
• Enter and leave a tollbooth very slowly, and stick to the left tire track to get clean pavement as you pay your "dues."
• Warn your passenger that tollbooths are a lousy place to make sudden weight-shifts.

If you take your motorcycle on long trips, you know how important it is to pack sparingly, no matter how commodious your saddlebags seem to be.

• Shipping and mailing companies can be your best friend in this respect. Learn the locations of the shipping stores and post offices along your route.
• Mail ahead to yourself bulky items such as fresh laundry and gifts for people you're going to visit.
• Mail home your dirty clothes, purchases and gear you don't need anymore.

Try this trick from veteran cyclists: put a drop of dishwashing liquid on the inside of the visor, rub it all around until you can't see it, and wipe off any excess. No more misty visor!

How do you get those "indelible" boot marks off your chrome exhaust pipe? Pull on rubber gloves and dampen a cleaning rag with oven cleaner.

• Mask off nearby parts of your motorcycle, then smear the oven cleaner onto the marked-up exhaust pipe; let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Scrape most of the oven cleaner off with a flat piece of wood or similar non-scratching device.
• Rinse with a clean, wet rag and add wax for protection.

Cleaning spoked wheels is one of the more annoying motorcycle maintenance chores. Here's how to keep the hassle to a minimum. Buy three bottle brushes and use a separate brush for each of these tasks.

• Clean the spokes with a car-washing solution.
• Apply a car wax according to the package directions.
• Polish the wax.
• Hang the brushes side by side in your garage. Put a masking-tape label on each so you can tell them apart at a glance.

There you have it -- 6 simple tips for staying safe on your bike and keeping it in tip-top shape. Time to hit the road!