At The Vehicle Wrapping Centre we don’t just install vehicle wraps on cars, vans and trucks – we can also wrap motorcycles, whether you want to add sponsor logos, racing numbers, or just express your personality through the colour or design of your bike’s bodywork.
If you’re new to biking, motorbike vinyl wraps can give you brightly coloured bodywork that helps you to be seen by other road users, allowing you to feel safer when riding at night, during bad weather, or at any time of day.
Here are a few other ways to get started as a motorcyclist that should help to keep you safe during your first few weeks in the saddle.
First Day
It sounds obvious, but make sure you know all of the controls before you set off on your first solo ride – especially if you’ll be riding a different bike than you learned on.
That doesn’t just mean the basics, but also the controls you won’t use quite so often. The worst-case scenario is realising you need a control at high speed, and having no idea where to find it.
Keeping control of your motorcycle is crucial especially in your first days, when your road experience and sense of balance might not be quite so polished.
Weekly Service
Give certain elements of the bike a quick once over week by week, even if you don’t go into more detailed servicing as often as that.
Some things you should check before your first ride and regularly afterwards include:
- Tyre tread depth (including wear and tear, cracks and bulges)
- Tyre pressure (even more crucial on two wheels than on four)
- Oil levels (and when it was last changed)
- Cable connections (and how well lubricated the throttle/brake levers are)
- Lights (including headlights, brake lights, indicators etc)
First Week
Familiarise yourself with your vehicle – its precise centre of gravity and balance, how responsive it is to the controls, and how it functions as an extension of your own body.
Also get a feel for your safety gear and protective clothing. If something doesn’t feel right, consider replacing it, as it’s important to feel both safe and comfortable during long rides.
If you notice that your helmet gives you poor visibility, or you’re finding it hard to operate the hand controls in bulky gloves, see if you can find a better alternative that eliminates the problem without compromising on safety.
First Month
Build up your riding experience – it’s sensible to start on quieter, flat, lower-speed roads at least at first, before you go full throttle on a motorway or twisting, bumpy country road.
Look out for common first-timer mistakes and try to avoid them:
- Stalling and missing gears (there’s no shame in this one, and you’ll get better with experience)
- Running out of fuel (easily done when you’re having a great time on a long ride!)
- Wardrobe malfunctions (avoid loose clothing and anything that ‘dangles’ eg shoelaces)
With some simple self-awareness and patience, you can make sure that you progress steadily from learner, to newly qualified, to experienced and safe motorcycle rider, so that you can be proud to display the colours of your unique vinyl motorcycle wrap next time you’re out on the roads.
