While most experienced motorcycle riders are used to mild storms, hurricanes can be challenging. Hurricanes are known for having the ability to seriously damage anything in their path.
Thankfully, we now have technology on our smartphones and weather apps that help us know when a hurricane is coming our way. This can help us better prepare for what’s coming. For anyone planning to ride motorcycle during Florida’s hurricane season, you should start thinking about getting your motorcycle ready for the season. In light of this, here are some tips to consider to help you and your motorcycle during a hurricane.
Tips For Preparing You And Your Motorcycle For The Hurricane
Park small But Include All Necessities
The weather conditions can change at any time, regardless of what the forecast says. Therefore, make sure to prepare yourself and your bike for riding all through the hurricane season. It’s best to always ride out with your protective gear such as a helmet, boots, gloves, jacket, and others. Be sure to have your protective gear on whether you’re traveling short or long distances. Also, endeavor to choose a high visibility jacket so you’ll be visible to other drivers; this is because the rainstorm makes it difficult for drivers to see clearly. In addition, install an anti-fog visor in your helmet to maintain clear visibility when riding in the rain.
Check your Tires
Tires are an essential part of a motorcycle; they define the balance and shape of a motorcycle. Tires play a crucial role in any vehicle because they are the only connection between the road and the vehicle. Therefore, you need to choose your tires wisely and maintain them properly. During the storm or hurricane season, you need to choose tires that’ll make riding easy. There are tires designed specifically for the storm; these tires give a firmer grip and anchor the motorcycle properly to the road. Be sure to get these tires in preparation for the coming hurricane season.
Update Your Motorcycle Insurance
Make sure your motorcycle’s insurance plan is updated and covers storm and hurricane-related damages such as wind and water damages. Also, make it a priority always to take pictures and videos of your motorcycle before and after the hurricane season to help your claim process in case your motorcycle gets damaged by the hurricane.
What To Do When You’re Caught On The Road During Hurricane
Find a place to park your motorcycle
Although it is possible to ride through moderate weather without risk, it is always safer to wait out a storm as it intensifies. Hence, if you’re caught on the road during a storm or hurricane, drive cautiously to the closest exit, look for a big, sturdy building to park your bike in, and take shelter until the weather gets calm. Don’t be compelled to park under the closest shelter you find; make sure the shelter is strong enough to withstand the strong wind and rain. When you’ve found a reliable shelter, use a mobile weather app or a local weather prediction to follow the storm’s progress and learn when it’s safe to resume driving.
Ride it out
Depending on the storm’s intensity, the capacity of your motorcycle, the right tires, and your driving skills, it could be possible to ride through the storm. If you decide to ride through moderate increasing weather, try to go more slowly, accelerate gradually, and slow down significantly before stopping. Remember that other drivers may drive more unpredictably due to their concerns about the weather, so be careful of other drivers.
Check your Visor
When driving in the storm, your helmet’s visor could get foggy and hinder your ability to see clearly when driving. Foggy visors often cause lights from buildings, streetlights, vehicles, and other places to spread and distort your vision. To prevent this issue, make sure to keep your visor clean. If you don’t have an anti-fog visor, be sure to use plastic water repellent to clean the visor of your helmet. This will prevent the visor from accumulating rain droplets that lead to fog in the helmet.
What To Do If You’re On Your Motorcycle In A Place Without Shelter
No matter how prepared you’re for the hurricane season, it’s still possible to be caught in the middle of nowhere during the hurricane. If you’re caught on the bike, and there’s no shelter nearby to park, you need to pull over, switch off the engine, switch on the hazard lights and step away from your motorcycle. Do not sit or lay on the ground as it could be charged with thunder. If there’s a cave nearby, you could take shelter there. But if you’re surrounded by nothing other than an open field, find the lowest point of the field and park your motorcycle at a distance.
Safe Driving Tips For Motorcycles After A Storm Or Hurricane
Don’t ride into puddles
Puddles are fun looking but could be hiding a deep pothole. If you can’t escape driving through a puddle, keep the bike straight, hold the throttle firmly, and avoid applying the brakes.
Avoid shiny-smooth surfaces.
When it rains, surfaces become dangerously slippery, especially those surfaces that are slippery, even on dry days. Avoid driving on metal plates, maintenance hole covers, painted lines, and even tar snakes. If you do get stuck on one of them, roll over it without applying excessive braking or accelerating.
Keep your cool
When the hurricane is over, drive calmly and carefully home. Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt braking, and other sudden moves. Make sure that every input is delicate and smooth. If you must apply heavy braking, do so gradually. Squeeze the lever slowly at first to load the front tire and compress the suspension, then gradually apply more force until you have slowed down sufficiently.
In conclusion, it’s best to stay at home during a storm or hurricane, but it’s also necessary to prepare yourself for uncertainties. By following the tips above, you can save yourself a lot of trouble during hurricane season.
