40 MOTORCYCLE MOJO MAY 2019TRAINING SAFETY
Story by: Emily Roberts
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month,
so we thought it prudent to offer up some sobering facts
and a few tips that may just save your life
A
recent study from
Transport Canada stated
that motorcyclists made
up 10.9 per cent of
fatalities in Canada, even though they
only make up about two per cent of
road users. The romanticism of motor-
cycling wears thin with the thought
of how quickly one of many factors
can change our lives through one ride.
Motorcycling can be unkind to many.
for
your Ride
Prepare
The sun sank behind the horizon as the rain grew heavier. I could only see the red
glow from the taillight of the bike ahead and the meek scope of illumination that my
bug-plastered headlight offered. A silhouette appeared from the ditch and crept onto
the road. The bike ahead blocked my vision of the creature until it was too late. I could
hear the sounds of sliding rubber and could feel it vibrating through my bones as my
wheels locked up, and I felt a crushing impact on the front of my bike. I tried to scream,
but all that came out was a distorted whimper. I knew instantly what I had hit; I didn’t
want it to be true. My heart racing, I looked at the front of my bike immersed in blood
and wisps of brown fur jamed into crevices, including my front tire and rim.
I did what every motorcyclist dreads: I hit a deer. I was lucky enough to kill the
animal, keep the motorcycle up and ride away with a small fracture on my foot from
the animal swinging around and smashing my foot against an engine case. I also rode
away with a stark idea of the overlooked risks associated with motorcycling.
Thinking of Warmer Days
I’ve sat and stared at my motorcycles
for countless hours this winter, as I’m
sure we all have. Before we pull our
machines out of hibernation, though,
it’s important to consider the risks and
factors we are faced with, especially in
spring.
To get a well-rounded scope of what
injuries motorcyclists often deal with, I
spoke with Adam Calver, a motorcyclist
who spent most of his career working
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to say, he’s seen a lot. More recently,
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Aid and Safety, and it revolves around
the most common motorcycle-related
injuries.
“Some of the most common injuries
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shoulder and rib injuries and, of course,