It’s summer and it’s a great time to get on a motorcycle and explore! Whether riding in town or across the country, being visible while riding a motorcycle is a key factor to coming home safely.

2 Motorcycle Facts 

1. There are far fewer motorcycles on the road compared with cars, trucks, and buses. 

2. Two-wheeled vehicles are, by nature, smaller than all other motorized vehicles on the road. 

Why are these two facts so important?

First, with considerably fewer 2-wheeled vehicles compared with other motor vehicles, drivers are not as used to seeing them on the road. As a result, most drivers are conditioned to pay attention to the many larger vehicles and often completely overlook motorcycles riding alongside them. Additionally, the smaller size of motorcycles adds to that major visibility problem.

You might say that Fact #1 and Fact #2 are really the same. Actually, they’re not. Let’s take, for example, a military tank. Tanks are even less common on our roads (thankfully!) than motorcycles, so most drivers are not conditioned to watch out for them. Does it matter? Not really. If a tank was ever on the road, other drivers wouldn’t miss it due to its sheer size. While this may be an exaggerated example, it is to make a point.

The point is this: their lower concentration and smaller size can spell danger for motorcycle riders. 

Twisted Tip: Read more about the many differences between driving a car and riding a motorcycle. 

How can you be more visible riding a motorcycle? 

There are many things that motorcycle riders can do to increase their safety on the road including: following the rules of the road, wearing a helmet and other appropriate safety gear, keeping your motorcycle engine, tires, and tire pressure in top operating condition, and adding additional passive and active lighting solutions. 

Twisted Tip: Be sure to check out the 9 Motorcycle Safety Tips that All Riders Need To Know.

Passive Motorcycle Lights

The most common type of passive lighting is a reflective decal. High-quality reflective decals are manufactured with materials that make them look like lights when another vehicle’s lights shine on them. Passive motorcycle lights are especially important when your bike is parked but can also bring greater visibility to you and your bike as you’re riding down the road. Decals can be applied to all sides of your motorcycle, and even your helmet, so that vehicles coming from the side are more likely to see you. 

Active Motorcycle Lights

Most of us riders are pretty familiar with adding active lighting to a motorcycle, but most often motorcycle riders focus on adding lighting to the front of the motorcycle. However, adding active lighting to the rear of the motorcycle is equally important (if not more so!). With so many distractions inside vehicles today (cell phones, entertainment systems, kids yelling in the backseat, GPS units, etc.), too many drivers are distracted. Adding additional active motorcycle lights (e.g. a light that adds brake light and turn signals) to the motorcycle’s standard lighting will help ensure the driver behind you notices you and pays attention (and maybe even put down that cell phone?!). 

Twisted Tip: Keep your cell phone securely and safely mounted to your motorcycle with phone mount options like these. 

Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating. Make sure that you have many exhilarating days ahead of you—be safe out there and make sure that you can enjoy the open road by day or night.