Sport Bike Riding Tips

It’s easy to dream about a sport bike and your blazing speed down an open freeway. There’s a dreamy image to it — the freedom, the feeling of wind whipping and seeing the ground fly past. But with that extra speed comes a more hazardous ride. These bikes aren’t for beginnings, and it takes a bit of skill to take the reins on a powerful sportbike. Here at Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County, we know the appeal of a sport bike is as plain as day: to go fast. There’s no shame there, no hiding the incoming thrills that’ll put a smile on your face mile after heart-pounding mile. But motorcycle is serious business, and when on a sport bike that goes double on account of the increased speeds and power. 

In that spirit, we’ve put together this short guide with some tips to staying safe and handling the increased performance power of a sport bike. Read on for more information or head into our showroom in Westminster, California, where we proudly serve Santa Ana, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and all of Orange County.

Acceleration

Even understanding from the onset that sportbikes offer up superior performance to their less sporty counterparts won’t prepare you for the sheer amount of acceleration that’s waiting behind every pull of the throttle. It’s easy to get clumsy with the clutch and accelerate too quickly. Just remember: you have more power than you need, and riding the bike is about controlling that power. It’s all about finding a sweet spot of acceleration balanced with an easing forward pace and gentle touch. You’ll want to only barely rev the engine with the throttle while smoothly releasing the clutch, and if you feel things picking up too quickly, simply re-engage the clutch or drop the throttle.

Get Low

You can expect fast fun on a sportbike, but you also get a bit of back discomfort. For the best performance out of your sport bike, you’ll have to bend over your bike to lower your center of gravity. This is for aerodynamic purposes, allowing for less wind resistance and more precise handling, including cornering. This riding stance takes some getting used to, especially if you’re used to a more relaxed riding position, but the reward is a melding of man and machine that makes it hard to tell where one begins and the other ends.

Stearing

A true sportbike experience is a harmonization between rider and motorcycle. That’s why steering on these bikes require a bit more than just shifting the handlebars. You’ll have to lean and shift your center of gravity. This makes riding a sportbike quite an athletic feat compared to other types of motorcycle, and it’s best to start slow and master this maneuver at lower speeds before trying your hand at high-speed turns. Familiarize yourself with the feel of the grip and how cornering affects your tires, suspension, and bike frame. This isn’t a quick and easy task; it can take concerted effort to master even this basic component of sportbike riding!

Braking

Sportbikes necessitate advanced braking systems, as they need to be able to slow down all the untamed power we talked about earlier. But of course it isn’t as simple as slamming the brakes while going at top speed and hoping for the best. Try to use both the front and rear brakes when possible to slow yourself down. It’s almost never a good idea to use just the front brakes. If you do, you might get thrown over the handlebars.

Passing

Sportbikes are perfect for passing slower traffic on the freeway. Their unmatched acceleration will have you ahead of the slowpokes before they have a chance to realize it! However, it’s still necessary to ensure your lightning-quick bike isn’t too fast that other motorists can’t see you. Establish clear lines of sight and don’t pass a vehicle if you’re not sure you’ll have the space. There are plenty of opportunities to pass other motorists, so take your time and wait for an opening you can be sure about. Otherwise, you’ll find that your lightweight sportbike isn’t much more than tissue paper to a semi truck that didn’t see you.

With the great power of a sportbike comes the extra responsibility of increased danger, but as long as you know how your bike works and are a deft operator, you’ll be well on your way to the most thrilling rides of your life. For a look at some fantastic new and used sportbikes, head into Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County. We’re proud to serve Santa Ana, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and all of Orange County. Come in today and speak with our team of knowledgeable and courteous professionals who are more than eager to answer your questions and show you the true meaning of customer satisfaction.