How to make motorcycles more noticeable on the road

The major dilemma for motorcycles as they share a South Carolina road with other vehicles is how to remain noticed in the eyes of nearby motorists. Due to the small size of motorcycles, many drivers may not be aware of them as they approach. While all drivers should be vigilant for vehicles around them to avoid potential auto accidents, motorcyclists can improve their visibility in several ways.

The color of the motorcycle is a good place to start. According to Ride Apart, dark colored bikes, especially at night, can be harder to notice. Bikes painted in brighter colors, on the other hand, are much easier to spot. Even if a brightly colored bike only buys you a few more seconds of visibility, those extra seconds could give a nearby motorist time to swerve out of the way and prevent a possibly fatal collision.

Riders can also take steps to make themselves more visible to motorists. Because motorcyclists ride exposed to the outside world, they are just about as likely to be noticed as the bike they ride on. Riders can select brightly colored clothing to wear while riding. However, if a rider does not want to wear bright pants and a shirt while riding, a brightly colored helmet and jacket is usually enough. They can be slipped off after the rider has parked the bike and put back on when the rider mounts the motorcycle again later.

Adding movement is another way to catch the human eye. Safer-turn.com points out that a motorcycle possesses the full right to the lane the bike rides in. Since motorcycles are much smaller than the full width of a typical street lane, a bike rider has greater freedom to move within the lane. Shifting the bike slightly in the lane can help boost the chances of another motorist catching sight of the motorcycle.