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Motorcycle Etiquette for Beginners: What to Know Before You Ride

Tropical Financial Credit Union
By Tropical Financial Credit Union - March 24, 2024

Living in sunny Florida, you may have thought about how nice it would be to take a motorcycle ride around town. Well, if you’ve taken the leap and applied for your credit union motorcycle loan you’re almost ready for your ride. However, before you hit the streets here’s a couple things or two you may not know about owning a bike that most motorcycle lenders don’t tell you:

A Guide to Proper Motorcycle Etiquette

The Wave

vintage motorcyclist wave

It’s an unspoken rule, yet the most important one to live by. If you’re hitting the streets in your new motorcycle, be courteous to other bikers and give them the infamous wave. If you can’t manage a wave, at least go for a nod to those sharing the riding culture. This goes for any type of biker too, even if they are on a scooter. 

Lane Splitting

motorcylist lane splitting through traffic

Traffic in South Florida is awful, we can all agree on this. Yes, the great thing about having a bike is being able to easily navigate the streets, however remember that "lane splitting," in Florida is illegal and should not be done. When you are wanting to switch lanes or move around the road, be sure to use safe motorcycle practices

Pillions

pillion riding on a motorcycle in a city

If you’re new to the motorcycle culture, you might not know what a pillion is, which is fine. It’s the seat behind the motorcyclist where the passenger sits. If you’ve never been a passenger on a motorcycle, it’s more than just sitting there and looking pretty. Help your passenger out by letting them know what will help you out for the smoothest ride. Not only is it courteous, but it also helps out with motorcycle safety.

Riding

two men riding motorcycle on open road

When riding around other bikers, don’t suffocate them. Best practice is to keep a healthy distance and never honk, unless when absolute necessary.  If you come up to another rider at a red light, stagger behind them as you don’t know how fast or at what angle they will take off when the light turns green.

If you’re looking for the lowest motorcycle loan rates around, check out applying with a credit union. We offer motorcycle loan financing on both new and used motorcycle loans. Besides, what other way to welcome the summer season than with a Sunday joyride (just don’t forget your biker etiquette)? What are you waiting for, hop on your bike today!  

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