Is It Safe to Ride a Motorcycle on the Highway as a Beginner?

One of the best things one can start learning today is motorcycling. Only a motorcyclist can tell how enjoyable it is to ride a motorcycle because he has experienced it.

It is also true that a beginner feels more excited while riding a motorcycle. Nothing matches the adrenaline rush that an experienced rider will get if he gets the chance to ride a high-performance supersports bike. Similarly, riding a motorcycle of any size brings a beginner a great level of excitement and thrill.

Once a beginner gets a bit of experience of riding a motorcycle, he gets used to the adrenaline rush. If you want to relive the moments you first rode a motorcycle, take the motorcycle to the highway.

Riding a motorbike on a highway is different from riding within the city. A biker's experience completely changes as soon as he hits the highway. The wind acts differently on your body while riding on a highway. Though it gives you the best experience, riding on a highway is not always safe for everybody, depending on your skill level.

Continue reading this article to learn whether riding a motorcycle on the highway is safe for beginners.

No, it is unsafe for a beginner to ride a motorcycle on the highway. The rider is exposed to several challenges and risks while riding on the highway, requiring completely different training and skills.

The highways are usually not congested. However, when there is not much traffic on open and wide roads, riders and drivers become aggressive. Everybody goes faster. The speed limit is also quite high compared to what it is within the city. Therefore, if you are unable to keep up with the pace of other road users, you are more likely to have an accident.

Overtaking on highways is also very different from normal circumstances. You don’t have a chance to make a mistake while overtaking on a highway; if you do, you will likely face the consequences.

Some riders love how the wind interacts with them as they ride on a highway. However, the air drag increases on a highway, and you will feel more resistance. The drag will increase further as you speed up.

The high air drag will push you backward. Not only that, it can also cause wind buffeting. It is a condition when the wind pressure is too high that it creates turbulence and extreme vibrations. The wind buffeting acting on your helmet pushes it back vigorously. Such a situation can be extremely dangerous and can result in accidents.

Wind buffeting and pressure can be ruthless, particularly if you don’t have wind protection. Installing a windscreen on a motorcycle is a perfect idea to avoid wind buffeting.

Highway riding is not suitable for small motorcycles. Smaller motorcycles are lightweight, so they can’t bear heavy wind pressure or air drag. If the wind is acting on the motorcycle at right angles, it can make your ride extremely unstable. You will be unable to handle your bike and lose control, resulting in a motorcycle crash. This is why cruisers are mostly heavyweight and bulky, so they remain planted and stable while cruising on highways.

Though highway motorcycles, commonly known as cruisers, are quite hefty, they are still smaller than cars and other heavy vehicles. At highway speeds, it becomes very difficult for cars and other heavy vehicle drivers to see motorcycles.

Another disadvantage is the lack of a caged structure, seat belt, and airbags on a motorcycle. A motorcyclist may not be able to survive a collision with a car, particularly at highway speeds.

You can still ride a motorcycle on the highway if you are a beginner. However, make sure to follow the below essential tips:

If you are a beginner, the first thing you should do is gain some experience. Do not go highway riding until you are comfortable riding on busy roads. Gain more traffic and road sense before hitting the highway.

You can join a training institute to learn to ride safely. Enroll in a safety motorcycle riding course. Such courses and training sessions help you become a better and safer rider, particularly if you want to become a skilled rider.

If you are a beginner and want to ride a motorcycle safely on a highway, you should ride with a group . You can ask your friends to join you on a motorcycle ride. However, it is better if most of them are trained. You not only get a sense of security while riding in a group, but you also have assistance with you at all times if something goes wrong.

The most important skill if you want to start riding on a highway as a beginner is to practice defensive riding. Being a beginner, you may have no idea what defensive riding means. It means to always stay alert, riding sensibly, and considering everyone a threat. Assume that other road users can’t see you.

Check your side mirrors from time to time before making any move to the left or right. Use turn signals before turning. Be very considerate about your every move. You have to stay away from the trouble, not invite them.

It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or experienced; it is advised not to change lanes unnecessarily. Keep riding in your lane unless you are in the wrong lane. In case you have to change between lanes, first, you need to confirm that no fast-moving vehicle is approaching you from behind. There is no room for bad judgment while riding on a highway.

As a beginner, you must ride in the left-most lane as the right lanes are used by fast-moving vehicles. The leftmost lane is for slow-moving and light vehicles.

Don’t try to keep up with the pace of fast-moving vehicles. Make sure to give way to them. Don’t keep riding in front of fast-moving vehicles. Also, ensure not to cross their path while riding on highways or anywhere else. Keep a distance from other vehicles.

Don’t go fast on the highway until you are required to. However, this doesn’t mean you should ride slowly compared to the pace of other vehicles in your lane. Always follow the speed limit. Going too slow on a highway can also cause accidents, particularly if the other vehicles in your lane are going faster. Always try to match the speed of other vehicles in your lane.

Always wear full gear, no matter where you are traveling. Make sure to use a full-face DOT-approved helmet, leather jacket, pants, gloves, and riding boots before you go for a ride. Motorcycle protective riding gear is your armor. It may not help you avoid accidents, but it can save your life and prevent you from getting badly injured in an accident.

As a beginner, we will not suggest you take a full-size powerful cruiser to the highway you cannot handle or manage. However, it has to be highway-capable. Using extra small and lightweight motorcycles for highway riding can be risky because they are unstable at highway speeds. Use a motorcycle that can stay planted at highway speeds and suits your skill level.

As discussed earlier, riding a motorcycle on the highway is different from riding within the city. Though exciting, riders are also a bit fearful due to fast-moving vehicles around them. There are a few things a rider can do to overcome this fear of riding a motorcycle on the highway. These include:

• Practice a lot
• Take a motorcycle safety riding course
• Ride with a friend
• Challenge yourself
• Be confident
• Never give up.

It is entirely normal to be scared of riding on the highway. Some riders and drivers get panic attacks on highways. Riding on a wide open road and seeing a long stretch of never-ending road ahead of you is scary for some riders.

However, if you still have to ride on highways, it is better to avoid the feeling of fear. You have to be confident to safely ride a motorcycle on the highway, and your focus must be on the road.

The hardest part of learning to ride a motorcycle is clutch and throttle control. Most riders are not very good at engaging the clutch and opening the throttle, and they tend to stall their motorcycles when performing these controls. This is true, especially when starting from a stop and during slow-speed maneuvering.

Highways are among the most challenging places to learn to ride a motorcycle. As a beginner, it is advised that you should avoid riding on highways, mainly if you are entirely new and ride a small-displacement and lightweight motorbike. Highway riding requires specialized skills, better cognition, and response levels. Traffic is usually not excessive on highways, but vehicles mostly move at high speeds. This makes riding a motorcycle dangerous, mainly if you are new to motorcycling.

Meanwhile, motorcycles are also smaller and less visible to large vehicles and cars, particularly when driving at highway speeds. Therefore, you must get good experience, take a safety course, become a better rider, and practice much before you plan to ride on the highway.