Welcome to my Motorcycle Rider Basics website.
Welcome to my Motorcycle Rider Basics website.My name is Frank Gates, AKA The-Old-Biker. One of my top riding rules is, “They can’t hit you if you’re not there!” So, speed up, slow down, just don’t ride next to them. 👍
POSTS
This is the meat and potatoes of my site. A little salad and a Grande desert!
MISTAKES
Real-world experience, easy to understand posts let you benefit from my mistakes.
MATRIX
I am too hot, too cool, uncomfortable, unsafe but very cool, safe but hot???
eBOOK
Real-world experience, easy to understand posts let you benefit from my mistakes.
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10 Beginning Rider Mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes. Motorcycle riders make some deadly mistakes. As a...
You Can Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later
As the comedian said, "I hate hospitals. The last time I went into a hospital...
Conversation with a Motorcycle Cop
So, I stopped to get gas the other day and ended up in a conversation with a...
OMG! My Husband Wants a Motorcycle!
Just when you thought everything was going great, your husband announces that he...
I Love my Motorcycle!
I love my wife (she's the one), I love my life (I'm a happy guy), but I really,...
Famous Geezers who ride!
Famous Geezers are baby boomers or older than baby boomers, famous and infamous,...
2006 HD Wide Glide Oil Change
My 2006 Wide Glide has 27,623 miles on it and the last time I had it serviced...
Five Ways to Immediately Improve your Motorcycle Ride
People always adjust everything around them to make things more enjoyable....
Best Beginner Motorcycles: So, what kind of bike should I buy to start?
This only applies to someone who wants to ride a cruiser, specifically, a...
Goldwing, BMW or Harley?
I rode my Harley Wide Glide up to the electronics store last Saturday and when I...
Cleaning Your Motorcycle for Safety’s Sake
Cleaning your motorcycle on a weekly basis will protect and enhance the look of...
Motorcycle Rider Safety: Focus Radar
I am absolutely, 100% convinced that the key to safe riding is maintaining your...
The 7 Deadly Sins of Motorcycling
1) LOST FOCUS — You are not in a car. You cannot afford to go ten miles...
Naming Your Motorcycle
OK, BB King calls his guitar "Lucille" and we all know Kevin Costner played a...
Ride Within Your Ability
Statistically, a lot of motorcycle accidents are lone rider accidents. No car...
Baby Boomers Ride Again!
A couple of years ago I was at the local Harley shop checking out the new bikes....
Stuck at the Red Light…forever!
If you have not yet been stuck sitting in a left turn lane red light, don't...
Motorcycle Rider Basics: Test Your Knowledge
Have you ever said to yourself, wow, I wish I would have known that years ago,...
Scooter Schmooter
Scooters, hey, I thought this blog was about motorcycles, not scooters....
Motorcycle Safety: They Can’t Hit You If You’re Not There
Well, Duh Frank, of course, they can’t hit you if you're not there, but I must...
Look Where You Go & Go Where You Look
Understanding this concept is another critical piece of the riding puzzle. Go...
How to Stretch Your $4 Gal of Gas
OK, my car gets 22 mpg on an average, that’s not too bad. It’s around 18 mpg in...
Time To Go Ridin’ In The Rain
When it starts raining on your ride, three things happen. a) Tires will have...
Start At The Beginning: Basic Rider Course
There are a lot of different courses available, and they vary from state to...
Couldn’t Pour ‘What’ Out Of My Boots?
I see riders wearing tennis shoes every day and I am always amazed. Penny...
Are you a Dangerous Motorcycle Rider?
Motorcycle safety is deadly serious. Imagine going outside, putting on your...
Motorcycle Seats: Have a seat, have a great seat! Part II
In the first part of this post, I talked about the mechanics of the seat. Now...
Motorcycle Seats: Have a seat, have a great seat! Part I
What's the big deal on a seat? A seat is a seat, sit down and go. This is what I...
Frank Gates Motorcycle Riding Rules
I fired up the Internet search engine and went looking for motorcycle rules of...
Riding Too Safe can be Dangerous!
We have all been behind the proverbial "little old lady" doing 45 mph in the...
Too Old to Ride? Who says so?
Three years ago, I was leaving the local Harley shop (Rocklin Harley) here in...
Mistake #2: Don’t Buy A Sportster
Why not? I like the Harley Sportster. It's relatively inexpensive and it has all...
Street Vibrations – Getting There
Tuesday, September 23, 2006 --- It was warm and sunny when we (my wife and me)...
Put the Kickstand Down!
This sounds like it is right out of the Jerry Springer show, "Motorcycle Riders...
Gray Hair & Black Leather: Baby Boomers Ride Again
In my life, whenever I was feeling low, my mom would tell me to go do something...