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This summer, consider taking a course in dirt riding to improve your skills on and off road. One of the fastest-growing segments of our industry is the adventure motorcycle market, and for good reason. Adventure motorcycles are the SUVs of bikes, capable of going pretty much anywhere in comfort. With their good ergonomics, extra clearance, […]

It’s the beginning of a new season and you’ve decided to buy a motorcycle. Good for you! It’s an exciting time, but it’s also a stressful time. There’s substantial money involved, a lot to consider, and you don’t want to make a mistake. Perhaps the first decision you have to make is whether to buy […]

Have you gotten the bug for motorcycling? If so, you’ll know that it’s a life-long affair of love; If not, I hope you soon catch the bug and realize how enriched your life can be with the addition of a motorcycle. Motorcycling is not only addictive, empowering and inspires freedom, but it also opens up […]

It happened nine years ago now. It was dark; we should have stopped riding but only had another 20km to go to get to our hotel. The rain was light and we rode in a staggered riding position, my dad was in front in the left tire track, I followed in the right. I sifted […]

Rare is the rider who hasn’t dropped their motorcycle. It’s a horrible, sickening feeling to feel yourself losing your balance and control, knowing there’s nothing you can do to stop your bike from falling over. The most common damages are rattled confidence, wounded pride, and scrapes and dents on your bike, although injuries can be […]

We all have our ways to fight stress and anxiety. Some of us find that running is a great way to vent, others like to take a nice long walk, and some like to take a ride on their motorcycle. Motorcycle riders have known about the many health benefits of riding for over a century […]

A motorcycle helmet is arguably a motorcyclist’s most important piece of safety equipment. With so many choices in style, design, and price, it’s hard to know how to choose the one that’s best for you. The right helmet makes a huge difference in protection, comfort, and rider fatigue. Here’s a primer to guide you on […]

Motorcycle riding season is winding down in Ontario, but there are ways to extend your riding season in comfort and safety. 10 Tips to Extend your Motorcycle Riding Season 1) Dress properly. Effective layering and correct choice of gear makes a remarkable difference in your ability to stay warm. 1) Start with good base layers—long-sleeved tees, […]

Which rider is a prime candidate for Advanced Rider Training? Rider 1 took the basic rider course and has been riding on the road for a few years without incident. Rider 2 has ridden for decades and tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of kilometers, also without incident. Rider 3 has a new motorcycle, different in […]

Riding on the road means sharing it with other users. Travel any paved surfaces and you’ll soon encounter a transport truck. It’s easy to get frustrated and impatient when they block your visibility, slow your progress, and buffet you all over the road. But they’re a fact of riding life, so it’s best to stay […]

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, so we’ve assembled a range of tips to increase your awareness of what you can do to share the road with other road users safely. OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) report that forty-eight motorcyclists died last year on OPP-patrolled roads, the highest number of motorcycle deaths in ten years. Twenty-seven […]

Ahhhh, spring riding! After a winter of hibernation, the first rides of spring are some of the most exhilarating of the year. Spring also ushers in unique seasonal risks calling for extra vigilance to stay safe on the road. Knowing what to expect and how to manage them mitigates the risks. 11 Spring Motorcycle Hazards […]

Dreaming about the first ride of the season dispels winter darkness. Spending time with your motorcycle and making sure it’s ready to ride makes that dream come true. Even if you were meticulous in winterizing it, oxidization, condensation, and critters may have damaged it during storage. A thorough and methodical check will show you what […]

Use it or lose it! Left unattended physical fitness declines over time. Even if you’re in peak shape going into winter hibernation, you’ll lose strength, stamina, and mobility without regular exercise. Don’t despair. There are things you can do to halt physical decline and rebuild strength. The right fitness program will improve performance, help prevent […]

It may seem counterintuitive to spend time and money on something you may never need. Yet buying the best motorcycle gear you can afford can be the wisest investment you make. To help you, we’ve prepared a list of guidelines that apply to pilot and pillion. As a rule, keep the three “F’s”—fit, function, and […]

With the warm weather we’re enjoying, it’s easy to get lulled into thinking riding season will last forever. However, the calendar tells us it’s October. Winter will arrive so it’s time to think about preparing our motorcycles for hibernation. The tips below assume that will last four to six months. Weather conditions and your preferences […]

September is the highlight of the season for many riders. It’s generally sunny and dry, with pleasant temperatures. Vacation traffic has thinned, leaving more open road for enjoyable all-day cruising. The inevitable cycles of nature, however, signal the season is winding down and bring in unique hazards for motorcyclists. Here’s what to watch for at […]

Arriving at your destination safely requires a holistic approach to riding – one that considers all the factors that go into making the sport we love so exhilarating. It begins well before you throw a leg over your motorcycle. Make sure you’re ready to ride by mindfully assessing the following factors: Gear We hope to […]

Most of my travel across Canada was in warm, but not hot temperatures. The previous few days I’d been riding in temperate conditions along the Pacific Coast Highway. That day I planned to ride from Fort Bragg, on the coast, via Napa to Clayton, California, where I would stay with friends. It was an easily […]

It has been a long winter and we are excited to get our motorcycles out.  Are you ready? After not riding for a number of months our skills are rusty.  I always take a bike to a large parking lot and try some slow speed manoeuvers to practice my clutch control and balance with my […]

The importance of motorcycle safety cannot be overstated. According to the NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, the risk, per mile, of a fatal crash is 35 times greater for a motorcyclist than a passenger car. While that is a chilling statistic, there are several ways to ensure a safe riding season while fully […]

1. Using Your Cell Phone While Riding… Really?? Talking on your cell phone while you ride is a major source of distraction at best and a recipe for a dramatic accident at worst. Ontario has banned cell phone use while driving… but as a motorcycle rider do you really need that incentive to leave your cell phone in its […]

To fully enjoy any activity, you need to increase skill level and decrease the potential for disaster. People are very attentive when they are instructed prior to their first skydiving experience, for example. They don’t attempt to climb a cliff based on a blind assumption that safety harnesses and ropes are secure and safe. However, for some reason […]

1) Real time training in real world traffic Bad habits can creep into the riding routines of the most avid riders. Regardless of the amount of saddle time you’ve logged during your time as an M2 licensee, one to one feedback from a trained professional will help to ensure you’re on the right path towards […]

“I’ve been riding for 30 years, I don’t need to take a course!” Really? Do you still play sports as well as you did 20+ years ago? Sure, age and experience are important. And those lower insurance premiums are just one of the benefits of getting older and wiser. But there’s a downside to riding […]

Motorcycle riding is an experience that can be very customized to the desires or requirements of the individual. One of those variables involves the need or desire to carry passengers on rides. Some people ride with passengers on vacation trips, on commutes, or any variation thereof. Others absolutely abstain from carrying passengers for any number […]

One of the most common mistakes that you will see being made by some of the motorcycle riders on the roads is the mistake of misjudging how much stoppage distance they need. ABS brakes certainly help, but only the most experienced riders can lock up the brakes at a high speed and come to a […]

If you are going to be starting out as a motorcycle rider in the Spring of 2015, the fastest, easiest, and most effective way to gather the information you’ll need is to visit one or several of the Motorcycle Rider Training Course Providers at the Ottawa Motorcycle Show on February 13, 14, and 15, 2015. Algonquin […]

Taking responsibility. When directed at motorcyclists, these dirty little words can provoke some of the most pessimistic, anecdote laced tirades this side of a model comparison debate. I have a theory as to why. There’s a process of acculturation in becoming a motorcyclist. Regardless of the sub-group you affiliate with, the inherent mystique and rebellious […]

With a new riding season almost here, most of us are busy finalizing those over-the-winter bike projects we started as the snow started to fall. Adding some chrome here and there, maybe a new slip on or wiring in that swank GPS system you got for Christmas? With all that attention focused on prepping our […]

In this article we give the microphone (ok, in this case the pen) to some of Ontario’s leading Rider Training professionals. Some common themes run through their submissions. First, the best way to learn specific maneouvres is under the direct supervision of a professional trainer. Second, learning and practicing are activities that are ongoing; even Wayne […]

Perhaps the most commonly discussed motorcycle accident scenario is the one in which a motorcycle goes straight through an intersection on a green light and a car or truck coming from the opposite direction turns left in front of – or into – the motorcycle, usually because the car or truck driver didn’t look closely enough […]

It’s the time of year when the street rider training programmes are starting up again. Thousands of new riders will sign up soon for their novice rider training program. After teaching the course for 23 years, I would like to offer a few tips that may help new riders get the most out of the […]

I knew it was going to hurt long before I landed on the ground. Falling off motorcycles seemed so much easier when I was younger. You would think that the more experienced we riders become, the chance of falling off would decrease. I started riding just after gasoline replaced steam so I should be incredibly […]