Do you remember how safe a driver you were when you left a Motorcycle Safety  Course? Do you remember the checklist they make you memorize --- check brakes, mirrors, headlight, turn signals, horn, and tire condition. When was the last time you did that before you rode? If you're like most of us, you put the key in, turn the ignition to on, start it up, and head off. Yet we all know that motorcycles are maintenance intensive.... it saves lives..

Of course the word 'fast' is a relative term. Tread design, tread depth, weight of motorcycle, tire pressure, depth of water and even the consistency of that water - (whether it is highly aerated or not, for example) - all play a part in determining at what speed the tire will begin to hydroplane. It is a pretty safe bet to assume that any speed in excess of 100 km/h is fast enough to support hydroplaning regardless of the other variables. This is not to say that at 60 km/h you are safe. If your tyres are worn, get some new ones as the pain when paying for your new tyres is nothing compared to the injuries that you could sustain. Remember, ride to the road and weather conditions.

If you are planning a long ride be well rested before hand by getting a good nights sleep, if not well rested forget the ride.

Data shows that high speeds and distance are not correlated on motorcycle rides. Higher speeds exponentially wear out the rider and spoil fuel efficiency. You'll spend more time refuelling or signing your name on traffic tickets. Dodging traffic also increases fatigue, as well as increases your blood pressure and those around you. Driving at high speeds also tarnishes the sport. Did you ever wonder why some people have poor attitudes towards motorcyclists? Perhaps its due to throttle jockeys who love to lane-split their way down highways.

Drugs and stimulants don't work. If you need stimulants to keep you awake, including coffee, tea, or other caffeine shocks, you shouldn't be riding. A good sign of fatigue is an inability to maintain positioning in your lane or difficulty in maintaining a set speed. You want to be riding a long time.... Protect that right by riding only when your senses are sharp.

The right way to pack is as important as what to pack. Make sure that your load is centred, stable, and that only the right stuff is loaded. A good rule of thumb is as follows: You can't get very far if your bike breaks down, so bike maintenance items should take priority. Second priority should be personal comfort items, including motorcycle riding gear and camping items. Third on the agenda are things that you'd like to take, but aren't quite sure if they will fit, like portable washing machines, hair dryers, etc.... Part of the fun is knowing what to pack, and what not to pack.

The only way to keep your skills honed is to ride and practice. While riding pick out spots on the road and imagine them to be debris. Practice avoiding such spots and other make-believe obstacles (don't try real ones, such as people please). Following at a safe distance is a good way of increasing your reaction time to such obstacles. The finer arts of riding can be obtained by practicing slow speed drills. Most  spills happen during low speed manoeuvres, such as parking or making U-turns. Another tip is to treat every turn as if sand were there. Don't trust the surface to provide friction unless you've been through it already. This is especially true at intersections, but is equally likely on any corner where cars or truck tires push around dirt.

Trust no-one.  Whether you call it aggressive defence or paranoid driving, just do it! The best way is to learn the proper techniques through the Motorcycle  advanced rider's courses. Scanning is the number one best way to stay out of trouble. If you see a target in front, to the side, or behind you develop the knack of making mental notes of their possible actions and your reactions. And if anything remotely smells of trouble, cover your brakes. The plus side is that while you can get into some sticky situations, a twist of the wrist can often get you out of them.

Trust no one! The best way to avoid placing any trust in other vehicles is to stay away from them. This includes placing a buffer zone around your bike and maintaining it. By protecting your safe zone you maintain visibility and increase the chances of your anticipating any unforeseen events. This is a difficult feat in heavy traffic. At the very least avoid travelling directly behind trucks. When you do you are placing your future in that driver's hands and minimize any possibility of you avoiding objects in your path.

Proper dress can save your skin. This is a difficult feat amidst blistering summer temperatures, but while those shorts may be nice and cool, they lend little protection in a fall. When the temperature climbs above 30 degrees in high humidity or 35 degrees in low humidity it is downright uncomfortable riding in leathers and a helmet. If you commute, try avoiding the hottest parts of the day. Most of this discussion goes away in the winter, since we all don whatever windproof apparel we have. But in the summer we continually witness riders in shorts, without shirts on and using thongs as their feet armour. I don't think these riders have ever witnessed what happens to human flesh after it slides 20 to 30 metres on the tarmac.

If the car you're following has its left turn signal on, move over to the right side of the lane. This allows the cars following you to see without obstruction the turn signal of the car ahead and warns them of stopped vehicles up in front. If the car you're tailing has its right turn signal on, move over to the left side of the lane. This again permits cars following to see more clearly. But just before you stop behind the car, move over to the right hand side of the lane. Being stopped behind the car on the right hand side offers an escape route if in fact the cars behind do not stop in time to avoid a collision.

Blind corners have claimed many motorcyclists. A good survival rule of thumb is never to rely solely on signs. If you've never been on the roads you are ridging on, you are, in essence, a rookie. And rookies should never push it to the limit. Rarely do signs warn of gravel in the middle of the turn, off-camber turns or decreasing radius turns. Local riders will know every inch of each turn, but you won't. Twisters are the greatest invention since sliced bread, but a sliced rider can't twisty.

What's worse than having a new rider on a bike they've never ridden? -- Perhaps a new bike that an experienced rider hasn't ridden. Just because you've conquered your last bike doesn't mean that you can ride anything. Unfortunately, experienced riders often forget to be humble when handling a new toy. Different throttle responses, braking tendencies, cornering ability, centre of gravity, and ergonomics can really throw you off. Treat any bike you haven't mastered with respect. If you don't, you may find they bite as hard as they bark.