The freedom of a motorcycle is something that gets a lot of play today. We’ve been bombarded with some many notions of what a motorcycling lifestyle entails, we just take it for granted. If you were to chime in that motorcycling is a perilous, unpredictable lifestyle and means of transportation, you’d be pegged as some kind of four-eyed square peg. No one wants his or her myth of a Steppenwolf-soundtracked freedom curtailed.

Beware complacency, fellow and aspiring riders. Hardcore, dyed-in-the-wool bikers are savvy enough to know what the score is. They’ve been riding long enough to know that yes, riding a cycle is a matter of life-and-death. Even trips to the local corner store are fraught with more perils than if you decided to jump into your car or SUV. It stands to reason — and the statistics bear it out — that being propped up on two wheels, moving at high rates of speed with little or no protection around your tender flesh is a recipe for disaster. Or at least a nasty case of road rash.

Over a long enough timeline, you will have to put your sweet rocket down — and down hard. Whether it’s someone opening a door while you’re splitting lanes, or lane changes that fail to take you into consideration — you will have to put your motorcycle down at some point in your riding life. This means you have to be prepared to feel the road against your skin — at higher rates of speed than walking. It’s a bit dour, but if you’re a Sunday biker, regaled in your Sunday biking best, you’d better be ready for reality.

Other than knowing all the usual safety tips, every bikers should have some grasp of motorcycle law. This means understanding what rights and privileges you’re entitled to. If you should be involved in a serious accident, you will wish you knew the law. In fact, you’ll probably wish you had a good motorcycle attorney on speed dial to handle all the red tape headed your way.

Safety first — always. Yes, going fast is your prerogative, but you don’t have much between you and the asphalt. There’s no point enjoying all your chopper or crotch rocket have to offer if you can only do it once. Longevity is the key here — stay safe and stay alive.

If you need to bolster your motorcycle law know-how, you can always call a reputable motorcycle attorney and ask a few questions.