At the end of winter, the bikers hit the road again (illustration).

-

A.Gelebart / 20 Minutes

  • With the arrival of spring, motorcycles will make their comeback on the roads.

    It is during this period that the authorities count the most accidents involving two-wheelers.

  • Two motorcycle specialists gave us their advice for a safe recovery of the handlebars.

We see two things appear at the end of winter: daffodils and bikers.

The latter, who mostly preferred the heated interior of a car between November and March, are impatient to ride their machines again.

The recent accidents involving two wheels bear witness to this, after several months without practicing, you should not start just anyhow.

The head of the bikers of the police of the North and the manager of a motorcycle garage explained to

20 Minutes

how to get back in the saddle safely.

Since the beginning of March, in the North, there have already been four serious accidents involving bikers.

One had his foot torn off by a car that cut him off, another died after losing control of his motorcycle, a third was seriously injured due to late braking.

The last date is Wednesday, and it is a police motorcyclist who was run over by a motorist who denied him priority.

"Most accidents take place at the start of the sunny days"

"Most of the accidents take place at the start of the sunny days, when the bikers have not yet driven much and the climatic conditions are still changeable", admits Commander Franck *, head of the bikers of the Northern police.

In 2019, 19 bikers died on the roads of the department, against 13 in 2020, a notable drop mainly due to confinement, according to the police officer.

For Commander Franck, the most important point is the equipment: “A good helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and motorcycle boots are the minimum.

The airbag vest is not a gadget either, it is perhaps what saved the life of the colleague Wednesday ”, affirms the police officer.

Even if a few months are not enough to forget the handling of a two-wheeler, the reflexes are not the same.

"Without going so far as to take lessons in school, there are operations to take back the handlebars which allow you to regain your reflexes and feelings", continues the captain.

Because there are mainly two types of accidents involving motorcycles: "Either the motorcyclist alone who misjudges his speed or his braking time to perform a maneuver such as overtaking, or it comes from a motorist who has failed. not seen the motorcycle arrive, ”he explains.

Our road safety file

​

On the mechanical side too, there are things to do.

"Above all, you must not get on your machine and leave immediately," warns John Delplace, manager of the MT Motos garage in Lille.

Charging the battery, checking tire pressure and electrical components, that's the basics.

"For motorcycles with a carburetor, it is also necessary to empty the tanks where the accumulated gasoline may have taken moisture", explains the mechanic.

Just as important, it is necessary to check or have checked the fluid levels and the wear of the brake pads.

Depending on the type of motorcycle, count between 100 and 150 euros for a restart.

And once all that is done, all you have to do is enjoy.

* For security reasons, the policeman preferred that his last name not appear in the article.

France

Morbihan: A young woman dies riding the motorcycle she had just bought

Miscellaneous

Ille-et-Vilaine: A biker killed in a head-on collision while overtaking

  • Motorbike

  • Biker

  • Road safety

  • Lille