Stay Safe!

Tellico Riders wants its members to ride safely and provides the following information to help them do just that.

Members are encouraged to take Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) courses—both the Basic Rider Course (BRC) and the Experienced Ricer Course (ERC). See the Knoxville Rider Education Program for information on programs offered in the Knoxville area.

Review the Group Ride Tips and Hand Signals before you start your ride. The MSF offers the following video.

Club Courtesies

RSVP for all club rides so there will be a sufficient number of Ride Captains available to conduct safe rides.
RSVP if attending the monthly dinner rides so an accurate count can be forwarded to the restaurant.
Arrive with a full tank of gas so the ride gets off to a smooth start.
Use the 2-second rule and stay in formation for safety. We don’t want any vehicles cutting into our lines because we are too spread out. Practice, practice, practice is needed by club members to follow formation rules.
At a stop, all bikes should come abreast of the bike in front of them. This compacts the group and allows us to progress together after the stop. After a stop, don’t accelerate to top speed until all bikes are away from the stop sign. It is difficult to catch up from a stop.

Group Riding

This video explains riding formations, pre-ride meetings, hand signals, and more. Every TellicoRiders member should watch it. The video will open up with Windows Media Player. If you have slow Internet access, you can view the video with RealPlayer, faster to download but less quality.

If you use a Macintosh, open this QuickTime file. Note that you will have to click the Play button and that you may have to wait until the video catches up.

The T-CLOCS-Inspection Checklist will help ensure that your bike is always in top condition.

The Bike Trip Checklist will help you when you're preparing—or packing—for a trip

Familiarization (FAM) rides: If you are new to riding curvy roads like we have here in East Tennessee, are getting back into riding after a hiatus, or are new to group riding, please contact safety coordinators Roy & Paula Moore to set up a FAM ride. They will work with you to customize a FAM ride—a ride with you to address your personal needs/concerns with respect to riding safely with Tellico Riders. Contact them at moorerp@charter.net. Note: Please do your homework and make sure you are familiar with the MSF group-ride hand signals, have watched the MSF group-riding video, and reviewed the T-CLOCS motorcycle inspection check list found above in this safety section before requesting a FAM ride or going on any club rides.

Safe Riding Tips

Read articles on safe riding tips.

CPR and First Aid Training

Read articles on first aid for motorcyclists.

Click here to see a listing of club members who have completed CPR and first aid training.

Things You Should Carry on Your Bike

Per information covered at the March 2011 club meeting, you should carry the following items on your bike at all times:

Gloves (not latex)
Water
Packets of sugar (for diabetics)
Low dose & regular aspirin
Clothing shears
Bandaids
4x4 gauze (10)
5x9 surgical pads (ABD pads) (3)
Tape
Triangular bandages (3)
3" roller gauze or Kerlix
Emergency (space) blanket
Cardboard or SAM splints
Pen and small notebook or paper

Riding Gear, Repairs, & Other Good Stuff

Read articles on riding gear, repair tips for your motorcycle, and whatever else we come up with that doesn't fit into Safe Riding or First Aid!