QuestionI bought a new TVS Apache RTR 160 bike, seeking advice on improving mileage as presently am getting 40kmpl only, and important tips for good driving. Please do needful.
AnswerMileage: read the owners manual and find out what specific fuel should be used. Some motorcycles prefer high octane, some low octane, some nonoxygenated, some oxygenated. Keep your speeds reasonable, shift and accelerate smoothly to increase mileage.
Safety Tips: there are too many to name. Read my book, How to Ride a Motorcycle, for hundreds of safety tips. In the meantime, here are the most important.
Wear full protective gear: helmet, boots, gloves, jacket, riding pants, eye protection
Separate drinking alcohol or drug use from riding.
Take a training course, if one is available in your area.
Assume you are invisible to all other drivers
This is the only assumption it’s ever safe to make on a motorcycle. We are smaller, we are harder to see, and it’s harder to judge our speed and distance – even when they do see us. There are strategies for standing out in traffic – learn what they are and use them.
Look where you want to go
We call it “visual directional control” and it’s not a recommendation, it’s a technique. In a corner, look as far through the curve as you can see. Don’t look down at the ground, and DON’T look at the guardrail.
Countersteer
If you still believe you lean a motorcycle by leaning your body weight, it’s time to head back to school. Use precise handlebar inputs to get the bike steered, and not your body weight.
Use both brakes
Do not avoid using your front brake because you’re afraid of flipping over or locking it up. If you don’t know how to use it, learn, but don’t fall into the trap of using only your rear brake in an emergency.
Never stop riding the bike
This has two meanings.
One: when you’re on the bike, ride the bike. Don’t let yourself get distracted by work or home, by inattentive or aggressive drivers, and certainly don’t let yourself get distracted by the beautiful scenery. If you’re going to ride, ride.
Two: when a good ride goes bad and you’re certain you’re going to crash, DO NOT give up. You have a lot more control of the situation than you think, as long as your skills are up to the task. Focus on the solution, get the bike under control, and get yourself stopped with the rubber still on the ground. Laying it down is NOT a strategy.
Take care and ride safe!
