How To Park Your Motorcycle

At Interstate Cycles, we know our customers love riding their motorcycles. However, you shouldn't forget about parking. Your bike is your pride and joy, and you owe it to yourself to park it safely and securely. Here’s a quick how-to about motorcycle parking to help you do a proper job. For more information, visit our store in Lake City, Florida, serving Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida.

Take Your Time

The key to proper motorcycle parking is planning your departure in advance. You need enough space to safely back out downhill and ride out to get back on the road. Take your time, and plan your egress from the parking space. The slope is important and so is the surface. When it comes to gravel you can never be sure how densely compacted it is, or if there are soft or loose spots. If you have a crowd of envious onlookers watching you get on your bike, it would be embarrassing to tip it over on the way out!

Be sure to find a level place to put down your kickstand, and be mindful of sharing parking spots with other riders. An overzealous parking enforcement officer might wind up ticketing all the bikes in a space if someone forgets to feed the meter.

Know the Laws

Don’t assume that all of the information in your original driver’s license manual is still accurate. Laws change all the time, and there are also often local laws and ordinances to learn when you travel. Most of the information that you need gets distributed through blogs and word-of-mouth, but you owe it to yourself to do your own research on the internet.

Most communities are becoming increasingly bike-friendly with parking laws and regulations clearly indicated by signage. Even though ignorance of the law isn’t an excuse to break the law, common sense and common courtesy will typically keep you out of trouble.

Secure Your Bike

There are a lot of high-quality disc locks to choose from, but be sure to purchase one recommended for your specific bike. It’s also a good idea to purchase a disc lock with a handlebar cord so that you will remember to remove it before you start up your bike.

Be sure to also park in well-lit areas and look for a secure pole so you can chain up your bike. Thieves work quickly and look for easy targets. A team of strong thieves can easily lift an unsecured bike into a truck bed and disable any locking mechanisms in private.

If you'd like to learn more about motorcycles, reach out to Interstate Cycles in Lake City, Florida, serving Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida.