3 Tips That Aren't "Good Advice"

The majority of us want to help- and for some reason, when a friend or family members ask us for advice, it's waaay easier to solve their problems than our own.

We see it occasionally at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson- those that are 'new' to the sport ask a friend that rides to help them. To advise them on what helmet to buy, or what bike they should get. 

Most of these friends are good at dispensing advice without letting their ego get in the way. They'll actually ask us if they don't know, rather than make something up.

Then there's the "Harley Advisers" that have been there, done that, and will tell you (and anyone else within ear-shot) just what's wrong with your choice of [fill in the blank]. 

In case you know of someone that fits this description, this post is dedicated to you -you probably already figured out that they're full of sh*t (although some do honestly feel like they're 'helping'). 

Here's the most common advice that these Harley Advisers give that's not good advice at all:

• Riding Gear= 

Bad Advice: "You want to get a leather jacket a size bigger so you can wear a sweatshirt under it." Except that when the leather jacket breaks in, it'll be way to big. 

Good Advice: With a new leather riding jacket, you actually want it to fit a little snug, so that once you've gotten it broken in it'll be juuuuust right.

• Which Bike= 

Bad Advice: "That bike doesn't have enough power- you're going to be disappointed in six months." 

Good Advice: Actually, Harley has their Freedom Promise, which takes care of that. 

• What to Do= 

Bad Advice: "If you're going to crash- just lay your bike down." Unless you're a real life stunt rider, there is no reason to do that... 

Good Advice: If you find yourself in a situation where an accident is about to happen, your best bet is to keep your bike upright and shed as much speed as possible. Even if you can only slow down 10-20mph, it'll make a big difference.

I'm not saying you can't bring a friend with you to the dealership. What I'm asking is that you seek more than that friend's opinions and advice. Get a rapport going with the dealership employees, go to bike nights and talk with Bikers there, and you can always ask your Riding Coach (if you've taken a Basic Riders Course) as well.