BOZEMAN — You might see motorcycles around Bozeman all the time, or even want to learn how to ride one yourself. I spoke with a motorcycle repair shop to learn more about how riders can stay safe.
“Always ride like nobody can see you,” said Seth Hazuga, owner of Bike Shack, a motorcycle repair shop in Bozeman.
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Hazuga says he’s been riding a motorcycle since he was 14-years-old and has always loved the industry. He says he worked his way up; he initially was turned down. Fast-forward, he’s now owned Bike Shack for 11 years.
“I bought it in 2014 and never looked back,” he said.
As an avid motorcyclist and shop owner, Hazuga shared many safety tips. The most important, he says, is gear.
“Minimum, put a helmet on,” said Hazuga. He said the quality of gear is especially important and that helmets should be Department of Transportation certified. Hazuga also says jackets with protective padding and leather boots are crucial.
“If you slide and stuff like that, your tennis shoes will wear through in a matter of 20 feet cause its hard asphalt and sliding with proper boots and proper gear will save your skin literally.”
Hazuga says during the summer, checking tire pressure at least once a week is a necessity, as a blowout can happen if tire pressure gets too low. He also says that roughly half of the past accidents he has seen have been caused by texting and driving. Another motorcyclist I spoke to, Nathaniel, who’s been riding for over a year, tells me he sees this happen all the time.
“I take a lot of side roads because I don’t trust people…everyone’s always on their phones,” said Nathaniel.
Both Hazuga and Nathaniel recommend taking a rider safety course. Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety offers one in Bozeman at Montana State, where owning a bike is not required.
To sign-up, visit this link.
