7 Tips for Maintaining a Clear Vision

Motorcycle riders recognize how critically important having a clear vision is to reaching your destination. No one else can do what you’re here to do and being proactive is the best way to get there safely and effectively.

7 tips for maintaining a clear vision

1. Set clear goals. Your eyes steer the bike. This fundamental skill pervades all others. Look in the direction you want to go because your eyes will certainly take you there.If you don’t have goals, a purpose, or focus and see clearly where you’re going, you tend to drift through life, experiencing only a fraction of what you’re capable of. True fulfillment can evade you.

2. Balance long vs short term priorities. Constantly scanning your environment prepares you to respond to traffic, road signs and the unexpected – like animals and bouncing balls. At the same time, you look well down the road. This not only gets you where you’re going, it also helps maintain balance.Breaking long-term goals down into a series of shorter-term steps keeps work and personal projects manageable and on track. It enables you to measure progress towards your ultimate goal.

3. Be aware of distractions. Riding requires your full attention. As per the first point, you go where you look. So if you allow your eyes to focus on something other than the road ahead, that’s where you’ll go. You have many demands on your time and personal resources.While they may seem equally important, if you take a step back and look at them in the grand scheme of things, they lose their urgency and significance. Over time, directing energy to something that’s off course will drain you, making you less effective for those things you’ve decided are priorities.

4. Wear eye protection. Even jurisdictions which don’t require riders to wear a helmet require them to wear eye protection. Your eyes are not built to take wind, bugs, dust and stones, even at slow speeds. There are some senses you can lose and still operate a motorcycle. Sight is not one of them.Nurturing your mind, body and spirit keeps you healthy and fit. While this includes a healthy intake, it also means protecting your Self from people and situations that can hurt you. Being mindful of what these are allows you to be proactive. While you won’t avoid everything, you can direct your energy on moving forward rather than damage control.

5. Maintain a clear line of sight. The layers in front of your eyes can build up. Dirt, scratches, bugs or fog on your windscreen, visor and glasses impede your ability to see. The closer they are to your eyes, the more they interfere. Add in rain, darkness or the combination and visual acuity becomes a challenge! How quickly they accumulate determines how often you stop and tend to them.An excessive workload, taking on emotional burdens of others or heeding limiting thoughts and beliefs clutter your minds, deplete your energy and distort your vision. You lose sight of where you want to go. If you don’t pay attention, you become ineffective.

6. Understand your Circle of Control. While curves are exciting, you adjust your speed if you can’t see far enough around the corner. In darkness, riding beyond the area of illumination puts you at risk. You need time to react and if you’re pushing the envelope beyond where you can see, you’re placing yourself at risk.Your adventure gene loves to be exercised, yet it does need to be tempered by reality. Not only do you forfeit the beauty and enjoyment of the present when you get ahead of yourself or rush into situations you’re not ready for, you also risk putting yourself in danger.

7. Adjust for speed. The faster you go, the further ahead you need to see.The busier you are, the more attention you pay to making sure the activities you’re engaged in are in scope.

A clear vision is essential to riding a motorcycle. Whether it’s referring to your goals, your line of sight or your physical ability to see, you need it. Riding teaches you to set goals, focus, prepare – and then enjoy the beauty that is all around you!