Suzuki Intruder VL800, Manual

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1-6
PRACTICE AWAY FROM TRAFFIC
Your riding skill and your mechan-
ical knowledge form the founda-
tion for safe riding practices. We
suggest that you practice riding
your motorcycle in a nontraffic sit-
uation until you are thoroughly
familiar with your machine and its
controls. Again, consider taking
one of the MSF’s Rider Courses.
Even experts will be pleased with
the caliber of the information pre-
sented in these courses. As the
MSF says: “The more you know,
the better it gets!”
INSPECTION BEFORE RIDING
Review the instructions in the
INSPECTION BEFORE RIDING
section of this manual. Perform an
entire pre-ride inspection before
you head out on the road. Spend-
ing a few minutes preparing your
machine for a ride can help pre-
vent accidents due to mechanical
failure or costly, inconvenient
breakdowns far from home.
ACCESSORIES AND LOADING
The accessories you use with your
motorcycle and the manner in
which you load your gear onto the
bike might create hazards. Aerody-
namics, handling, balance, and
cornering clearance can suffer,
and the suspension and tires can
be overloaded. Read the ACCES-
SORY USE AND MOTORCYCLE
LOADING section.
CARRYING A PASSENGER
Carrying a passenger, when done
correctly, is a great way to share
the joy of motorcycling. You will
have to alter your riding style
somewhat since the extra weight
of a passenger will affect handling
and braking. You may also need
to adjust tire pressures and sus-
pension; please refer to the Tire
Pressure and Loading section
and the Suspension section for
more details.
A passenger needs the same pro-
tection that you do, including a
helmet and proper clothing. The
passenger should not wear long
shoe laces or loose pants that
could get caught in the wheel or
the chain. Passengers must be
tall enough that their feet reach
the footrests.