Riding technique and vehicle handling
Domain 4 is pure riding: pulling away, slow control, countersteering, cornering lines and braking. The theory exam tests the correct sequence of actions and the physics behind them, not lap times.
Pulling away and slow speed
Use the clutch's friction zone with a little throttle and light rear brake to keep slow manoeuvres stable. Look where you want to go - the bike follows your gaze. Turning the handlebars works at walking pace; above roughly 20-30 km/h you countersteer instead.
Countersteering
Push the bar on the side you want to turn towards: push right, the bike leans right and turns right. It feels wrong the first time and is the only reliable way to steer quickly at speed.
Cornering
- Brake before the bend, then set a speed you will not need to change.
- Look through the bend to the exit, not at the kerb or the oncoming lane.
- Keep a steady or gently opening throttle through the corner; the engine keeps the chassis settled.
- If you must brake mid-corner, straighten the bike first, then brake.
Braking
Use both brakes together and squeeze the front progressively - the front provides most of the stopping force as weight transfers forward. On gravel, sand or wet paint, be gentler and more rear-biased, and keep the bike upright.
Worked example
You enter a bend signed for 60 km/h and it tightens more than you expected. The correct response is not to grab the front brake while leaned over. Ease off the throttle, let the bike run slightly wider if there is room, apply both brakes gently as you bring the machine more upright, then re-select your line. Braking hard at full lean is how the front washes out.
Traps
Pulling the clutch in through a corner, which removes engine braking and stability. Fixating on the kerb you fear - you ride where you look. Grabbing a fistful of front brake on a wet or gravelly surface. Trying to turn the bars at 60 km/h instead of countersteering.