Motorcycle-specific riding technique and vehicle control
What this domain tests
Machine control: whether you brake, corner and manage low-speed work by technique rather than luck.
Machine and body
- Pre-ride check (T-CLOCS): tyres and pressures, controls and cables, lights, oil and fuel, chain tension and lubrication, stands. A slack chain or low pressures change everything in a bend.
- Countersteering: above walking pace, press the bar in the direction of the turn - press left, the bike leans and goes left. It is the quickest way to change line in an emergency.
- Braking: both brakes, the front doing most of the work. Squeeze progressively to load the front tyre, then add pressure; the rear brake stabilises and helps at low speed. Be gentle and upright on sand, gravel or painted lines.
- Cornering: set speed before the bend, look through to the exit, hold a steady throttle, let the bike run wide on exit. Dragging a brake through the corner is a beginner error.
- Low speed: slip the clutch and trail the rear brake to control U-turns and filtering traffic.
Worked example
You enter a desert-road bend and realise you are too fast. Do not grab the brake. Roll off the throttle, apply light progressive front brake while the bike is still upright, press the inside bar to add lean, and look at the exit - the bike follows your eyes. Hard braking mid-lean stands the machine up and pushes you to the outside of the curve.
Traps
Rear-brake-only stopping; pulling the clutch in and coasting, which kills engine braking and stability; target-fixating on the edge of the road; and ignoring tyre pressures because the bike feels fine in a straight line.