Learn To Ride Motorcycle – The Basic Steps

If a person can ride a bicycle, learning to ride a motorcycle would be easier.

This article, would concentrate on instructing a student, how to ride a manual motorcycle.

In such a vehicle, the rider changes the gears himself. Foremost, remember a motorcycle is powered by petrol or fuel. It is therefore dangerous.

A slight twist of the throttle, will cause the machine to surge forward.

Before teaching a rider how to ride, it’s important that we introduce him to the controls itself.

A new rider, assuming he or she has never ridden a bike before should know:

i) The handbrake is on the right side of the handle. Use the right hand / fingers to depress it.

ii) The foot brake. Also situated o the right hand side where your right foot rests.

iii) Then there’s the gear control on the left side of your left foot.

Smaller motorcycles today have no clutch control. The gears are changed automatically, without the help of the clutch.

Let’s proceed then to the gear control.

Gear Control

Normally, a motorcycle has the following gears: Free gear, gear 1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4.

To make it easier for riders, the latest models of motorcycles, have “gear and free gear” denominations on the handle bars. You can look at the handle bar denominations to help you.

Today’s bikes use electronic starters. Upon switching the ignition switch, press a “starter” button to start the machine.

The steps are:

i) Ensure first of all, the motor is in free gear.

ii) Gear one is engaged by stepping down or forward with your left foot once.

iii) Accelerate slightly the throttle on the right hand side of the handle bar.

iv) With this, gear one will move the machine forward.

v) Keep accelerating the throttle and when the machine has moved approximately 10 – 20 meters, step the gear down, with your left foot for the 2nd gear and thus move faster.

To step, pull the handbrake and simultaneously step the foot brake with your right foot.

Next, is to free the gear. Look at the gear mechanism on your handle bar for help.

Learn to switch off the ignition key.

Start all over from step (i) to (v) and soon enough you’ll be on your way to riding a motorcycle eventually.

Gear 3 and 4 can be learnt at a later stage, when you mastered gears free one and two.