Beginner Motorcycle Riding Tips

When I was a volunteer instructor with the local motorcycle rider course, I wrote a series of little “beginner tips” articles which were published on the course web site, one per week, for a year. That web site has long since been retired, and those articles are gone, so I’ve reproduced them here as an archive. (Some are modified in very minor ways to free them from the context of the original course web site.) Some of the articles are almost 20 years old, and may seem a little dated. I’ll eventually bring some of them up to date to comment on more modern technology.

All of the articles listed below are written by me, and are © Richard McDonald. (A few articles on the original course web site not written by me are not included here. I hope they are not lost.) They are my personal opinion about matters related to motorcycle riding. They are not the official position of any organization, and are for your consideration only.

• Smooth out your downshifts with a throttle blip.
• Try to go through intersections with an escort.
• Never drive faster than you can see.
• Park to drive out, especially on a hill.
• Go in slow to come out fast.
• Practice all three of your obstacle options.
• Drive over obstacles more smoothly by doing what doesn’t come naturally.
• Be on guard near visiting drivers.
• Never get between a car and an exit ramp.
• Fine-tune your steering, with your throttle.
• Engine braking: cool sound. Poor practice.
• Be alert for animals at night.
• Avoid being a target when stopped at a red light.
• Proper parking placement protects paint.
• Pretend you’re invisible.
• Don’t buy more octane than you need.
• Both brakes: squeeze and ease.
• Use your odometer as a fuel gauge.
• Keep warm and rested: hypothermia kills.
• Don’t lose your sidestand in hot asphalt.
• Target fixation: you go where you look.
• Your shoes are not brake shoes.
• Push on the side where you want to go.
• Start and stop your engine with FINE-C.
• Do a spring skills refresh.
• Road paint is surprisingly slippery.
• Want a real test of skill? go slow.
• Keep your wrist flat to avoid throttle problems.
• Make those automatic traffic lights change.
• Have a foul-weather plan.
• Practise your mental technique when not riding.
• Optimise your lane position when stopping.
• Check your tire pressure, at least weekly.
• Improve your cornering with lane position.
• Your gear shift is for managing your engine speed.
• Have a breakdown plan.
• Use your brake to start on a hill.
• Don’t let gusty side winds surprise you.
• A side stand won’t hold a bike facing downhill.
• Spot-check your lane position.
• Let gravity help with your centre stand.
• Practice a weekly 10-minute safety check.
• Treat morning shadows like oil slicks.
• Check that oil – it’s critical.
• Use the car ahead to increase your line of sight.
• Manage your traction quota.