13. Pulling away

USING THE MOTORCYCLE CONTROLS 

The process of learning to pull away and stop for the first time is an exciting experience when you are learning to ride. It is at this point that you will be coordinating the 5 basic controls for the first time. Remember they are, the throttle, clutch, front brake, rear brake and gear lever. This aspect of learning to ride a motorcycle takes a little bit of time and should not be rushed. Your motorcycle instructor will methodically guide you step-by-step, until you become familiar with the controls and competent with this skill before you move on to the next stage of training.  You should be patient during this phase because it is setting many skills that will be needed later on. Take your time and accept that repetition is a key component to your success.

A STEP BY STEP APPROACH

Improving your skills requires a step by step methodical approach. When you are learning to pull away and stop, the aim is to gain confidence and coordination with the basic motorcycle controls. When you are using the Throttle, use a flat wrist and only a small amount of revs to get the motorcycle moving forwards. When you are releasing the Clutch, use the finger tips only and release slowly to the clutch bite. This is the position of the clutch when the bike wants to move forward. Make sure the clutch control is smooth and delicate, get used to using a sustained biting point. You may find this awkward and unnatural to start with, but practicing holding the bike on the biting point is a great skill to have and will aid other riding skills later on. There is no need to use the front brake whilst pulling away and stopping at slow speed. However, if both feet are down to stabilse the bike, you will need to use the front brake. If using the front brake to stop the motorcycle, ensure the bike is upright and traveling in a straight line and apply the front brake very gently. The Rear brake is the recommended brake to use for slow speed stopping. It will bring the bike to a stop more gently than the front brake which makes it feel more comfortable and controllable. As you have previously learned how to select and deselect first gear, the Gear lever only needs to be used to go into 1st gear or neutral.

A METHODICAL SEQUENCE

• Take your time
• Use the methodical process to learn
• Using a sequence is key to your success
• Practice make perfect
• Slip the clutch and add  small amount of power
• Keep your head up for balance