BRAKE BEFORE THE BEND

As a novice rider you must approach cornering and bends with care and a little bit of respect.  Having good forward vision will mean that you can plan ahead for the bend that you are approaching. There will be clues to the severity of the bend, such as road marking, road signs, hedgerows, lamp posts and so on. They are all there to see, you just need to learn how to translate them into a plan. The road surface, road camber and other road hazards must all be taken into consideration. You should slow down on approach and adopt an appropriate speed and gear for your ability. On approach apply the brakes before you arrive at the turning point and not during the corner itself. Never use the front brake whilst the bike is leaning over or cornering. If you need to slow down whilst in the corner, this should be done by closing the throttle and gently applying the rear brake only.

YOU SHOULD REMAIN IN THE CENTRE OF THE LANE

The examiner wants to see you riding at the correct speed before arriving at the corner and not braking during bends. You should stay in the centre of your lane when riding but can move position to avoid a hazard in the road or on the road surface. You should move off slippery road surfaces and sunken manhole covers that may be directly on the line you want to take. Professional motorcycle training and practice are recommended to help you master cornering, counter steering is a superb way of negotiating corners and must be taught from an early stage of riding. If you have never heard of it, speak to your instructor.  You must fully understand these skills before taking your Module Two motorcycle test.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER - Bends & cornering

• Early vision helps with the plan
• Look for the severity of the bend
• Adjust speed before reaching a bend
• Adopt the correct gear before the corner
• Avoid braking in a corner
• Never use the front brake in a bend