Beginner Motorcycle Reviews and Guides » Learn To Ride A Motorcycle

The “Must Do’s” of Stopping on a Motorcycle

Devex — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 04:01:32 +0000

You’ve gotten past the part where stalling the motorcycle at lights is the norm, and you’ve eliminated the “coast to a stop” as your standard mode of deceleration. A certain degree of confidence is beginning to show itself, and that’s good. Now is the time to “up your game” a little bit, and start learning little tricks that can make your motorcycle riding career safer and smarter.

Plan an Escape Before You Stop!

When you stop at a light, or behind a car, DON’T put the motorcycle in neutral and take your hands off the bars. Always keep your motorcycle in gear, clutch pulled in and a finger or two on the front brake. Maybe when the guy behind you stopped he gave you some space, but there’s no guarantee the guy behind HIM isn’t too busy yelling into his cell phone to notice everyone in front of him is already stopped! People often don’t do well at judging how far away they are from motorcycles, especially coming up from behind. You’ll find that cars will often get UNREASONABLY close to you and you should be ready to MOVE at any moment; a “fender bender” in a vehicle is a trip to the hospital for a biker.

Watch For Oil or Other “Car Blood” On The Road

Some guy had a bad vehicular day, and his transmission spit fluids everywhere. He didn’t have a good day – and you can have a worse one if you stop in a puddle of oil or other shiny gunk. Oil and bike tires are a bad match. When a motorcycle tire is coated in slick oil or other “vehicle blood”, even the slightest twist of the throttle can break the rear tire loose. Cool if you’re in the D1 Drift Circuit, not cool if you’re on a motorbike! Sand can also cause a graceful stop to become a floundering one. Being road aware at all time, not just when you stop, can prevent you from becoming part of the asphalt.

Stay Visible In Your Lane

Keeping yourself in the exact centre of the lane feels like a good thing, and while you’re moving, it can be. When coming to a stop on a motorcycle, drift a bit to the left as you aim your front wheel past the vehicle in front of you. When people are driving they tend to focus on what’s directly in front of and directly behind them. Since the steering wheel is on the left side of the car here (the CORRECT side), drivers are naturally going to be more aware of whats going on in that plane of vision. By stopping your motorcycle in the left side of the lane, you can be sure that you’re getting the attention of drivers both in front of and behind you. Any attention you can draw to yourself on a bike, outside of making rude hand gestures, is good attention.

The Space Question

We’re beating this to death, but it’s extremely important to keep your options open for a split second escape when stopped. “How much space do I leave?” you ask. Leaving more than a couple of bike lengths between your motorcycle and the next car, encourages dummies to try and turn into the “vacant” space and not leaving enough can mean that you get put in a bad spot, should you need to escape in a hurry. There is no “correct” amount of stopping distance from the car in front of you but a fairly reliable yardstick is two motorcycle lengths. There’s nothing that will fill your pants faster (with you know what) on a bike than seeing a car in your mirror coming up fast behind you and having nowhere to go! You can’t fix the other drivers, but you can be ready for them.

The Mirror Trick

One final suggestion: while you’re stopped on your motorcycle – clutch in, first gear selected – is to tilt your handlebars a bit and rock the bike to the side so you can see a few cars behind you in your mirror. If one of them doesn’t seem to be slowing fast enough, or suddenly locks up all four and starts sliding, you have a couple of seconds warning – and for a bike, that’s usually enough time to get out of the way. Now go home and change your pants!

Riding a bike has incomparable moments of joy; but leathers, brains and reflexes are your only defences if someone else screws up – planning escape routes before you stop and being aware of oil and debris on the road at all times can prevent a good ride from turning into a bad ride. If you’re checking out the babe in the next car, who is also checking out you and your bike, don’t forget to notice when the light changes… Blaring horns totally ruin the moment!

Let Us Know If There Is Something We’ve Missed!

We encourage comments on all posts! Please note however that comments are moderated to ensure a good experience for all users. That means no spam please!

Tips and Tricks for Beginner Motorcycle Riders

Cameron Martel — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:39:01 +0000

Thinking about buying your first motorcycle, or perhaps hopping on one for some joy riding? Want to enjoy the most addictive mode of transportation around, but not too sure of how or where to begin? Keep reading.

The key to successful (and safe) riding is patience. There are some things about motorcycles that will always ring true, just by virtue of the fact that a motorcycle is effectively an engine with wheels… and that’s it. 99.95% of the time your motorcycle will be faster than a car; you will encounter drivers who don’t see you when they are turning, merging, or are otherwise trying to steal your spot in traffic; you will bite off more than you can chew when you mash the throttle. These are realities that every motorcycle rider, regardless of experience, has to face.

That doesn’t mean that riding a motorcycle is hazardous to your health (despite what many people would have you believe). Rather, it means that as a new rider it is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately prepared to handle the task with confidence. In order to be confident you need to be confident in four key areas: safety, training/skill, licensing, and your motorcycle selection.

Motorcycle Safety

This is the most important aspect of riding a bike that you’re going to have to get down pat. Unlike a car, there is no steel cage protecting you. If you get into an accident there is very little between you and the pavement. For that reason along it is crucial that you are as safe as possible.

Have all of the right gear - You will have seen this several times on this website by now, and here it is again: always ride ATGATT.

Ensure that you are as prepared as possible before you ride - We highly recommend you read a motorcycle training guide (Get Ready to Pass has our top recommendation) as they break down, in detail, everything you’re going to need to know to learn how to ride a motorcycle.

Do not ride with passengers until you have a lot of riding time under your belt - Many new riders don’t realize just how much a passenger changes the way a motorcycle behaves. Are you ready for a passenger?

As always, stay within the posted speed limits and don’t override your comfort zone. If you’re riding in a group and the group is moving at a pace that you aren’t 100% comfortable with slow down and stay safe.

Motorcycle Training/Skill

You weren’t a perfect driver the first time you got in a car, and you aren’t going to be a perfect rider the first time you hop on a motorcycle. Expect to spend some time learning how to control your bike, as well as discovering where your limits are.

Read a motorcycle training guide - We hammer this point to death, but the fact still remains that motorcycle training guides are the best way to acclimate yourself to a motorcycle before you get on and ride. We recommend Get Ready to Pass ($27 w/videos) or MotoLearn ($15 without videos). Both will save you time spent searching the net for information, not to mention that they will help you feel more comfortable when you first decide to go for a ride.

Practice in a safe environment - Hopping on the freeway for your first ride is not a great idea. Practice in a parking lot until you are comfortable with the basics. Once you’re comfortable with slow-speed riding, move from a parking lot to residential side roads that are infrequently used. Hit the highway once you are comfortable with the bike overall.

Take a motorcycle safety course - This is part and parcel with reading a training guide, and we recommend that you do both. Most motorcycle safety courses cost a few hundred dollars and they will walk you through all the basics. Not only that, but most include accident evasion- in our opinion, a lifesaver of a course.

Motorcycle Licensing

Never ride your motorcycle on public roadways without having the appropriate license and insurance. Just don’t do it.

Motorcycle Selection

If you’re reading Beginner Motorcycle Reviews you probably already know the recommendation that we are going to make. Do yourself a favor and start small. Check out the top 10 motorcycles for new riders and see our recommendations.

Don’t buy a crotch rocket - Should your first car have 600 horsepower? No. Should your first bike have 120 horsepower? Absolutely not. Buy a rocket after you’ve had a year or two of riding experience.

Don’t buy a heavy hog - The heavier the bike the harder it is to control. Cruisers are sweet (we love the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom), but the bigger they are the harder they (potentially) fall.

Related Blogs

Learning to Ride Sportbikes: A Beginners Guide – Part 2

Cameron Martel — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:38:46 +0000

This is part two of a three part guide. Read Learning to Ride Sportbikes: A Beginners Guide – Part 1 if you haven’t already.

In the first part of this guide we talked about the basic pre-work involved in getting ready to ride your new sportbike. Having a clear, positive mindset will ensure that you approach the motorcycle with no apprehensions. If you are too nervous the first time you get on a bike it could spell disaster! Remember: the motorcycle itself is only going to do what it’s been told to do. As the rider, you have complete control over what it does and when.

At this point you should already have your gear (and be riding ATGATT). Ideally, you will have read a training manual as well (giving you the basics of how to shift, where crucial components are, etc.). Now it’s time to get on to the actual process of riding.

Before We Start the Motorcycle…

We’re going to assume that since you are learning to ride a sportbike that you’ve never even started one. Luckily, this process is simple and straight forward. However, before we start the motorcycle we are going to complete a visual check of the motorcycle to ensure that it is in good operating order. The exact process is identified in the Get Ready to Pass videos pretty well. To keep it short, ensure that you check the following:

Fluid levels – Ensure that the engine oil is in good condition and within acceptable levels. Also check the brake fluid and ensure that it is also filled to the appropriate amount.

Tire pressure - A flat tire on a motorcycle is bad news. Make sure that your tires are inflated to the appropriate amount, as per what is stated on the tire sidewall. If you are using the OEM tire from the manufacturer, the correct tire pressure will also be found in the owners manual.

Signal, headlight, and brake lights - On a motorcycle, visibility is king. Ensure that your brake lights and turn signals work properly. Also check to ensure the headlight works correctly.

Once you’ve performed your walk around you are now in a good position to actually go and start the motorcycle. Do not ride the motorcycle unless you possess the required permit.

There are three main components that you will need to know of when starting the motorcycle: the clutch lever, engine kill switch, and engine ignition switch. Of course, you will need to ensure that you have the handbrake depressed so that the motorcycle does not move during ignition.

(Click for full size)

The engine kill switch and ignition switch are usually found right next to each other. If you click on the image to the right you will see what they look like. Typically, the engine kill switch is red and can be flipped up or down. In the picture to the left, the switch is “off” when it is down, and “on” when it is flicked up. When the kill switch is set to “on” the motorcycle will not start.

The ignition switch has a picture of an arrow in a circle with an electric bolt inside of it. This switch is used to actually start the engine on an electric-ignition motorcycle (almost all new motorcycles use an electronic ignition). Assuming that the engine kill switch is set to “off”, the key is in the ignition position, and the clutch lever is depressed, pressing the ignition switch will start the motorcycle.

(Click for full size)

The motorcycle clutch lever is the lever that is used to engage and disengage the clutch. When the lever is depressed, the motorcycle is free to be started or change gears. Typically, the clutch lever is located on the left handlebar, as illustrated in the image to the left.

The clutch lever will have some resistance to it when you attempt to depress it. This is to ensure that the clutch doesn’t accidentally engage when it wasn’t intended to, as well as provide feedback as to where the friction point is when engaging first gear. If you’ve ever driven a manual transmission on a car, the friction point will feel very similar.

Before you attempt to start your motorcycle, make sure you know where all of these switches are.

(Click for full size)

The handbrake is the lever on the right handlebar, with the footbrake being the lever on the lower right side of the motorcycle near your feet. These are the only two ways you have to stop your motorcycle, and as you ride, you will use them harmoniously. If there is one thing that you do before riding, it is learning where brakes are and how “stiff” they feel when used.

Obviously, if either brake is in disrepair the motorcycle is not fit to ride.

So, now we know where the handbrake, rear brake pedal, engine kill switch, and ignition switches are. Remember, each motorcycle may be a little different so ensure that you locate these items on yours. Once you’ve got that down pat it’s time to move on and start the motorcycle.

Starting Your Motorcycle

Here is a helpful video that very clearly identifies how to start a motorcycle:

Fast Tube by Casper

If you are unable to view the video, simply follow this process:

Apply the rear brake pedal - This will prevent the motorcycle from moving during the operation, as well as keep it in place should you accidentally have it in gear when you release the clutch lever

Turn the key to the “start/ignition” position - Typically, this is two notches past the position it is in when you first put the key inside the ignition cylinder. The next position is “accessory”, which will power on the lights, with “start/ignition” being the second position.

Ensure the gearbox is in “neutral” - You will know this immediately, as a green neutral light will illuminate in the instrument panel.

Ensure that the engine kill switch is set to “off” - If the kill switch is engaged you will not be able to start the motorcycle.

Depress the clutch lever - This engages the clutch.

Press the ignition switch - This will activate the starter and start the motorcycle.

If required, use the choke - The “choke” is a lever that is used to restrict airflow to the engine. Use the choke as required to get the motorcycle running. Once the motorcycle is running smoothly, release the choke.

Congratulations! Your motorcycle should now be started and putting along beautifully.

This concludes part two of the guide. In part three we will learn how to shift gears, get the motorcycle moving, and how to turn the motorcycle.

Learning to Ride Sportbikes: A Beginners Guide – Part 1

Cameron Martel — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:39:14 +0000

This is part one of a three part guide.

Before you read any further, know this: there is absolutely no replacement for getting on a motorcycle and learning through experience. No, I am not saying that you need to hop on your bike and go for a ride down the highway. What I am saying is that the best way to learn how to ride a motorcycle is to get on one. That being said, there are a lot of things that you can do to ensure that your first experience on a motorcycle is a positive one.

Unlike a car, you don’t have the opportunity to ride with someone and have them coach you while you’re riding. A motorcycle is an inherently personal machine, making instruction difficult. Ultimately, it’s up to you to take the initiative to learn how to ride.

Learning to Ride Sportbikes: Pre-work

Before you hop on a motorcycle and decide to go for a cruise by the lake, take some time to mentally prepare yourself for what you are going to be doing. Riding on two wheels is different than riding on four. It takes some patience, and a whole lot of caution, to ensure that your ride is a safe and successful one.

That is why there is immense value in making the investment in a motorcycle training guide. A good guide will cost you less than $30 and give you all of the information you need to make better, more informed decisions when riding. Our recommended guides are

Get Ready to Pass - Priced at $27, includes videos and other media. Best value.
MotoLearn - Priced at $17, it does not have video. Good buy if you don’t want to spend $27.

If you’ve opted out of reading a guide, perhaps spend some time digging through the internet. Whatever you do, ensure that when you get on that motorcycle you’re confident and ready to ride. Overcoming the mental barriers inhibiting success is 95% of the process required to be successful the first time you hop on a motorcycle.

Learning to Ride Sportbikes: Your Gear

Everyone knows that you need a helmet to ride a motorcycle, but what about your other gear? If you’re smart, you’ll ride ATGATT. You should also have, at the minimum:

A high quality helmet - This is self explanatory.
Riding gloves - Work gloves are not a replacement.
Riding boots – A high quality pair of boots will protect your feet and ankles much better than shoes.
A riding jacket – A riding jacket offers spine protection, elbow/shoulder protection, and is more durable in the event of a fall.

Your gear is not an area where you can afford to cheap out on. It is the only layer of protection, aside from defensive riding techniques and remaining alert at all times, that you have in the event of a fall. Spend the extra money on gear that is high quality, durable, and comfortable. Ideally, your gear will be a one-time investment that will ensure your safety and comfort while you’re riding.

This concludes part one of the guide. In part two we learn what to do before we start the motorcycle, as well as how to start the motorcycle. Read part two.

Getting Used to the Speed: Keep Your Eyes Open

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:52:52 +0000

Have you ever noticed that whenever you buy a new car (or motorcycle) that it always seems faster the day you buy it than it does six months later? This is what happens when your mind and body get used to the speed (as well as the forces applied to it), making your motorcycle feel slower than it is.

Remember, especially if you’re just learning how to ride a motorcycle, that the motorcycle doesn’t actually slow down- you just got used to the speed. This is why people modify their cars to make them faster, and this is also why people go from 600cc super-sports (already capable of 10/11 second quarter mile times) to 750cc or 1,000cc motorcycles.

Why The Motorcycle Feels Slower

There are many psychological reasons that your motorcycle loses the edge that it used to have, but the bottom line boils down to one word: perception.

I can still remember the first time I took my Kawasaki Ninja 500R out for a spin- it was a blistering, blood-thirsty machine that accelerated like a bat out of hell. I will never forget the feeling in my stomach the first time I pinned it – and I mean really pinned it. It was, without a doubt, the fastest machine in the world.

Of course it wasn’t, but it felt immensely powerful to me at the time. As time passed and I became more confident with the Ninja it eventually felt slow. Suddenly I went from wondering how anything could be faster than it to wondering why it was taking so long to hit 100 km/h. My perception changed.

As you become more confident with your abilities as a rider, and as you become more confident with the particular motorcycle you’re riding, the machine itself loses the raw appeal it once had. This is normal, but it’s also a mind-trick! Of course your motorcycle hasn’t gotten any slower, so make sure you remember that when you’re riding!

How to Prevent it from Happening

Aside from constantly upgrading to a bigger and more powerful motorcycle there really isn’t a whole lot that can be done. Though, you will notice that if you don’t get a chance to ride the motorcycle for a few days that as soon as you hop back on it will feel faster and more responsive (a product of your mind “forgetting” just how the motorcycle felt).

To keep the excitement around for a little longer, try adding some “spice” to your riding:

Hit the twisties - There’s nothing better than hitting the twisties. It doesn’t matter if you ride a sport bike, a cruiser, or a dual-sport: twisties are twisties, and they’re a blast to ride.

Avoid traffic, take the scenic route - Rush hour traffic will suck the life out of any motorcycle, no matter how big or how small it may be. Ditch the traffic and hit the scenic route- you’ll have a great time!

Learn the limits of your motorcycle - As the old saying goes, it’s more fun to ride a “slow” motorcycle fast than to ride a “fast” motorcycle slow. Get out there and explore the limits of your motorcycle (keep safety and the rules of the road in mind at all times, though).

If, after everything is said and done, your motorcycle still feels slow then it may be time to move in to something bigger. Good luck, and safe riding!

No related posts.

Review: VRides Motorcycle Training Guide

Cameron Martel — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:09:36 +0000

Price: $9.99
Comments: No visual appeal and crude pictures are only acceptable given its bargain-basement pricetag. The videos, however, are a nice addition and cover the basics very well.
Click here to visit their website.

After one of our visitors asked us to review VRides we decided to pony up the $10 and check it out for ourselves. Right from the get-go we knew that this particular motorcycle training guide was created on a budget- the website screams “amateur”. However, in the world of motorcycling apperances can be deceiving, so we decided to reserve judgement.

Once you’ve paid your $10 you’ll be taken to the download area, where you can download your .PDF eBook (make sure you have Adobe Acrobat Reader) as well as view the included videos. Make sure you bookmark the page so that you can come back to the videos as they are not included in the .PDF file that you download.

What We Like About VRides

As we mentioned before, VRides has a very budget feel to the entire package. However, the language that is used throughout the eBook as well as videos is simple and easy to understand. It’s obvious that this motorcycle training guide was written by your average Joe, not a hotshot writer or someone with a production team (or the budget to get one developed). This gives it a very “authentic” feel that many people respond quite well to.

The videos take you step-by-step through:

Your “first” ride.
Counter-steering and turning.
Braking.
Off-set cone weave.
U-turns.
Obstacle swerve.
Quick stops.

Each video is narrated well, and important information is emphasized via slow-motion and on-screen visual cues/text. They aren’t the HD-quality found in Get Ready to Pass, but they are easily viewable and understandable.

What We DON’T Like About VRides

Getting back to that budget feel of the website and package, there’s just something to be said for the finesse and polish that Get Ready to Pass or MotoLearn offer. Sure, the information presented may be the same, but the package that the information is presented in is much more visually appealing. In the case of Get Ready to Pass, the videos are so well presented that it’s very obvious that a professional put a lot of time and effort into making them.

As well, if you download the .PDF eBook (that’s 43 pages long) and close the download page without bookmarking it you will have one heck of a time finding those videos again. It’s possible to check your receipt and revisit the download page, but what a pain in the butt. Some links would have been nice. Not a major deal since you’re going to bookmark that page if you decide to buy a copy, right?

Overall

Get Ready to Pass is a much better package in regards to video instruction and narration. However, despite MotoLearn’s more polished presentation we feel that VRides, due to the included videos and simple narration style, is a better product in regards to actually learning the information that is presented.

Sure, the sales page doesn’t look like much. And sure, the eBook looks like someone who just learned how to use Microsoft Word created it. None of that removes the fact that VRides is a decently put together package that, let’s face it, can’t really be topped for $10. But, if you’re willing to pony up the extra $18, Get Ready to Pass is a wise decision.

Click Here to Visit VRides

As always, post your comments/reviews/experiences with VRides below.

Review: Get Ready To Pass Instructional Videos

Cameron Martel — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:33:37 +0000

Price: $27
Comments: Excellent instructional video, images, and reading materials. A comprehensive, well put together package.
Click here to visit their website.

A couple of weeks ago we reviewed MotoLearn.com, an excellent online training guide for new motorcycle riders or prospective motorcycle riders. MotoLearn.com is a well written guide that any new rider, especially considering its skimpy $16 price tag, should read.

“Get Ready To Pass” is, by all accounts, a much better product. Along with pictures and reading material, it presents incredibly high quality videos on every aspect of riding. Not only that, but the material presented is applicable for both cars and motorcycles. While most people will already have their car licence before getting their motorcycle license, having that information present is a bonus if you don’t have either license.

What We Like About “Get Ready To Pass”

The main page for “Get Ready To Pass” features a video that outlines all of the features of this exceptional product. The first half is all about cars, but what really shines is the second half of the video that features some examples of what you’ll find inside for prospective motorcycle riders. Needless to say, it is a comprehensive package.

To be completely honest, we are so impressed with “Get Ready to Pass” that we don’t quite know where to begin. It is truly a polished motorcycle leaning guide, and anyone (and we mean anyone) could learn to ride a motorcycle with little more than the desire to do so and this guide as their mentor.

We especially liked:

The crystal-clear videos - Each video is clear and well presented. The actions being demonstrated are easy to see, and all important information is presented on screen in a way that is easy to comprehend. Everything from lane changing to collision avoidance is demonstrated on video.

Easy to follow instructions - The video narrative is articulate and easy to understand. Every element of the action they are demonstrating in the video is explained and emphasized. There is absolutely little doubt regarding each session. After watching the video you will have seen exactly what to do in that specific situation.

Motorcycle riders test walk-through, tips, and pointers - May new prospective riders are worried about taking their lisence test. As soon as most people learn to ride a motorcycle they become quite comfortable with the mechanics of the motorcycle, but come time for the test they would get nervous and doubt their experience and abilities. This guide explains every aspect of the motorcycle riders test, leaving nothing for a prospective rider who’s just learned how to ride a motorcycle to question.

Included bonuses - While the bonuses aren’t anything spectacular, they’re still nice to have. Some self improved eBooks are included with the guide as well as some nifty audio files.

MotoLearn.com goes into great detail regarding the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, and when we reviewed it we really liked how the instruction was provided. ”Get Ready To Pass” goes beyond that, clearly showing you the mechanics behind each action. If you are a visual learner, you will greatly appreciate the clarity of the videos and how they are presented.

What We DON’T Like About “Get Ready To Pass”

Some people may find the price ($27) a little steep for a motorcycle training guide, but if your goal is to learn to ride a motorcyle then this guide may very well be the best and most comprehensive option available to you. As well, some people may find the included material for automobiles to be unecessary.

Overall

It is a rarity that you will find a resource that is so clear and concise when it comes to learning to ride a motorcycle. ”Get Ready To Pass” will explain the mechanics behind riding a motorcycle, as well as demonstrating every manouvre that you will encounter. Stressful situations, such as collission avoidance, are explained and demonstrated ensuring that you will know what to do when you encounter a similar situation.

This is a MUST BUY for a new or experienced rider.

Click here to visit “Get Ready to Pass”

As always, post your comments/reviews/experiences with “Get Ready To Pass” below!

Are You Ready For A Passenger?

Cameron Martel — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:57:47 +0000

I can still remember the first time I had a passenger on the back of my motorcycle. I was riding a 1999 Kawasaki Nina 500R at the time (a classic beginner motorcycle- read our Kawasaki Ninja 500R review here), which was just barely big enough for me (I was 6’2″ and 265 lbs at the time). When my passenger, my 115 lb girlfriend, got on the back the motorcycle the suspension dropped a fair bit at the rear. It was like riding a completely different motorcycle.

Looking back on it, I definitely was not ready to have a passenger. It was my first season riding the Kawasaki Ninja 500R, and while I had been riding for a few weeks, I was not as comfortable as I should have been given the responsibility that comes with having another person on the back of your motorcycle.

“Am I Ready for a Passenger on my Motorcycle?”

This is the question you should be asking yourself before you allow another person to get on the back of your motorcycle. Regardless of what your riding (though especially true of any of the beginner motorcycles you’ll find listed on this website) you will find that the moment you throw a passenger into the mix it will completely reshape how your motorcycle accelerates, brakes, handles, and “feels”.

Obviously, this is due to the passengers extra weight. However, it is also due to the fact that having another person behind you changes the position that you are forced to ride in. Most bikes are designed with the rider in mind, with a passenger being an afterthought.

If you have never had a passenger on your motorcycle before, as a new rider you can expect a few things to happen:

Turning the motorcycle becomes much more difficult - One of the biggest factors in a proper turn (the lean in) can become a huge problem if your passenger isn’t ready and comfortable with it. If you lean and your passenger doesn’t your bike won’t behave as you’re expecting.

You will have oodles of traction on the rear wheel, but less traction on the front wheel - Having all of that weight over top of the rear wheel will give you excellent traction on the rear (great for accelerating), but it will mean that there’s less weight on the front wheel.

Your fuel economy will suffer - More weight requires the engine to do more work. This will hurt fuel economy, though likely not by a dramatic margin.

The motorcycle will react more “sluggish” than you’re used to - A motorcycle that is usually nimble and easy to manipulate will become much heavier – and harder to manoeuvre – once you have another person on it.

The Motorcycle Passenger Checklist

Assuming that you’ve been riding for at leastone full season, and that you’ve got plenty of riding time under your belt, there are things that you can do to ensure that when you finally take on a passenger that it doesn’t result in you dumping your motorcycle. The checklist below is a brief version of the one found in the MotoLearn.com riding guide.

Both you and your passenger have full protective gear - Don’t skimp out to try and look “cool”. Make sure you’re riding ATGATT. At the very least make sure that you’re both wearing a helmet and a motorcycle jacket.

Your passenger is aware of how to be a good passenger - Ensure that your passenger knows to lean into corners with you, to cling to you during acceleration, turning, and braking, and to not move around on the back of the motorcycle.

Your motorcycle is ready for a passenger - Make sure that all of your fluids are topped up and that your tires are properly inflated. As well, never have a passenger ride on the back of your motorcycle unless you have a rear passengers seat installed!

Good luck, and be extra careful when riding with a passenger. If you go down on your own you only have to worry about yourself; if you go down with a passenger you now have two people to worry about.

Review: Get Ready To Pass Instructional Videos

Riding ATGATT – It May Save Your Life!

Cameron Martel — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:45:46 +0000

Riding ATGATT (all the gear, all the time) is something that every new rider does at first. After all, it only makes logical sense. However, many riders soon begin to stop wearing some of their gear when they go riding. They forget that safety is more important than “looking cool”, and it only takes one meeting with the asphalt to make that a rather harsh lesson.

ATGATT – All the gear, all the time. “All the gear” typically consists of a DOT approved helmet, riding boots, riding gloves, and a quality motorcycle jacket. A pair of motorcycle pants is also a good idea.

Crucial Gear When Learning to Ride a Motorcycle

Everyone knows that a helmet is required to ride a motorcycle, both by law and by common sense. However, many people don’t know why other gear is required or what safety benefits it offers them. Below is a list of gear and what it can do for you in the event you lay down your motorcycle. When learning to ride, wearing as much protective gear as possible is a smart decision.

Motorcycle Helmet – We can’t even count the number of times we have seen motorcyclists riding without a helmet, or with a helmet that offers little to no protection. There are two basic types of motorcycle helmets: full-face and partial face. A full-face helmet has a visor that extends over your face, providing protection from wind, rocks, bugs, and additional protection in the event you find yourself sliding on the pavement. A partial-face only covers the head, leaving the face completely exposed.

Motorcycle jacket - Regardless of whether you choose a fabric or leather jacket, wearing one is absolutely essential- especially if you are just beginning to learn how to ride a motorcycle. A good quality motorcycle jacket will protect your torso, shoulders, arms, and back in the event of a fall. Many jackets now also include a spine protector, which reinforces the area around your spine.

Riding Gloves - A pair of fabric “work gloves” do not qualify as high-quality riding gloves. Aesthetically there may not be too big of a difference, but physically the differences between the two are astronomical. Riding gloves feature wrist and finger supports, and many have Kevlar inserts to assist with sliding. A good pair of riding gloves are also relatively inexpensive (most pairs run between $25-$50).

Riding Boots - Your feet are essential for many reasons, the least of which being riding a motorcycle. It makes sense to protect them, and a good-quality riding boot will provide much more protection than a shoe or work boot. A riding boot will have reinforced material in key points, such as where you come into contact with the shifter, and ensure that your foot and ankle or securely in a comfortable position. In the event of a fall or slide, a riding boot can be the difference between a broken ankle/foot and being able to walk away from the crash.

Motorcycle Pants - Made of specific materials or leather, motorcycle pants provide more wear protection than slacks or jeans. When you’re sliding, an extra fifty feet of wear-through protection could be the difference between a skin graft and walking away with minor injuries.

Things Most New Riders Don’t Know About Motorcycle Gear

Motorcycle gear is, for the most part, beefed up versions of their non-motorcycle counterparts. Riding gloves, for example, have reinforcements on key pressure points to help prevent your hand from breaking during a fall. A riding jacket, along with keeping you dry and warm, is designed to help you slide easily across the pavement while still providing wear-through protection. A jean jacket may provide 50 to 60 feet of wear-through protection, where a motorcycle jacket may provide 120 feet or more. The difference? A motorcycle jacket will protect your skin twice as long.

When learning to ride a motorcycle, take the time to ride ATGATT. You’ll become comfortable in your gear, break it in, and develop habits that may wind up saving your skin, or your life, in the event that you crash. Every new-rider manual on the planet, including the excellent MotoLearn.com new motorcyclist riding guide (see our review of it here), preach all day long about why riding ATGATT is essential.

Stay safe our there, and remember: it only takes one fall to remind you why you wearing all that gear– or why you should have.

Review: MotoLearn.com Motorcycle Training Guide

Cameron Martel — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:10:39 +0000

Price: $16.50 USD
Comments: Highly recommended, easy to read. A+
Click here to visit their website.

Many people will ask an experienced rider the same old question: “How do I ride a motorcycle?” The answer, of course, is quite complex. Most riders start off with the “oh, well you just do this yabba yabba yabba…”. Good luck trying to explain it, because to be honest, it’s the feel of riding a motorcycle that a new rider needs to experience.

Naturally, because of this, we tend to find the “how to” guides to be a little off the mark. Some do a good job of explaining the mechanics of riding a motorcycle, and others do an excellent job of describing the feeling that comes with riding a motorcycle. None of them, it seemed, were able to do both.

Until MotoLearn.com.

What We Like About MotoLearn.com

We came across MotoLearn.com a few weeks ago when one of our visitors e-mailed us asking about it. Curious (as always) we ponied up the $14 (it is normally $16.50 but appeared to be on sale) and purchased a copy of the eBook. It comes as a downloadable PDF file, and you get immediate access- there is no waiting for shipping or processing.

MotoLearn.com follows a very similar mantra to us, and for that reason alone we like it. However, we specifically liked a few sections:

The section on riding gear and how to choose the right riding gear was very well written - Many new riders overlook their equipment, regardless of how crucial it is, and purchase equipment they don’t need. MotoLearn.com addresses this section very well.

The motorcycle riding mechanics were explained clearly and concisely - Step by step instructions will help you do everything, from starting the motorcycle to engaging first gear. Very well explained and very easy to understand.

Tips and tricks that advanced riders learn over time are explained right away - The mentality that keeps an experienced rider safe on the road is drilled into your mind over and over again. Very, very important.

It tells you riding test tips and tricks - For many, the license test is the real challenge. MotoLearn does a great job explaining some tricks that will give you a bit of an edge when taking the test.

To be honest, we were surprised at how well the whole PDF is put together. There is so much information to take in when learning to ride a motorcycle that it can be hard to comprehend, but MotoLearn.com does an excellent job at breaking it all down into manageable chunks. You won’t find yourself frying to brain to take all of this in.

What We DON’T Like About MotoLearn.com

Despite all of the positives, MotoLearn isn’t perfect. While it is an excellent guide for a novice rider, or someone who’s thinking about learning to ride, it doesn’t replace the feeling that comes with hands-on experience with a motorcycle. As well, some of the information that it presents is pretty obvious and sometimes a little useless (why 5’7″ is the perfect height for new riders, for example).

Overall

Despite the fact that it’s an eBook, we recommend MotoLearn.com to anyone who wants to learn to ride a motorcycle and doesn’t mind spending $16.50 (or $14.00 if it’s on sale) for a good, valuable resource that will help them come to a better understanding of how to ride, how to shop for a motorcycle, and potentially save them a lot of headache when it comes time to take their test.

Click here to visit MotoLearn’s Website

As always, post your comments/reviews/experiences with MotoLearn.com below!