New rider do's and dont's
- Thread starter NoNameNoNumber
- Start date
I'm normally tapping along to whatever's on in my headphones on my tank, I probably just look mental.
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
- Posts
- 12,515
Then you were either taught incorrectly, or are misremembering your lessons.
You keep the back brake on partly because that's just how you keep teh bike from rolling backward, especially with hill starts, but also in case you're rear-ended by a car.
If you are rear-ended, the following will happen:
- No brakes on: You will be shunted many feet forward, possibly into the vehicle in front or oncoming traffic.
- Both brakes on: You are most likely to be spun around (depending on a long list of factors which would require a whole new thread to discuss) into the vehicle in front or oncoming traffic.
- Front brake on: Your bike will probably flip right over and you will either face-plant whatever is in front and/or be thrown into the vehicle in front or oncoming traffic.
- Rear brake on: You will be shunted forward a bit, perhaps into a low-side. You might hit the vehicle in front if you're close enough to it. You are very unlikely to be thrown into oncoming traffic.
Having been rear-ended just as I was letting off the brake and moving off, I can vouch for the No Brake scenario!
Yep.
examiner will not be happy at all with that left foot down right foot on the brake is where they want you.
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Dec 2010
- Posts
- 1,170
- Location
- Greater London
Yeah me too.
Never thought of it like that. I was always taught to cover the back brake but I just don't like to and find my right foot always down now even on hills and I don't roll back. That being said I didn't take into account being rear-ended, think I'll change that now.
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 5,392
Thanks for all of your input guys, I'll try and implement all of this on my ride back to Honda for it's first service tomorrow.
So to summarise,
Gloves over jacket.
Trousers over boots
Waiting at a junction, 1st gear, right foot on the brake.
Waiting with a longer pause eg. level crossing. Click into neutral but remain on the back brake.
Cover the brakes only in particularly hazardous situations, but this will come with experience
Thanks guys, stay tuned for more noob questions
So to summarise,
Gloves over jacket.
Trousers over boots
Waiting at a junction, 1st gear, right foot on the brake.
Waiting with a longer pause eg. level crossing. Click into neutral but remain on the back brake.
Cover the brakes only in particularly hazardous situations, but this will come with experience
Thanks guys, stay tuned for more noob questions
Associate
- Joined
- 20 Dec 2010
- Posts
- 1,170
- Location
- Greater London
The biggest thing to get into that I just don't do anymore and I don't see anyone doing is to do lifesavers on both sides before moving off. You're instructors will mention this every time you forget to do it and you even have to do it on your Mod 1.
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 5,392
Ok but what I meant still stands true? The logistics of it I'll work out tomorrow on the bike
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 5,392
I'm still doing them. Good job too as I went to turn off a main road, single carriageway with cars waiting behind me a fellow motorcyclist was overtaking me just as I went to pull across the front of him!
Basically when you're stopped you should always have the brake on. So if you have to swap feet whilst stopped put the front brake on whilst swapping.
Also practice clicking it in to neutral when coming to a stop, saves having to do the feet swap. Useful if you know you're going to be stopped a while or parking up. You won't generally do it during your mom 2 though.
By this I mean literally when you just about to stop not coasting in neutral.
Also practice clicking it in to neutral when coming to a stop, saves having to do the feet swap. Useful if you know you're going to be stopped a while or parking up. You won't generally do it during your mom 2 though.
By this I mean literally when you just about to stop not coasting in neutral.
Last edited:
Guessing they may have taught it many moons ago as I see a hell of a lot of seasoned bikers do it that way.
Same here. This is was I was taught so that's what I did on my test and I passed first time. I'll stand with both feet down and in neutral if I'm going to be stuck for a while but for anything under about 15 seconds I just keep it in first gear.
Soldato
- Joined
- 24 Mar 2011
- Posts
- 6,479
- Location
- Kent
Different test centres will mark you differently, this is where an instructor with knowledge of what they look for comes into it's own.
For example, I was taught not to do life savers when pulling away at traffic ligghts - just a check of both mirrors. I passed and no mention or marking down was given at all.
Lifesavers when turning right however, big yes to doing these. And a lifesaver when turning left, and coming back in after passing a parked car, although you don't always have to do these when turning left.
Outside - always outside for textiles. Same for denim jeans. Leathers inside
Usually, assuming they have a proper cuff. I have some light summer gloves that are more like mx gives that go under a jacket.
I never use neutral. Sit at lights etc left foot on the ground in first gear, right foot on the brake. Also don't park in neutral - leave it gear as it's the closest thing you've got to a handbrake
[/QUOTE]
I'll cover brakes in heavy commuting traffic. That extra millisecond or two comes in handy, but not on the open road.
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
- Posts
- 12,515
Some will, some won't. Depends on the instructor and examiner.
Those in Reading will all be spit-hot on it.
I trained in Basingstoke under a Police instructor, who advised against it - Check left and right mirrors only, then go to move off, because anything coming past will have passed by the time you start off. It also takes slightly less time to get you moving, which leaves less chance of someone getting bored and trying to overtake you at that point... especially during the test when you're displaying L-Plates!
Same for NOT needing a right Lifesaver before turning right *if* you're turning in after oncoming traffic - Anything that could have been overtaking you at that point will have embedded itself in the vehicle that just went past you!
Yeh - Try that on MY bike... !!
Using just the front brake and/or clutch to hold position on hills is more of an Advanced Riding thing. I do the former sometimes, but it's just easier to use the back.
Optional.
Just remember you'll have to do the Biker Shuffle and put your right leg down, left leg up, click into 1st, left down, right back on brake, check-check, move away. This might take time and upset the drivers waiting and leaves more things to fuss-up and get confused over.
Nothing wrong with simply waiting in gear, if you prefer.
Potentially hazardous.Cover the brakes only in particularly hazardous situations, but this will come with experience
It's more important to keep full control of your bike though and something you'll develop post-test.
Ask away - Coming up with correct answers forces everyone to consider their own riding as well!Thanks guys, stay tuned for more noob questions
I always found leathers inside just wicked the water in. Once they got properly wet, the saturation just meant it all ran in.
I actually blouse my leathers as it helps the run-off.
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 5,392
No great dramas today. Had a busy head what with all of the info picked up from you guys but I think I implemented it all quite well. Still covering that front brake though... Force of habit.
The wind blew my sleeves out of my gloves so I adjusted the straps around the forearm and upper arm and then tightly velcrod the cuff of my jacket OVER my glove. Made for a much less breezy ride home.
Started to filter through some standing traffic on the 52 into Nottingham but me and my vagina chickened out :/ that's gotta be about the most dangerous part of it all eh?
The wind blew my sleeves out of my gloves so I adjusted the straps around the forearm and upper arm and then tightly velcrod the cuff of my jacket OVER my glove. Made for a much less breezy ride home.
Started to filter through some standing traffic on the 52 into Nottingham but me and my vagina chickened out :/ that's gotta be about the most dangerous part of it all eh?
Last edited: