So you like Motorcycles eh? And your parents refused to buy you one eh? Don't blame them, motorcycling when done careless can go horribly wrong! You might end up losing a few limbs or worse!
So you've finally bought your first motorcycle! Awesome! Pat on your back my friend! So let's rack up some miles on it! But wait, we gotta learn how to ride it first, and not crash. Bruises on a spanking new motorcycle hurt much worse than heartache for a lovely maiden! Let's go over the basics now!
WARNING:
Always wear all your riding gear, all the time, so you do not break any bones or limbs when you learn to start riding, and continue the same practice no matter how long you've been riding. It's easier and cheaper to replace a broken panel rather than a broken limb, or a broken skull!
FOUNDATION:
As the title suggests, this paragraph deals with the foundation of learning to ride. The stronger your foundation, the stronger your riding skills. So be thorough with this section before you move on to the next!
A motorcycle has gears, a clutch and a tank full of fuel sitting on top of a burning hot engine. Scared yet? Fear is good. A little bit of fear keeps you on your toes, and always aware of everything around you, and underneath you.
First of, you've probably ridden a bicycle, the mechanism is the same, only difference being you have an engine doing all the work for you. Unlike a bicycle the left hand lever is called the "Clutch lever". This helps in shifting gears as you ride. The right hand lever is the "Front brake Lever", which is the same as that of a bicycle.
Now that you're familiar with the levers on the handle bar, let's get to the levers on the foot pegs. The lever on the left foot peg is the "Gear Lever" and the one on the right peg is the "Rear Brake Lever". In conclusion, you will be using all these levers on the go to control and maneuver the motorcycle.
STARTER:
Most modern motorcycles come with an electronic starter, all you have to do is press the button and the motorcycle purrs to life! Some motorcycles also come equipped with a kick lever for starting. In that case, it is good to practice starting the motorcycle with the kick lever. open up the lever, put your right foot on the peg provided on the lever, and swiftly, but gently push it all the way down to the extreme end (lower than your right foot peg). This will start up the motor. If you aren't able to start it in the first kick, use more force or speed until you do (an experienced biker will be helpful during this time).
GEAR LEVER: (Lever on the the left foot peg - can be on the right for certain types of motorcycles)
The gear lever decides what gear you are on, and what gear to engage at what speed. As you start from a standstill, you have to engage your gear lever to the First Gear (please refer owner's manual for patterns of gears), by clicking the lever with your foot, pushing it down a notch (standard for modern day Yamahas, Hondas, Triumphs and generally a majority of motorcycles, refer pattern below). once you hear a click, you are in the first gear.
As you operate the gear lever it is mandatory to pull in the "Clutch lever" (on the left side of the handle bar), this applies for every gear shift. If you do not pull in the clutch lever, you will engage the clutch and have a small game of angry bikes and see your motorcycle flying into a wall, maybe with you on it. So thumb rule: Always pull in the clutch lever in every gearshift thereby disengaging the clutch and saving your ride.
ACCELERATOR: (The grip on the right handle bar rotates! And is called the Accelerator/Throttle)
The Accelerator regulates your speed, it's operation is fairly simple. As you open it up, more fuel is being sent into the engine. Remember the gear shifting lesson above? Well, you need the accelerator to get you moving! So, once you slot your motorcycle into first gear, slowly release the clutch, and give some throttle to it as well. This is your first time, so take it easy, it is quite common to give too much throttle or release the clutch too fast with little throttle. You might probably shut the bike off, no worries! We all aren't Gods of motorcycling the day we touch one.
OPERATING A MOTORCYCLE:
Find the perfect balance between clutch and throttle to get you moving at a steady pace. Once your rolling, and you feel like the first gear is not fast enough, pull in the clutch, slide your toe under the gear lever and push it up gently and slot it into second gear. you will probably hit neutral on the way, but that's OK. Give yourself some time and slot it into second gear as you keep rolling. Gently release the clutch with proportional throttle, just as you did when you pulled the vehicle from the first gear, then as you go above the range of the second gear, repeat the same procedure and shift up to third gear. The same follows for all gears.
Now you've started moving, you're using the throttle, clutch and gear lever to gain more speed and confidence! Good! Oh wait, there's a wall blocking your path! You need to shed all that speed! Remember the front and rear brakes? I'll give you a lollipop if you remember where those levers are situated! Braking is an art in itself. Most riders use 70% front and 30% rear brakes when slowing down. In addition to this, you can also drop a gear or two down (same procedure as up shifting, pull in the clutch, drop a gear down and release clutch with NO THROTTLE INPUT). This will further aid you to reduce speed. This technique of Down shifting is called engine braking.
APPLICATION:
Learn to use all these techniques within a controlled environment (like within your apartment compound or a nearby playground when there are not any people around), once you are confident of handling the motorcycle without stalling the engine or tipping over, or panic brake, head out onto the roads in the early hours and get a feel of the motorcycle in real world conditions. At times like these, it is advised to have an experienced rider with you, just in case. Be aware, do not panic, but take calculated decisions while moving through traffic. Always remember to use your turn indicators before making a turn. And it is advised to leave your headlight on at all times to make you much more visible to traffic.
Hopefully all goes well and we ride another day! Wishing you many miles, and let me tell you, you've chosen the perfect lifestyle of motorcycling! We would not have it any other way! Hariathoo!!!
