RIDE WITHIN YOUR ABILITIES

To control a motorcycle, you have to be able to keep it upright and make it go where you want it to go at the right speed.

This manual cannot teach you how to control direction, speed, or balance. Only a lot of practice will do that. Control begins with knowing your abilities and riding within them. This manual will tell you a few things to help you keep the control you need to avoid accidents.

BODY POSITION

To properly control the motorcycle, your body must be in the proper position.

Seat–sit close enough to the handlebars to reach them with your arms slightly bent. Bending your arms allows you to turn the handlebars without having to stretch.

Hands–hold the handlegrips firmly so that you will not lose your grip if the motorcycle bounces. Start with your wrists down. This will help keep you from accidentally using too much throttle especially if you need to reach for the brake suddenly.

Knees–hold your knees firmly against the gas tank. This will help your balance as the motorcycle turns.

Feet–keep your feet firmly on the footpegs. A firm footing will help you maintain balance. Don't drag your feet along the ground. If your foot catches on something, you could be injured and you could also lose control of the motorcycle.

Keep your feet near the controls. This lets you use the controls quickly if you have to. Also, try to keep your toes up. If you let them drop down, they may get caught between the road and the footpeg.

Posture–your body should be fairly erect. This lets you use your arms to steer the motorcycle rather than to hold yourself up.

TURNING

New riders tend to have more trouble turning than experienced riders do. The only way to learn how to make good, safe turns is to practice. Here are two important tips for practicing:

Limit your speed. Riders often take turns too fast.When they can't hold a turn, they either cross into another lane of traffic or go off the road, or they brake too hard and skid out of control.

Approach turns very carefully until you learn to judge how fast you can actually take a turn. Remember,you can always speed up as you come out of a turn. Use these four steps for better control:

• Slow–reduce speed before the turn by closing the throttle and, if necessary, applying both brakes.
  
• Look–look through the turn to where you want to go. Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.
  
• Lean–to turn, the motorcycle must lean. To lean the motorcycle, push on the handgrip in the direction of the turn. Push left–lean left–go left. Push right–lean right–go right. Higher speeds and/or tighter turns require the motorcycle to lean more.
  
• Roll–roll on the throttle through the turn. Maintain steady speed or accelerate gradually.

Avoid slowing down in the turn. In normal turns, the rider and the motorcycle should lean together at the same angle. In slow tight turns, lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight.

BRAKING

Motorcycles have two brakes and both of them are needed to stop effectively. The front brake is the more powerful of the two. It provides about three-quarters of your stopping power. The front brake is safe to use if you use it properly.

Here are some important things to remember
about braking:

• Use both brakes every time you slow down or stop. If only the rear brake is used for "normal" stops, you may not have enough skill to use the front brake properly when needed.
  

  Squeeze the front brake and press down on the rear. Grabbing at the front brake or jamming down on the rear can cause the brakes to lock, which will result in control problems.

• Apply both brakes at the same time. Some people believe that the rear brake should be applied first.That is not true. The sooner you apply the front brake, the sooner it will start slowing you down.
  
• The front brake can be used in a turn. Some people think this is dangerous. It is dangerous if the road is very slippery and the brake is not used properly. When leaning the motorcycle, some of the traction is used for cornering. Less traction is available for stopping. A skid can occur if you apply too much brake. Also, using the front brake incorrectly on a slippery surface may be hazardous. Use caution and squeeze the brake lever.
  
• Some motorcycles have integrated braking systems that link the front and rear brakes together by applying the rear brake pedal. (Consult your owner's manual for a detailed explanation.)

SHIFTING GEARS

There is more to shifting gears than simply getting the motorcycle to accelerate smoothly. Accidents can occur if the gears are used incorrectly when you down shift, turn, or start on hills.

DOWNSHIFTING

It is important to shift down through all the gears as you slow down or stop. Remain in first gear while you are stopped so that you can move out quickly if you need to.

Make sure you are going slowly enough when shifting into a lower gear. If you are going too fast, the motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid. This is more likely to happen when:

• Going downhill–the motorcycle tends to pick up speed on a downgrade.
  
• Shifting into first gear–on many motorcycles, the speed range for first gear is very low.

  Under these conditions, you may need to use the brakes in order to slow down enough to shift safely.

SHIFTING IN A TURN

Do not upshift or downshift in a turn unless it can be done very smoothly. A sudden change in power to the rear wheel can cause it to lock or spin. The result can be a skid. It is best to change gears before entering a turn.

STARTING ON A HILL

It is more difficult to get the motorcycle moving on an upgrade than it is on flat ground. There is always a danger of rolling backward into someone behind you. Here is what to do:

• Use the front brake to hold the motorcycle while starting the engine and shifting into first gear.
  
• Change to the foot brake to hold the cycle while operating the throttle with your right hand.
  
• Open the throttle a little bit for more power.
  
• Release the foot brake when the engine begins to slow down. This means the engine is taking hold.
  
• Release the clutch gradually. If you release it too quickly, the front wheel may come off the ground or the engine may stop–or both.

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