Before you take out your motorcycle for a drive, make sure that your two-wheeled ride is roadworthy and safe to use. The T-CLOCS is a checklist established by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation that you should use in order to avoid compromising your safety while driving around in your motorcycle.
T-CLOCS stand for:
T-CLOCS stand for:
- T – Tires and wheels
- C – Controls referring to levers, pedal, hoses, cables, and throttle
- L – Light referring to battery, turn signals, headlights, and mirrors
- O – Oil referring to fluid levels
- C – Chassis referring to frame, chain, suspension, etc
- S – Stands referring to center and or kickstand
Aside from ensuring that your motorcycle is safe to ride, it also pays to be cautious and wear protective and safety gear. While this is not really a step on how to ride a motorcycle, it is something very important you need to do prior to going for a motorcycle ride. These protective and safety equipment include helmets, gloves, boots, and armored clothing. Once you are donned in all of these, you are now ready to drive around in your motorcycle.
Step No. 1: Learn How to Properly Throw a Leg over your Bike
The first step on this how to ride a motorcycle tutorial is to know the proper way of throwing a leg over your bike. This depends on both your height as well as your bike’s height. Try to start by being at the left side of your bike. Gain balance by leaning slightly and gently against the motorcycle’s handlebars or tank. Put all of your weight on your left leg. Lift up your right leg and throw it over your bike. Make sure that you lift it up high enough to ensure that it does not get caught before it even reaches the right side of your bike.
Step No. 2: Familiarize Yourself with Your Bike’s Ergonomics
The next important step on this tutorial on how to ride a motorcycle is to familiarize yourself with your bike. When straddling your bike, relax on the seat to gain a sense of its ergonomics. This is also the best time to make sure that all the mirrors are properly adjusted. This is also a good time to acquaint yourself with the bike’s parts such as the footpeg position, the turn signals, the horns, and the lights. Always remember that every motorcycle is different from another, so it makes sense that you familiarize yourself first before turning on the engine.
Step No. 3: Know the Functions of your Right Hand
Your right hand controls two major functions of your motorcycle: the acceleration and the braking. In applying throttle, or gassing the engine, you need to twist the grip in a downward position or towards you. However, even just a small twist is already enough, so make sure that you are delicate when gassing your engine to avoid instability or accidents.
The next step you have to follow on this how to ride a motorcycle tutorial is to properly control the front brakes with your right hand. In order to apply front brakes, you need to pull the lever. Remember that doing it smoothly is crucial: if you do it too hard, it may cause a front brake lockup that may result in the bike skidding and even crashing. Find the most comfortable way that you can apply front brakes to avoid accidents from happening.
Step No. 4: Know How to Operate the Rear Brake
In order for you to learn how to ride a motorcycle, you should understand how the rear brake works. The rear break is applied through the use of your right foot. You also have to keep in mind that when using the front brakes, the effectiveness of the rear brake is reduced. Application of the rear brake is most useful in situations such as low speed maneuvering and reduced traction.
Step No. 5: Learn How to Use the Clutch
The clutch is located on the left hand grip. Using this will allow you to connect as well as disconnect your bike’s engine from its transmission. In squeezing the clutch, you are putting your motorcycle in neutral. In letting it go, you are allowing your bike’s engine to connect with the transmission or to the rear wheel. Practice how to use the clutch effectively and smoothly by pulling the lever gradually and slowly.
Step No. 6: Know How to Properly Perform Shifting
The next step on this guide on how to ride a motorcycle is to learn the proper way of shifting. There are seven motorcycle shift patterns: the 6th gear, the 5th gear, the 4th gear, the 3rd gear, the 2nd gear, neutral, and the 1st gear. While there are some motorcycles that does not require the use of the clutch to change shifts, it is better if you make use of the clutch as a habit each time your perform shifting.
Here is the proper way of shifting that should only be performed in order:
Step No. 1: Learn How to Properly Throw a Leg over your Bike
The first step on this how to ride a motorcycle tutorial is to know the proper way of throwing a leg over your bike. This depends on both your height as well as your bike’s height. Try to start by being at the left side of your bike. Gain balance by leaning slightly and gently against the motorcycle’s handlebars or tank. Put all of your weight on your left leg. Lift up your right leg and throw it over your bike. Make sure that you lift it up high enough to ensure that it does not get caught before it even reaches the right side of your bike.
Step No. 2: Familiarize Yourself with Your Bike’s Ergonomics
The next important step on this tutorial on how to ride a motorcycle is to familiarize yourself with your bike. When straddling your bike, relax on the seat to gain a sense of its ergonomics. This is also the best time to make sure that all the mirrors are properly adjusted. This is also a good time to acquaint yourself with the bike’s parts such as the footpeg position, the turn signals, the horns, and the lights. Always remember that every motorcycle is different from another, so it makes sense that you familiarize yourself first before turning on the engine.
Step No. 3: Know the Functions of your Right Hand
Your right hand controls two major functions of your motorcycle: the acceleration and the braking. In applying throttle, or gassing the engine, you need to twist the grip in a downward position or towards you. However, even just a small twist is already enough, so make sure that you are delicate when gassing your engine to avoid instability or accidents.
The next step you have to follow on this how to ride a motorcycle tutorial is to properly control the front brakes with your right hand. In order to apply front brakes, you need to pull the lever. Remember that doing it smoothly is crucial: if you do it too hard, it may cause a front brake lockup that may result in the bike skidding and even crashing. Find the most comfortable way that you can apply front brakes to avoid accidents from happening.
Step No. 4: Know How to Operate the Rear Brake
In order for you to learn how to ride a motorcycle, you should understand how the rear brake works. The rear break is applied through the use of your right foot. You also have to keep in mind that when using the front brakes, the effectiveness of the rear brake is reduced. Application of the rear brake is most useful in situations such as low speed maneuvering and reduced traction.
Step No. 5: Learn How to Use the Clutch
The clutch is located on the left hand grip. Using this will allow you to connect as well as disconnect your bike’s engine from its transmission. In squeezing the clutch, you are putting your motorcycle in neutral. In letting it go, you are allowing your bike’s engine to connect with the transmission or to the rear wheel. Practice how to use the clutch effectively and smoothly by pulling the lever gradually and slowly.
Step No. 6: Know How to Properly Perform Shifting
The next step on this guide on how to ride a motorcycle is to learn the proper way of shifting. There are seven motorcycle shift patterns: the 6th gear, the 5th gear, the 4th gear, the 3rd gear, the 2nd gear, neutral, and the 1st gear. While there are some motorcycles that does not require the use of the clutch to change shifts, it is better if you make use of the clutch as a habit each time your perform shifting.
Here is the proper way of shifting that should only be performed in order:
- Using your left hand, disengage your bike’s clutch.
- Using your left foot, perform the shift.
- Finally, engage your bike’s clutch.
While some people think that riding a motorcycle is complicated, it is actually easy, as long as you are familiar with the proper way of its use. And to make things a lot easier for you, you should follow this step by step tutorial on how to ride a motorcycle.
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