Motorcycle Handling

What is the correct body position for corner entry on a motorcycle?

• AReduce speed before the turn, look through the turn, position your body inside the turn, and use countersteering✓
• BSit upright
• CLean only with your upper body while keeping the machine itself upright, so that you can straighten instantly if the surface turns out to be loose
• DBrake hard in the turn

Answer: Enter turns at appropriate speed, look through the turn to the exit, position your body (not just the bike) to the inside, and use subtle countersteering. Finish braking before apex.

What should you do if your motorcycle begins to skid on loose gravel?

• AApply heavy brakes
• BStraighten the bike and reduce throttle smoothly, don't grab the brakes✓
• CAccelerate out of it so the rear wheel spins up and pushes the machine straight again
• DSwerve the handlebars sharply from side to side until the tyres find grip again

Answer: If you skid on gravel, straighten your motorcycle and smoothly reduce throttle without grabbing the brakes (which could make it worse). Avoid sudden steering inputs. Let the bike settle.

How does weight distribution affect motorcycle stability?

• AOnly speed affects stability
• BMore weight is always better
• CIt doesn't matter
• DWeight placed too high or too far back makes the bike unstable and hard to control✓

Answer: Weight should be distributed low and centred. High or rearward weight makes the motorcycle unstable, harder to handle, and more prone to tipping. Proper weight distribution is crucial.

What is the difference between trail braking and regular braking in corners?

• ATrail braking is simply a more aggressive form of braking done well before you reach the bend
• BOnly trail braking is safe, so all braking should be left until you are leaned right over
• CThey are exactly the same thing, described with two different names by different riding schools
• DTrail braking is light braking while leaned over; regular braking is before the turn✓

Answer: Regular braking happens before entering the turn. Trail braking is light braking while already leaned over. Advanced riders use trail braking; most should finish braking before turning.

What should you do if your front tyre loses grip while cornering?

• AContinue the turn
• BAccelerate to change the grip dynamics and push the weight back onto the rear tyre
• CStraighten the bike slightly to regain grip; reduce speed gradually✓
• DApply heavy brakes immediately to scrub off as much speed as you possibly can

Answer: If your front loses grip while leaned over, straighten the bike slightly to reduce lean angle and regain tyre grip. Once recovered, you can try the turn again more carefully.

How does throttle control affect motorcycle stability?

• AA constant throttle opening is best, whatever the road or the lean angle you are using
• BSmooth, progressive throttle maintains stability; jerky inputs reduce stability✓
• CThrottle does not affect stability, which is governed entirely by the suspension settings
• DMore throttle is always better, because engine power holds the machine up in a corner

Answer: Smooth, progressive throttle control maintains stability. Sudden throttle applications can unsettle the rear wheel and reduce grip. Gradual acceleration through corners is safest.

What is the purpose of countersteering on a motorcycle?

• ATo speed up
• BCountersteering is not used on motorcycles at all and only applies to bicycles at low speed
• CTo lean the bike by pushing the handlebar in the opposite direction you want to turn✓
• DTo slow the machine down without touching either of the brake levers on the handlebars

Answer: Countersteering (pushing the bar forward on the side you want to enter the turn) leans the motorcycle to initiate the turn. It's counterintuitive but essential for quick turning at higher speeds.

What should you do if your rear tyre loses grip?

• ASwerve aggressively
• BStraighten the motorcycle to regain traction; don't brake hard✓
• CApply heavy front brakes at once so the weight transfers forward off the sliding wheel
• DAccelerate

Answer: If your rear loses grip (slides), straighten the bike to shift weight forward and regain traction. Don't brake hard as this will make the slide worse. Smooth throttle control helps.

How should you handle emergency braking on a motorcycle?

• ABrake only while upright, and if you are leaned over simply wait until the corner is finished before touching either brake lever
• BUse only the rear brake, because the front wheel will always lock up and put you on the ground however gently you squeeze the lever
• CLock up the brakes
• DApply both brakes progressively and evenly, transfer weight back, and use as much braking as possible without locking wheels✓

Answer: Emergency braking requires using both brakes together, progressively increasing pressure to the maximum before wheel lock. The front brake provides more stopping power. Modern motorcycles may have ABS.

What should you do if you approach a turn too quickly?

• AStraighten up early, brake progressively, and attempt the turn at a safer speed✓
• BBrake as hard as you can in the turn while holding the same lean angle all the way round
• CAccelerate through, since extra speed makes the machine more stable when leaned over
• DTighten your line to slow down faster, using the extra lean angle to scrub off speed

Answer: If you enter a turn too fast, straighten up early, brake progressively to reduce speed, and then attempt the turn at a safer speed. Never brake hard while leaned over.

How does lean angle affect tyre grip on a motorcycle?

• AGrip is unaffected
• BLeaning increases grip
• CLean angle reduces available grip; the more leaned, the less braking grip available✓
• DOnly speed affects grip, and the lean angle makes no difference at all to how much is available

Answer: As you lean your motorcycle, less tyre grip is available for braking or accelerating. Maximum grip is available when the bike is upright. Lean angle and acceleration/braking must be balanced.

What is the purpose of trail-braking in advanced motorcycle riding?

• AIt serves no practical purpose at all and is only ever used to show off on a track day
• BOnly used in racing, and it has no application to riding on a public road at any speed
• CTo demonstrate skill to other riders by braking later than anybody else into every bend
• DTo maintain forward momentum while adjusting turn speed and line during cornering✓

Answer: Trail-braking allows a rider to adjust their entry speed even after beginning to lean for the turn, and to maintain momentum while fine-tuning the line. It's an advanced technique.

How should you accelerate while exiting a corner on a motorcycle?

• AProgressively straighten the bike while smoothly increasing throttle✓
• BBrake while exiting
• CMaintain the same throttle
• DAccelerate as hard as possible immediately, while the machine is still fully leaned over

Answer: As you straighten the bike exiting a turn, progressively increase throttle. This matches the increasing grip available as lean angle decreases. Smooth, progressive acceleration is key.

What is swerving and when might you use it while riding a motorcycle?

• ASwerving is always safer
• BA quick change of direction to avoid a hazard; only use if you have space and it's safer than braking✓
• CA myth, not a technique
• DYou should always swerve instead of brake

Answer: Swerving is a quick direction change to avoid a hazard. Only use it if you have space and confirmed it's safer than braking. Many accidents result from unnecessary swerving.

What should you avoid doing while leaned over in a corner on a motorcycle?

• ALooking at the apex of the bend rather than staring at the road just ahead of the wheel
• BSmooth braking and a steady throttle held right through to the exit of the corner
• CSudden steering inputs, hard braking, or sudden throttle applications✓
• DNone of these

Answer: While leaned over, avoid sudden steering (which changes your lean angle unpredictably), hard braking (which unsettles the bike), and sudden throttle (which can cause wheelies or slides).