What Is the Process of Learning to Ride a Motorcycle?

As much as riding a motorcycle is fun, learning how to ride a motorcycle is more enjoyable. It is a thorough process. It is not something that you can learn in a day or two.

However, if you can successfully ride a motorcycle on the first day of learning, you will probably become a good motorcyclist. Continue reading this article to learn about the detailed process of learning to ride a motorcycle.

Before taking the first step, you need to be prepared mentally. Convince your mind and body that it is not a battle. You only have to ride a motorcycle.

It can be difficult for those scared of operating or balancing a motorcycle. Always remember there are better ways to start things than hesitation and nervousness. You will have a bad impression of motorcycling in your mind if you start while being nervous or hesitating.

Be confident! It is not something you cannot do. You can become a good rider in no time. You have to take a start. Click on the link to learn how to gain confidence to ride a motorcycle skillfully.

You should respect the motorcycle. Respecting it means not picking a one built for experienced and trained riders. Choose a motorbike that is known to be beginner-friendly.

The best and safest option is to choose a low-powered, small-displacement motorcycle with no more than 300 cc. Take a look at the below renowned beginner-friendly entry-level motorcycles to start your motorcycling career:

• Honda Rebel 300

• Yamaha V-Star 250

• Honda Grom

The motorcycle you choose for learning must be lightweight. A lighter motorbike is easier to handle, maneuver, and move.

The Honda Rebel 300 is an ideal modern-day sporty cruiser for learning to ride. The V-Start 250 is a more classic cruiser option with a spacious rider triangle.

The Honda Grom is a standard-style mini bike for riders who are afraid of taking the bike on roads and have no prior riding experience.

On the contrary, motorcycles with large-displacement engines are heavy. They have quick throttle response and fast acceleration. There is no chance a beginner can handle such superior high-speed performance.

Also, the motorcycle you choose must have a smaller seat height. When the bike is parked or stopped at a traffic signal, your feet must touch the ground.

Moreover, it is better to start learning to motorcycle on a comfortable motorbike. For this reason, a modern cruiser is a perfect choice for beginners. A standard bike or roadster is also a good option to start your motorbike riding career.

Before you start learning to ride a motorcycle, make sure to wear proper riding gear. It is one of the best investments you can make as a motorcyclist.

Proper riding gear, including a DOT-approved helmet, leather jacket, pants, motorcycle boots, and riding gear, is the best way to ensure safety. Make it a habit always to wear the riding gear before the ride. Don’t be a "motorcycle squid" who ditches motorcycle riding gear just to look.

The most basic and important motorcycle riding steps are clutch operation, shifting gears, and controlling the throttle.

These steps are relatively easy if you are serious about learning to ride a bike.

The clutch is among the most essential parts of riding. It controls the engine power. It acts as the connection that can cut off the engine power from the rear wheel.

Also, you will require a clutch to operate a bike if you are riding an automatic motorcycle or a bike with a quick shifter. It is all about practicing. It is not a big deal.

The first thing you do after removing the bike from the stand is turn the bike on with the key; you have to engage the clutch.

Press the clutch lever with your fist and put the bike in first gear. Now comes the most important part, that requires attention and practice.

Gradually open the throttle by twisting it with your right hand. At the same time, while opening the throttle, the clutch lever is released gradually. The bike will slowly gain pace, and you will start riding it.

As you continue riding, you must upshift while using the clutch. Similarly, when you have to slow down or come to a stop, you will need to downshift. Similarly, use the clutch while downshifting.

The way riders release the clutch and open the throttle tells a lot about them. It tells how good they are as a motorcyclist. Most new riders tend to stall their motorbikes as they release the clutch.

You need to create a perfect balance here. Opening the throttle too much while not releasing the clutch in the same way can cause the bike to stall.

On the contrary, if you release the clutch in a hurry while opening the throttle, you are most likely to fall or crash. It will cause the bike’s front wheel to lift, making it difficult for the beginner to handle such a situation.

The other most important skill, or judgment, is knowing when to upshift or downshift. A skilled rider is the one who knows when the right time to upshift or downshift is. If you don’t do it properly, you can stall your bike.

Also, any disturbance in the gear shifting or clutch control can cause wear and tear on the transmission components.

Braking is another important safety riding skill to learn. It may sound simple, but it isn’t. Pulling the front brake lever or pressing the rear brake pedal does not work to stop a motorcycle safely. Proper training and technique are required to engage both brakes to stop a bike safely.

The front brake is stronger than the rear one. It provides almost 70% of the stopping power. It is also used in hard braking when the rider has to stop the bike in an emergency.

Being powerful is not the rider’s first option, particularly while riding high speed. It is mainly because it causes nose-diving. The rear tire still has traction as the front wheel locks up, causing the bike’s rear end to lift.

The priority, therefore, is to use the rear brake in most braking scenarios. It allows riders to slow down a bit before coming to an immediate stop. Also, it prevents the motorcycle from slipping due to hard braking.

As a beginner, practice braking in different scenarios in an empty parking lot. Use both brakes in case of emergency braking. First, press the rear brake pedal and then engage the front brake. Do not pull the front brake lever forcefully. Be gentle on the front brake.

A beginner motorcycle rider's biggest challenge while riding is balancing it successfully. Most beginners tend to fall off or crash their bikes on their first ride. They are probably aware of driving cars.

Unfortunately or fortunately, motorbikes have only two wheels. Therefore, you need to learn the balancing art. You need to learn how to keep them stable.

If you are having problems keeping the bike balanced and stable as a beginner, the below steps can help you:

• Practice as much as you can.

• Keep riding.

• Take a motorcycle riding course.

• Learn to adjust your body weight.

If you are a good learner, you may only find a problem riding a motorcycle once you have to take a turn.

At first, you should start by taking big turns with a long radius. As you gain confidence and improve at it, start reducing the radius of the curve.

Slow-speed turning can also be a problem for a beginner if you feel your bike is heavy. At slower speeds, a heavyweight motorbike tends to fall.

As a beginner, you must also learn the turning principles or concepts. Turning a corner on a motorcycle is very different from taking a turn on a car. Motorcycles have two wheels and a handlebar for steering.

However, it may be surprising for beginners; handlebars do not play a major role in most normal, high-speed turns. Let’s learn some turning concepts that will polish your motorcycle riding skills. You can become a pro bike rider if you take a corner like an expert.

One of the best skills to learn as a motorcyclist is to lean the bike while cornering. You heard it right. To turn a corner, you must move to trust the bike toward the turn. Per physics, you will crash if you don’t lean on the bike and turn the handlebar. The bike will throw you off it.

You may require a lot of confidence and practice to lean on a motorcycle while cornering. You must practice turning corners. With time, you will learn this skill. Until then, slow down before you enter a curve so you don’t have to lean on the bike much.

Another interesting concept that is highly used when turning on a motorcycle is “Countersteeing.” You will be amazed to know this concept if you never heard about it before.

You may have been riding a motorcycle for a long time, but you may have never observed this.

According to the countersteering concept, if you want to turn left while riding a motorcycle, you will need to gently push the left side of the handlebar and gently pull the right side of the handlebar. This is how you take a left turn on your bike.

On the contrary, if you are supposed to take a right turn, you will need to gently pull the left side of the handlebar and gently push the right side of the bar. 

As a beginner, the next thing to learn is to adjust your weight while riding. It not only helps take the turn on a motorcycle but also helps keep the bike balanced.

While leaning the bike around the corner, the rider must adjust their weight in the opposite direction of the turn to avoid falling on one side. Learning as a rider and becoming better at cornering is another good skill.

As a learner, you must avoid riding a bike in the rain or bad weather. Do not compromise your safety. Bad weather conditions, particularly rain, can cause visibility and traction issues. There is a better chance that your bike will skid while riding.

When the roads are wet, the tires lose their grip. On the other hand, some potholes and puddles can put your safety at risk.

Heavy winds can also make your ride unstable. You may be unable to keep your bike planted on a windy day. Therefore, keep track of the weather conditions and check them every time before you go for a ride.

Riding on highways is different from riding within the city. The challenges on highways are completely different for motorcyclists, and you may need help to deal with them as a new rider.

There are mostly heavy vehicles on freeways, and they go at high speeds.

As a beginner rider, it is suggested that you do not ride with a passenger on a motorcycle. It is your learning phase, and keeping the motorcycle weight light as much as possible is better.

Riding with a passenger can add more weight to the bike, making handling a bike difficult. It can make it difficult for a new rider to keep the bike stable, particularly while cornering.

For all riders, having a motorcycle license is the most important thing when riding a motorcycle. If you are learning to ride a motorcycle, get your license before taking the bike to the road.

Motorcycle insurance is also required in almost every state of the U.S. It covers more than just the damage to your bike. Motorcycle insurance can help you when you are involved in an accident.

It depends on your passion, willingness, and how much you want to ride a motorcycle. There is no definitive answer to this question. If you have a basic motorcycle know-how and a basic road sense, you can learn to ride even within a day.

On the other hand, some riders can take weeks and months to learn to ride a motorcycle. It is alright to take your time to learn motorcycling.

On average, a 250 cc motorcycle can attain a top speed of around 70-100 mph. It mainly depends on the motorcycle you ride, its weight, aerodynamics, and the type of engine installed.

For example, a 250 cc sports bike can go at a higher top speed than a 250 cc cruiser or a dual sport bike.

The hardest part of riding a motorcycle, particularly in the learning phase, is leaning the bike while cornering. Mastering countersteering and leaning the bike is quite challenging for those new to motorcycling.

The process of learning how to ride a motorcycle may sound like a lot but don’t be so overwhelmed. If you are passionate about it, learning how to ride a motorcycle can take you a day.

You only need to learn some things about motorcycles on your first day. Keep it slow, learn as much as possible, and stay safe. Your aim should be to ride safely by following all the traffic laws and safety measures.

If you are serious about learning how to ride a motorcycle, this article is a complete 101 guide for beginners. It includes all the steps beginners must take to ride a motorcycle.