Beginner’s Guide to Motorbike Riding

If you rent a bike, a vacation or stay in Bali will be more comfortable and interesting. However, not everyone knows how to drive such a vehicle. Where should a beginner start? Read our article to the end and try to remember every tip.

Motorbike Riding Gear

At first, it is better to learn and ride on the roads in closed shoes. You can wear sneakers or trainers with laces tucked in.
As for clothes, the full-body coverage rule applies to them too. Jeans, thick sweatshirts, jackets — everything will come in handy. Switch to shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops as soon as you upgrade your driving skills.

Wearing a helmet is mandatory. It is easy to fall down due to inexperience, therefore the riding equipment should be appropriate. This means that it is worth buying or renting a safe and durable helmet. Do not skimp on protection.

Renting a Motorbike

For the sake of convenience, we recommend renting more compact motorbikes equipped with an automatic transmission. At first, you need to learn to keep your balance and control the scooter, and a little later you’ll be able to experiment with shifting gears.

Training

Choose a quiet area without traffic and with a lot of free space. There should be no debris or obstructions. We recommend to take an experienced friend or instructor along with you. If needed, we will be happy to act as your advisor and driving instructor.

So where do you start your driving lesson?
1
Do not try to start the motorbike and go off straight away
Mount it, lifting up the foot peg. Tilting it to the side, you can feel the weight of the scooter. Practice keeping it in different positions.
2
Train yourself to keep 2 or 3 fingers of your left hand on the rear brake by default.
As you get a little more familiar with the controls, start the engine of your two-wheeled buddy. Hold the brake, you can slightly turn the throttle handle to feel the degree of its movement. Try to set the motorbike in motion. Do not make any sudden movements, speed up slowly. If you rev up too quickly or let go of the handlebars out of fright or haste, then almost 100% it will end badly. Concentrate and try to keep your emotions in check.
3
Drive around the site slowly
When you get the balance right, move on to gradual turns, smooth acceleration and braking. Don’t forget to check your rear-view mirrors and use your turn signals, even if you are driving on a training site and not on the road. Regardless of their type, two-wheeled vehicles turn by tilting and not by turning the handlebars. For mopeds, in contrast to motorbikes, it is less noticeable due to the configuration of their bodies, thus you need to pay special attention to braking in a tilted position while training.
4
When braking, use the handbrake
Do not form a habit of sticking out your legs, especially while moving.
There are a number of exercises that you can use to consolidate your skills.
5
A hard stop. You need to let the motorbike pick up speed, but not too much, and try to brake hard
When riding your motorbike on dirt or wet roads, use primarily the rear brake to manoeuvre. On pavement, on the contrary, use the front brake. This enables you to reduce the braking distance, if we compare it with the rear brake performance. However, remember that you need to steer the vehicle and not tightly cling to the handlebars to the last. This could easily lead to you flying over the motorbike. For mopeds, due to the different distribution of the center of gravity, it is more efficient to use the rear brake. It is training practice that will help you understand which brake should be used and in which cases.
6
Response rate.
You will need an assistant to complete this exercise. Drive freely around the site, and a friend or an instructor should randomly shout “stop”, “turn”, “overtake” or another command. Your task is to react immediately.
7
“Cone weave”
Lay out the items that you bring with you or find on the site. Drive between the objects, passing round them.

Driving

and don’t drive dangerously while changing lanes. Be sure to slow down before making a turn.
Use your turn signals
Play it safe
You should always have an insurance policy certificate and a first aid kit in your trunk.
Be prepared for the unexpected situations.
Try to key into the flow of traffic and feel the intentions of other road users. Remember that even on the main road, people and vehicles can appear out of nowhere.
Take it easy
When driving in bad weather conditions (rain, strong wind) or on dirt, sand, wet pavement, go slow and steady.
Concentrate on the road
Choose a road with a steady flow and a small amount of traffic. Get ready for the trip and set off. Focus on the road and your actions, not the scenery around you. Keep to the left side of the road as Bali has left-hand traffic.

Common Mistakes

  • Lack of control over the traffic conditions, changes in the road surface, and emerging obstacles.
  • Lack of confidence.
  • Overconfidence, driving euphoria.
  • Speeding.
  • Neglecting proper protection and training.

Conclusion

Remember that there is no rider who has never fallen down. However, losing control of your motorbike is not the same as skinning your knees. Falling is usually painful and dangerous. That’s why we strongly recommend that you follow our tips: rent protective gear, train for a while, and only then accumulate riding experience and kilometers in an accident-free mode. If you crave for an adrenaline buzz, you can ride on a special racing track under the supervision of an instructor. Stay safe.