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Element C

Element C Practical on Site Riding:

  • Ride the machine in a straight line and bring to a controlled halt
  • Ride the machine slowly under control
  • Carry out controlled braking using both brakes
  • Gear change satisfactorily
  • Ride the machine round a figure of 8 circuit under control
  • Bring the machine to a stop under full control as if in an emergency
  • Carry out rear observation correctly
  • Carry out simulated left and right hand turns correctly using OSMPSL
  • Carry out the U-turn manoeuvre satisfactorily

What can go wrong here and what can I do to prepare?

This is the meat of the CBT and the make or break for deciding if people are safe to go on the road. It is also the area where the instructor and student need to work best together. Each part of this should be explained, and demonstrated if necessary. There is very little that a student can do by way of preparation apart from left and right turns. Reading through how this procedure works will make life a great deal easier when you come to practice while riding a bike.

Each part is taken in stages and builds on the experience of the previous objective. But as with most things there are some obvious pit falls to avoid:

1/. Look where you are going. This sounds very trite, but motorcycles go where you look. It is a common fault for students to look down at their hands or only a few feet in front of them. Look up always.

2/. Brake in a straight line. Grabbing the front brake in a turn is a recipe for falling off.

3/. Go very slowly through bends or turns. So, having braked in a straight line always try to go through a bend more slowly than you feel is necessary. At this early stage it is hard for students to access what is a safe speed and they frequently lack the confidence to lean the bike. There are no prizes for riding fast through a corner during the CBT.

4/. Don’t try and impress anyone. Your instructor will have seen hundreds of CBT’s and about the only thing that will impress them is where a student is being safe and sensible. With the emergency stop build up to this. Make your first stop steady and progressive, don’t worry about where you stop, worry about how you stop.

5/. Slow control can be a real problem as it requires co-ordination, balance and vision. Always use the controls progressively and gently. Balance is greatly enhanced by looking where you are going. Frequently students look at the very thing they want to avoid, with the result that they ride into it (target fixation). Make sure that you practice this in a straight line before attempting a U-turn or figure of eight. If you keep the revs up (2,000rpm or above) then you can’t help but slip the clutch if you are to avoid going far too quickly.

6/. Ask! Many, many students head off up the training area not entirely sure what it is they are supposed to be doing. Sometimes the instructor may have used jargon or misjudged how much you’ve understood. If you’re not sure; ask. You’ve paid to be trained so don’t be shy, the instructor wants to help you.