| Good Rider Attitude |
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| Obey Traffic Rules |
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Traffic rules and regulations are formulated to ensure smooth and safe interaction for all road users. Be you a cyclist, pedestrian, motorcyclist or a driver of a motorcar or heavy vehicle, you should read and understand the provisions in the traffic rules and regulations, and comply with them when you are on the road. The observation and compliance of these rules ensure the road is safe and the traffic moves efficiently and without hindrance.
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| Courtesy and Consideration |
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| By riding your motocycle on the road in accordance with the traffic rules and regulations, you will be playing your part in making the roads safer for all. You can also help to make riding, driving, or walking on the road more pleasant and enjoyable by always exercising courtesy and consideration for others. |
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| Responsibilities of Rider |
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- Show your intentions early by giving correct signals
- React to others’ signals and intentions promptly
- Obey all traffic signs and signals
- Observe and comply with all traffic rules
- Maintain your vehicle in a good and road worthy condition
- Ride safely at all times so as not to inflict injury on other road users or cause damage to properties
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| Consequence of traffic offence and accident |
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| Insurance |
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It is a requirement by law to insure your vehicle at least against third party risks and compensations. Therefore it is important for you to ensure that your insurance policy is valid before riding.
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| Driving License |
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The driving license has on it, the personal particulars of the holder and the class or classes of vehicle the driver/rider is permitted to drive, as well as its validity period.
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Remember, the driving license is a privilege and not a right. Should you commit a serious traffic offence or accumulate more than the allowable number of demerit points, this privilege will be taken away from you, in the form of suspension or revocation of your license. A rider/driver who is disqualified or suspended for a year or more will have to undergo the theory and practical tests again.
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Ensure that your driving license is valid before riding.
The basic requirements to obtain a driving license in Pakistan are;
- 18 years old and above
- Physically and mentally fit
- Not disqualified or suspended from driving
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| Protective Clothing |
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Before you begin to ride, you should protect yourself from injury by wearing protective clothings.
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| Helmet |
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It is a legal requirement for every motorcyclist and pillion rider to wear securely an approved safety riding helmet.
- The helmet should be of an approved type (approved by PSB), and should fit comfortably.
- The helmet minimises injuries to the head.
- Its effectiveness will be greatly reduced if it is not worn properly.
- Replace the helmet when it has received a hard impact which may weaken the helmet structure considerably and would not provide adequate protection
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| Goggles / Face Shield |
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Wear a pair of goggles or a face shield (visor) to protect your eyes from rain, dirt etc.
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| Jacket and Trousers |
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- Wear long sleeve shirts/jackets and long pants to minimize abrasions.
- Wear bright coloured attire so that you can be easily seen.
- Trousers should not be baggy or flared at the bottom, as they may interfere with the operation of the controls.
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| Gloves |
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- Gloves should be worn to maintain a firm grip on the handlebar.
- Gloves protect your hands in the event of a fall.
- Choose gloves that fit comfortably and give a good feel of the control.
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| Footwear |
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- Do not wear sandals or slippers, as these do not protect your feet at all.
- Avoid shoes with lace. A loose shoelace may hinder your operations.
- It is best to wear riding boots.
- High heel and platform shoes are unsuitable, as these do not give you a good feel of the pedals.
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| Parts of Motorcycle |
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| Throttle |
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The throttle is a device that increases or decreases engine speed.
To operate;
- Hold the centre part of the throttle grip with your right hand.
- Do not grip too tightly.
- Turn the throttle gradually towards you to increase speed, and away from you to reduce speed.
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| Brakes |
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The brake lever on the handlebar and the foot brake pedals are used to slow down or stop the motorcycle. To operate the brakes, depress the brake pedal and squeeze the hand brake lever.
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| Hand Brake Lever |
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This lever operates the front wheel brakes. To operate;
- Hold the handlebar grip with your thumb, and the front brake lever with your four fingers.
- Squeeze the lever gently with the fingers.
- The more you pull-in the lever, the greater the braking effect.
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| Foot Brake Pedal |
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This pedal operates the rear wheel brakes. To operate;
- Rest the ball of your right foot lightly on the brake pedal.
- Press the pedal downwards with your foot using ankle movement to reduce speed or to stop the motorcycle.
- The greater the pressure on the pedal, the greater the braking effect.
A good and safe method of giving advance notice of your intention to stop your motorcycle and to prevent the wheels from locking which may cause skidding is to apply the “intermittent braking” technique. In applying this technique, you apply the brakes two or three times before the motorcycle stops completely.
Each time the brake pedal is depressed, the brake warning lamp lights up, thus giving vehicles behind ample warning of your intention to stop. This method of braking should not be done when stopping in an emergency.
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| Clutch Lever |
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The purpose of the clutch lever is to connect and disconnect engine power to the rear wheel. It is used when changing gears. To operate;
- Grip the clutch lever fully with your left hand using all four fingers, with your thumb holding the handlebar.
- Squeeze the clutch lever quickly and hold.
- Release it gradually after you have selected the correct gear.
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| Gearshift Pedal |
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This pedal is operated with the left foot. It is used to select the correct gear to match the speed and power of the motorcycle. Most motorcycles have five gears (1st to 5th), but some may have a 6th gear. The purpose of the gears is to drive the motorcycle forward. Gear changing involves the co-ordination of the gearshift pedal, throttle and clutch. A good co-ordination of these controls is necessary to have a smooth change of gears. To change gears;
- Close throttle
- Squeeze the clutch lever quickly and fully.
- Step down on the gear shift pedal to change to a lower gear or lift the pedal with your toes to change to a higher gear.
- Release the clutch lever gradually after you have selected the correct gear.
- Turn the throttle grip toward you to increase speed.
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| Pre-riding Checks |
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Before riding, perform a visual and operational check on your motorcycle. This will reduce the chances of a breakdown while riding on the road, which will inconvenience you and other road users. It also minimises emergency situation that can result in accidents.
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| Fuel |
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Make sure there is enough fuel for the whole journey.
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| Tyres |
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Check for punctured, deflated, damaged or worn out tyres (treads with a depth of less than 1.6 mm).
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| Controls |
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Operate the throttle, clutch, front and rear brakes to ensure these are all working properly.
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| Lights |
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Turn on the following lights to check that all are working;
- Head lamp
- Hazard warning light
- Turn signals
- Tail lamp
- Brake lamp
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| Horns |
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Press the horn button lightly to ensure it is working.
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| Oil |
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Check that the engine oil is between the high and low levels. If it is low, top up with new engine oil to required level.
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| Chain |
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Check whether there is too much slack in the drive chain. It is unsafe to ride with a loose chain as it could slip out of the drive gear and get entangled with the rear wheel and cause you to fall off your motorcycle. The slack in the chain should not be more than 20mm.
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| Brakes |
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- Test both front and rear brakes to ensure these are working properly.
- Check the level of the brake fluid.
- Check whether the free play of both the front brake lever and rear brake pedal is within 15 - 20mm.
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| Clutch |
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Check the free play of the clutch lever. It should be between 10 - 20mm. Too much or insufficient free play will make changing of gears difficult.
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| Mirror |
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Adjust the mirrors until the tip of your shoulder can be seen in the lower edge of the mirror.
Do not adjust the mirror while the motorcycle is on the main stand.
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| Handling of Motorcycle |
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| Lowering motorcycle from main stand |
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- Grip the handlebar with both hands.
- Face the handlebar in the straight ahead position.
- Lift the handlebar slightly.
- Push the motorcycle forward.
- Once the motorcycle is lowered from the stand, apply the front brake to prevent it from rolling forward and lean the motorcycle slightly towards you.
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| Raising motorcycle on its main stand |
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- Hold the handlebar with the left hand. The handlebar should face the straight ahead position.
- Hold the metal bar beneath the seat firmly with your right hand.
- Keeping the motorcycle upright, lower the arm of the main stand with your right foot to the ground and hold it there.
- Lift the rear of the motorcycle with your right hand and pull the motorcycle backward to rest on the main stand.
Note: When parking your motorcycle on its main stand, choose a flat and solid ground.
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| Setting the side-stand |
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- Hold the handlebar with both hands.
- Apply the front brake to prevent the motorcycle from rolling.
- Use your right foot to kick the side-stand down.
- Lean the motorcycle towards you and let the side stand touch the ground. Always choose a flat and solid ground.
- Turn the handlebar to the left until it is locked.
- Engage 1st gear to prevent motorcycle from rolling.
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| Releasing the side-stand |
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- Hold the handlebar with both hands.
- Apply the front brake to prevent the motorcycle from rolling.
- Use your right foot to kick the side-stand down.
- Lean the motorcycle towards you and let the side stand touch the ground. Always choose a flat and solid ground.
- Turn the handlebar to the left until it is locked.
- Engage 1st gear to prevent motorcycle from rolling.
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| Pushing the motorcycle forward |
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- Hold the handlebar with both hands.
- Keep the motorcycle upright and in contact with your body.
- Push the motorcycle forward.
- Use the front brake to slow or stop the motorcycle when required.
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| Pushing the motorcycle backwards |
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- Hold the handlebar with your left hand and your right hand holding on to the centre of the seat.
- Look back and slowly push the motorcycle backwards.
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| Lifting up motorcycle |
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If the motorcycle is lying on its left;
- Hold the handlebar with both hands.
- Apply the front brakes.
- Turn handlebar to the right lock position.
- Lift the motorcycle upright with one movement, using your thigh and waist to support the motorcycle.
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If the motorcycle is lying on its right;
- Open the side stand.
- Apply the front brake.
- Turn the handlebar fully to the left.
- Lift the motorcycle upright in one movement using your left thigh and waist to support the motorcycle.
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| Getting on and off the motorcycle |
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Before getting on or off your motorcycle, apply the front brake and look behind to see if it is safe to do so.
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When getting off the motorcycle note that only your left foot is supporting the motorcycle and if the motorcycle is not properly balanced, you are likely to fall.
- Apply the front brake.
- Hold the handlebar in a straight-ahead position.
- Lean the motorcycle slightly to the left.
- Place your left foot firmly on the ground.
- Swing your right leg over the seat to get off the motorcycle.
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| Riding Posture |
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The correct riding posture has the following advantages;
- It gives you a comfortable sitting position.
- It allows for quick and easy reach of the controls and others devices.
- It gives you a good balance when riding.
- It enables you to collect accurate visual information.
- It is less tiring when riding long distance.
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- Eyes - Look straight ahead.
- Shoulders - Relax your shoulders.
- Elbows - Bend them slightly and relax your arms.
- Hands/wrists - Grip the handlebar firmly with both hands. Hold it with the wrist forming an angle of 120 with the arm.
- Buttock - Sit close to the tank.
- Knees - Press your knees lightly against the fuel tank.
- Feet - Rest the arches of both feet on the footrests with toes of the right foot on the brake pedal and those of the left foot on the gear shift lever. Both feet should be pointing straight ahead.
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| Pushing a motorcycle along a figure |
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The correct riding posture has the following advantages;
- It gives you a comfortable sitting position.
- It allows for quick and easy reach of the controls and others devices.
- It gives you a good balance when riding.
- It enables you to collect accurate visual information.
- It is less tiring when riding long distance.
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Left turn
- When pushing in a left turn direction, lean the motorcycle slightly towards you.
- Turn the handlebar slightly to the left, adjusting the angle of turn as you move along.
Right turn
- When pushing the motorcycle in a right turn direction, keep the motorcycle in an upright position.
- Turn the handlebar slightly to the right, adjusting the angle of turn as you push forward.
- Your body should always be in contact with the motorcycle.
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| Basic Skills For Riding a Motorcycle |
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| Starting The Engine |
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To move off, follow the steps below:
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- Turn on the fuel valve
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- Ensure that the cut off switch is in the ‘run’ position.
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- Check if the gear position is in neutral.
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- Turn the ignition switch to the ‘on’ position.
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- Open the throttle slightly.
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- Press the starter button to start the engine.
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- Close the throttle to allow engine to run at idling speed.
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| Moving Off |
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- Turn on the right signal
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- Pull in the clutch lever.
- Depress the gear shift pedal to engage 1st gear with your left foot.
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- Lower your left foot to the ground and place your right foot on the right foot rest.
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- Turn the throttle slightly to increase engine speed to 2000-3000 revs and maintain it there
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- Release the clutch lever about halfway; there will be a slight drop in the engine revolutions.
The clutch is now at the ‘biting point’. Hold the clutch lever at this point.
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- Check the traffic ahead and behind by turning your head over your right shoulder.
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- Open the throttle a bit more to increase the engine power and at the same time release the clutch lever slowly. The motorcycles will start to move.
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- Once the motorcycle is moving along slowly release the clutch lever fully.
- Open the throttle further to pick up speed and change to a higher gear.
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- Look far ahead. The distance (in metres) at a which you should look must be at least 3 times the speed (in km/h)at which you are riding.
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- Observe your intended course. If your motorcycle moves away from the course, adjust the handlebar slightly to maintain course.
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- Reduce your speed and change to a lower gear if necessary, or if it becomes difficult in maintaining your course due to uneven road surface.
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- As a beginner, you will have some difficulty in controlling the clutch lever and the throttle at the early stages. With more practice you will become better at it. The common problems you will encounter are;
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Motorcycle jerks, jumps or surges forward:
The throttle is turned too much and/or the clutch lever is released suddenly.
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Engine stops:
The throttle opening is not enough and/or the clutch lever is released too suddenly.
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Atlas Honda Ltd.