Biker Education

Motorcycle Practice Exercises

Summary: Information and designs for practicing in a controlled area and getting comfortable on your motorcycle

There are several ways to practice on your motorcycle, including going to a parking lot, riding in a development, riding the backroads, etc.

I'm going to focus this page on practice maneuvers and courses you can set up with tennis balls (cut them in half) or small cones or even bottles of water. You can set these up in an empty parking lot and practice on handling and control of your motorcycle.

Here are some of the most common practice tests you can do on your motorcycle to get comfortable with the handling and control. Take the time and practice these as much as possible:

1 - Emergency Stop - Set up in a parking lot, choose your starting point, and then mark off about 60 feet and set up some cones. From here continue about 15 feet and set up additional cones. From here, continue another 15 feet and set up your last set of cones. Get your bike going into second gear. As you cross the first set of cones, practice hitting both the front and rear brake hard to come to a complete stop. When doing this, try to make sure you do not skid the rear tire. Take your time the first try and make sure you are stopped before coming to the last set of cones. Next, try braking hard enough to stop before the second set of cones.

2 - U Turn - take a look at the diagram. Set up the exerise as shown. The U-turn should be done in a space approximately 20ft wide. Do this exercise for both a right hand and left hand u-turn.

3 - Right Turn - practice by taking 90 degree turns at about 12-15mph (2nd gear). You should also practice by making turns from a stopped position. Sit in front of the first 2 cones (as if you're at a stop light or sign), and practice accelerating to a sharp right hand turn.

4 - Left Turn - set up the exercise in the same manner as the right turn, but change your direction. Don't forget to practice the left turn from a stopped position also. You'll need to be comfortable going in both directions.

5 - Figure 8 - take a look at the diagram for the figure 8 exercise. Set up the six cones as shown and follow the arrows. You'll start out going in between the middle set of cones, turning right all the way around the last set of cones, coming back through the middle set, then turning left around the first set of cones. Repeat this until comfortable and each time try to make your turns tighter to the cones.

6 - Cone Weave - pick a starting point in a parking lot. From here, measure out 12 feet on center and hold that line. Looking away from your starting point, measure left 2ft on center and drop your cone. Go 12ft out again, 2ft to the right on center, and drop your cone. Continue doing this for 5 cones.

For further motorcycle safety practice and courses, I suggest you check out our information on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation by clicking here.

You can also go to the MotorCops website and check out the various exercises the police do for training.