CONTENTS
008 Motorcycles for dummies
The different types of bike explained with our best buy
suggestions.
014 How to speak motorcycle
All those weird words explained in simple language.The
technical stuff and the gizmos that make up motorcycle pub
talk. Don’t feel left out any more.
018 How to try a motorcycle for free
The Get On campaign organises free test rides. Find out how
to book yours and what to expect when you go.
024 The licence options
What test can you take at what age and what bikes will you be able to ride if you pass.
026 How to ride a motorbike
The controls explained. How to set off and come to a halt.
How to go round corners, what are the hazards and the differences between driving a car and riding a bike.
 036 What the heck is CBT?
Compulsory basic training explained. What it means, what you will be asked to do and how to make it easy. Plus, the most
common problems and how to avoid them.
046 Buying your first bike
How to choose the right one, which ones to buy, what to look
for and how not to get ripped off.
056 Buying the right kit
Why it matters and how to buy the right stuff for you.
Helmets, leathers, waterproofs, boots, gloves, bike security
and everything else you will need, explained.
070 Practice
Before you take your test you’ll need to get some practice. And don’t forget the theory test too.
072 The test
Expert advice from one of the UK’s most experienced
motorcycle trainers on what the examiner will be looking for.
You’d be crazy to ignore this.
084 Buying your first big bike
All the options explained.The best choices of 33bhp machines
and unrestricted bikes too. What to look out for when buying a
second-hand bike and the most common mistakes and how to
avoid them.
100 How to buy a used bike
The differences between a nearly new machine, five-year-old example and 10-year-old bike explained. It’s trickier than you’d
think.
106 How to really ride a motorcycle
The difference between being a competent motorcyclist and a
brilliant one explained. How to go round corners properly, how
to overtake like a pro, riding defensively and surviving your
first motorway.
114 Simple maintenance explained
The essential checks and adjustments that keep your bike
running smoothly and safely.
116 Get out and enjoy it
Making the most of your first summer on a bike. Places to go,
things to do and all the stuff you need to know.
126 Now what?
How to turn round on gravel, what happens if I get a puncture,
how to ride with a passenger and many other important biking
questions answered.
130 Biking myths busted
Will I really get wet, am I really going to get hurt, will it really throb between my legs? Essential info to fight off
the family worries.
Introduction
 Welcome to motorcycling And goodbye to your dull, old life
You can always spot motorcyclists. They are the ones who arrive looking wide-eyed, refreshed and bubbling with enthusiasm. Motorcycles are amazing things.
One simple machine that makes every journey memorable. I’ve been riding almost every day for nearly 30 years and I still wake up excited at the prospect of getting on my bike just to go to work, because motorcycles turn the most mundane journey into one big giggle. Senses working overtime, happy-glands squirting all manner of crazy hormones and a feeling that it really is good to be alive.
 Whether it’s riding through town or crossing Route 66 on a Harley, you’ll still get off babbling like an infant about that last great overtake or series of corners. Going to work on a bike is like commuting by rollercoaster. Always fun, usually exciting too – never mind the fact that it saves time and money. I did the sums the other day. In all that time on two wheels I reckon I’ve saved about a tenner a week on fuel and five hours a week on travel by using a bike.
Over 30 years that adds up to almost £15,000 less fuel and an extra year on my life – one more year to spend doing the things I’d rather be doing (like more motorcycling). One more year of not having to sit in a queue listening to mind-numbing radio DJs. How much would you give right now for an extra 12 months of excitement and fun?
Nothing else I know can be so practical, so efficient and so utterly sensible from Monday to Friday and then become so pleasurable at the weekend too. Riding a bike makes most other hobbies look crazy.Why drive for hours with a mountain bike or jet-ski strapped to your car? With a motorbike the fun begins the moment you close the garage door. I’ve yet to meet anyone who’s given up motorcycling because they didn’t like it.
So, be prepared. Reading this book and acting on the information within will change your life forever. Your only regret about taking up motorcycling will be not doing it sooner.
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