Motorcycle Road Positioning: Seeing and Being Seen

Where you position a motorcycle on the road can have a significant effect on what you can see, how clearly other road users can see you and the options available to you.

Advanced riding is not about automatically riding in one particular part of the lane. Instead, position should be selected according to the circumstances.

A good road position can improve your view around bends, help you identify hazards earlier and create greater separation from potential dangers. It can also help you communicate your intentions to other road users.

For example, when approaching a parked vehicle, positioning can provide additional clearance and reduce the likelihood of encountering a suddenly opened door or a pedestrian stepping into the road.

On bends, position should help you maximise your view while maintaining a safe margin from the centre line, kerb and other hazards. The correct position may change throughout a corner as new information becomes available.

Positioning is also about being visible. A motorcycle can easily disappear into the background of busy traffic, particularly when surrounded by larger vehicles. Think about whether other road users are likely to have seen you.

However, visibility should never be confused with priority. Being visible does not guarantee that another driver has seen you or will react correctly.

Advanced riders continually assess road position rather than treating it as a fixed routine.

The best position is the one that provides an appropriate combination of visibility, safety, stability and planning options for the circumstances.

Why Speed Management Is More Important Than Speed

Speed is often discussed in terms of maximum limits, but advanced motorcycle riding involves something much more important: selecting an appropriate speed for the circumstances.

The posted speed limit represents a legal maximum, not a target. Road conditions, visibility, traffic, weather, surface quality and potential hazards can all mean that a lower speed is appropriate.

Good speed management allows a rider to maintain a safety margin. If a hazard appears unexpectedly, travelling at an appropriate speed provides more time to assess the situation and more distance in which to respond.

This is particularly important when approaching bends. A rider should consider what can actually be seen, not simply what they expect to find around the corner.

A bend may conceal a stopped vehicle, cyclist, pedestrian, agricultural machinery or damaged road surface. Entering too quickly can leave very few options if something unexpected appears.

Advanced riders therefore separate speed selection from excitement. A smooth, controlled approach can often make a ride both safer and more enjoyable.

Speed should also be adjusted for weather. Rain, ice, strong winds and reduced visibility can all change the amount of grip and stopping distance available.

The objective is not necessarily to ride slowly. It is to ride at a speed that allows you to remain in control, maintain appropriate safety margins and respond to what you can actually see.

The safest speed is the speed that leaves you with time, space and options.

Cornering on a Motorcycle: Look Beyond the Bend

Cornering is one of the most enjoyable parts of motorcycling, but it is also an area where poor decisions can quickly reduce a rider's safety margin.

One of the most valuable cornering skills is learning to look through the bend.

Instead of focusing immediately in front of the motorcycle, develop your vision towards the area of road you are about to enter. This helps you identify the direction and severity of the bend and detect hazards earlier.

However, looking through a corner does not mean assuming the road is clear. Your view may be restricted, and the road beyond what you can see remains unknown.

Approach speed is therefore critical. A controlled entry speed allows you to respond if the corner tightens, the road surface changes or another road user appears.

Road position can also improve visibility, but it must always maintain an appropriate safety margin from oncoming traffic, the edge of the road and other hazards.

Smoothness is another important factor. Abrupt braking, steering or acceleration can unsettle a motorcycle, particularly when grip is reduced.

Good cornering is therefore not about trying to achieve the highest possible speed. It is about combining observation, speed, position, steering and acceleration in a controlled manner.

Every corner is different.

At Compass Motorcycle Excellence, advanced riding focuses on helping riders understand what information the road is providing and how to use that information to make better decisions.

See more, plan earlier and ride the corner you can actually see.

Motorcycle Braking: Planning for the Unexpected

Effective braking is one of the most important skills a motorcycle rider can develop.

Modern motorcycles are equipped with sophisticated braking systems, but technology does not replace good planning. The best braking strategy is often to avoid needing emergency braking in the first place.

Good observation and anticipation can help identify situations that may require slowing down. Approaching junctions, bends, pedestrian areas and congested traffic with an appropriate speed gives you more time to react.

When braking is necessary, riders should understand how their motorcycle responds to both front and rear brakes. The front brake provides a significant proportion of the motorcycle's stopping capability, while the rear brake can contribute to stability and control.

Emergency braking should be practised in a controlled environment where appropriate. Riders need to understand how their own motorcycle behaves under firm braking and how factors such as road surface and weather affect stopping performance.

ABS can provide valuable assistance when braking hard, but it does not remove the laws of physics. Tyres still require grip, and stopping distances can increase significantly on wet, contaminated or slippery surfaces.

Following distances are therefore an important part of braking strategy. Leaving sufficient space from the vehicle ahead reduces the likelihood of needing sudden braking.

Advanced riding is about creating time and space before an emergency occurs.

Good braking skill matters. Good anticipation means you may need it less often.