Practical Stage 4.01-4.02

Practical Stage 4.01


In this lesson we learnt how to go about the S course and also the Crank course. This course will be done after you've completed your Slope course. The requirement for the S and Crank course is that you will have to exit each course in less than 11 and 6 seconds respectively. You have to be in 2nd gear the whole time you are inside the course and not hit or mount the kerb (Immediate failure). I will post all the immediate failures in a separate post.

Before going in the S course you will have to signal left and check your left blind spot. Then move off and change into 2nd gear before entering the course. Use your foot brake to control the speed of the bike and if you feel that the bike is slowing down too much, ease off the foot brake. Once you are inside the course it is important to look at where you are heading and not look down. Upon reaching the exit, turn your head to the right to check for traffic at the exit area of the course. If there is a vehicle approaching be ready to put the bike into 1st gear and stop outside of the course. If there isn't any vehicle approaching exit the S course then check your left blind spot before entering the waiting area for the Crank course.

The Crank course is very easy. Signal right, check your right blind spot, move off and kick the gear into 2nd. When moving off move slightly to the left so you can easily turn into the Crank course as it is a 90 degree turn. In the straight part of the Crank course, cancel your signal and check for traffic at the exit area of the Crank course. If there is a vehicle approaching be ready to stop the bike. The rear wheel of the bike can be inside of the crank course but the front wheel has to be outside. If not, just move out of the course.

It took me 3 tries to pass this lesson. I managed to pass it on 8/07/16


Practical Stage 4.02


This lesson is a review of all the courses that we went through from Practical stage 2.01 until 4.01



1) Slope course.
2) S Course and Crank course.
3) Changing lanes.

4) Plank and Pylon Course.

5) Emergency Braking Course



I will recap the requirements for each part again.

Slope course:



1) Before going into the course, check blind spot.
2) Know where to position yourself, there can only be 4 bikes on the slope at 1 time. Of course during TP only one at a time
3) Go into the course in 2nd gear.
4) Stop at the line, apply foot brake and signal right.
5) Check right blind spot, move off.
6) At the top of the slope course, signal left.
7) When going down the slope, use engine braking. Only apply brakes when stopping the bike.
Check traffic before moving off to the next course.



S course and Crank course:



1) Signal left and check left blind spot before entering S course.
2) Move off and change to 2nd gear.
3) Aim to the middle of the lane when entering.
4) Apply foot brake when inside the course. Ease off brake when bike is too slow, don't keep adjusting the throttle.
5) Look ahead to where you are going and don't look down as you will usually fall.
6) Before exiting, turn your head to check traffic. Stop if you need to.
7) Check your left blind spot before the waiting area at Crank course.
8) Check that there is nobody waiting at the exit of Crank course.
9) Signal right, check right blind spot and move off.
10) Change into 2nd gear before entering the course.
11) Cancel the signal when almost exiting the Crank course.
12) Check traffic before exiting. Stop if you need to.



Lane changing:



Ensure that your bike is already position slightly diagonal to where you are lane changing.
1) Signal to where you are lane changing.
2) Check mirrors.
3) Check blind spot.
4) Increase your speed first. This will ensure you are getting closer to the lane you are changing to and you will not swerve the bike.
5) Change lanes.


Do not swerve the bike into the lane you are changing to, if you are turning your handlebar when lane changing you will definitely swerve the bike so it is very important to position the bike properly before changing lanes.



Emergency Brake:



1) Check right blind spot before moving off.
2) Rev up the RPMs higher than usual before changing gears. Make sure you reach the 3rd gear.
3) Get to a speed of 33-35 km/h and tune it down to 30 when reaching the Emergency braking area.
4) Automatically close throttle and engage front and rear brakes upon crossing the line. Don't jam on the brakes. Gradually apply stronger force on the front brakes.
5) Make sure your body is upright the whole time when braking, don't lunge forward when coming to a stop.
6) Clutch in right before the bike stalls, don't clutch in too early and don't kick down the gears as well.
7) Check right blind spot, right leg down and left leg up, kick the gear down to 1st gear, check left blind spot, left leg down and right leg up.
8) Signal right , check right blind spot, move off.
9) Check right blind spot again before moving into main circuit.



I managed to pass this lesson on my first try on 11/07/16.