How to Ride a Motorcycle (for Beginners)

Take a safe motorcycling course. The course will guide you to the best of driving skills as well as safety. We recommend starting a beginner class. This is a mandatory requirement to take the driver’s license test in Vietnam.

• Beginners with little or no experience can take a basic driver training course. Check with your local Department of Transportation to see if there are courses available in your area. State-run basic driving courses are often not available locally. However, there are still many other private centers that provide this service. ^[3]
• The training course can provide participants with a motorbike to practice if you don’t have one available. The course will also teach you the basics of operation and safety.
• Many centers have both theory classrooms and practice fields, at the end of the course you will be tested to get a certificate.

Learn to control. Get familiar with the basic operation before running. When actually driving a vehicle, you will have to think very quickly, so if you are not familiar with the operation, it will be very dangerous.

• The clutch is usually located on the left handlebar and is used to separate the clutch from the rear wheel when shifting gears.
• The gear lever is usually located on the left foot and is used to enter or change gears while squeezing the clutch.
• The throttle is located on the right handlebar and is used to accelerate. The handbrake, used to brake the front wheel, is located on the right handlebar handle.
• The pedal on the right foot is used to brake the rear wheel.
• As a general rule, the left side of the motorcycle is used to control the gear, and the right side is to control acceleration and braking.

Boarding. To get on the vehicle properly, approach from the left side of the vehicle. Grab the left handlebar and step your right foot over the saddle. Feet firmly planted on the ground.

• The best way to know how to operate a vehicle is to sit in and try out all the controls before starting.
• Feel the way you test drive the motorcycle. Grasp the handlebars, approach the clutch and brake. Make sure you can touch them to control them comfortably. When gripping the handlebars, your arms should be slightly bent at the elbows. Your fingers should easily master the switches.
• Make sure you can easily support your foot on the ground and feel the weight of the vehicle below. In addition, you must be able to operate the gear without having to slide or lift your foot off the footstool. ^[4]

Practice to get the feel of the clutch. The clutch is used to shift gears. When you squeeze the clutch, you release the engine from transmission. This action will bring the car to zero (also known as “N”), then we can shift gears. ^[5]

• When in use, imagine your clutch handle as a switch. Unlike the “On-Off” switch, you need to squeeze/release the clutch slowly and rhythmically to prevent the car from shutting down.
• When starting the engine, squeeze the clutch and bring the car to 1st by pressing the gear lever with the left foot. You may have to step forward a few times. When you have fully stepped on the gear or when the wheel gradually moves, it means you have put the car in 1st gear.
• Most motorcycles have a “1 down, 5 up” gearshift mechanism. This structure is usually 1-N-2-3-4, and so on. When shifting gears, you should see the appropriate number light up on the meter.
• When driving a vehicle, you should shift gears by squeezing the clutch with your left hand first to disconnect the drive. At the same time, slow down again. Deceleration prevents the vehicle from jerking as transmission continues. Then use your left foot to shift gears. Accelerate with your right hand to keep the transmission smooth. Finally, release the clutch, the rear wheel will continue to be driven.

Start the engine. Pull the clutch handle and locate the anti-theft switch (if applicable). This is usually a red switch located on the right handle. Slide it down to the “on” position. Most modern cars don’t require starting with the pedals, but on older cars you may have to. The pedal lever (if available) is usually located on the right, behind the front footrest. ^[6]

• Turn the key to the “ignition” position and check that the lights and clock are on and working.
• Returns the number “N”. The easiest way to do this is to press down to 1st and then hook the gear lever up slightly. See if the “N” indicator light on the meter is on.
• Using your right thumb, press and hold the “Start” button. This button is usually located below the anti-theft switch. The trigger switch is usually identified by a circular arrow with a lightning bolt in the center.
• After starting, let the engine run for about 45 seconds to warm up the engine and keep the machine running smoothly.
• When your feet are completely on the ground, pull the clutch. Then, lift the front half of your foot (the weight is on the heel) and repeat a few times until you have a good feel for the clutch.

Try “lifting the bike with your feet”. Start with one foot on the ground in front of you. Slowly release the clutch handle until the car starts to crawl up on its own.

• Using only the clutch, push the car forward and prop it up to maintain stability.
• Repeat this technique until you can keep the bike balanced while lifting your feet off the ground. At that time, you already have a pretty good feeling about the balance of the car.

Start operating the vehicle. After the engine has been started and warmed up, you can start running. Enter 1st gear and let go of the clutch while accelerating. ^[7]

• Make sure you have your car up.
• Slowly release the clutch handle until the vehicle rolls over.
• You can also turn the throttle slightly to prevent the car from shutting down when you release the clutch.
• After the car moves, step on the accelerator lightly and put your foot on the pedal.
• Try to run in a straight line. When you release the clutch and lightly throttle to accelerate a bit, continue driving in a straight line. When you want to stop, squeeze the clutch and gently squeeze the front brake as well as the rear brake. Put your left foot down so that the car is stable when stopped. After coming to a complete stop, place your right foot on the ground.

Practice shifting gears. Once you have the car in a straight line, start to feel the shift. Feel the “friction zone”. The friction zone is the area of resistance created when the clutch becomes close. This zone allows movement to be transmitted from the engine to the rear wheel. The drive of the motorcycle is carried out sequentially, which means you have to shift gears in sequential order, regardless of whether it’s forward or reverse. You need to practice to be able to listen and feel the timing of gear changes. The engine will start spinning at a higher rpm when it’s time to shift gears. ^[8]

• When the car starts up, return all gears to 1st. You’ll know you’re in 1st gear when the pedal can’t be depressed anymore. Or you can also hear a “click” when returning the number 1.
• Release the clutch slowly until the vehicle starts to roll. If you want to move faster, while releasing the clutch, turn the throttle slightly.
• To get into 2nd gear, squeeze the clutch again, reduce the throttle and the lever hook is firmly stepped on to bypass the “N”. Check that the number indicator “N” is not lit. Let go of the clutch and step on the gas again. Repeat this process for larger numbers.
• After 2nd gear, you don’t need to hook the gear lever too hard because you’ve already passed the “N” number.
• To change gears, let go of the throttle, lightly step on the brake lever. Squeeze the clutch in and depress the gear lever. Then release the clutch.
• Once you’ve mastered the return operation, you can return 0 while in 2. Then, while in “mo”, return one more number to return to 1.

Practice turning the car. Quite similar to a bicycle, a motorcycle after reaching a speed of 16 km/h or higher will be able to turn around by steering backwards. Push the handlebars in the direction you want to turn. Look straight at the turn.

• When you start cornering, slow down again. Do not apply the brakes while turning. Reduce throttle and brake (if braking is required) before starting to turn.
• Keep your head straight and look towards the turn. Bend the handlebar towards the direction you want to turn. Slowly turn on the throttle while cornering to maintain momentum.
• As you slow down, tilt your head to see the end of the turn. The car will tilt according to your gaze. Find a spot at the end of the turn to aim and look there. Never look at the ground or look back. While you may feel extraordinary and want to re-watch your turns, it is quite dangerous and can prevent you from turning properly.
• Push the handlebars in the direction you want to turn. If you are turning left, push the right-hand handlebar away from you. This will cause the car to point to the left. Tilt to it and slowly pick up the gas for a slight acceleration. When you’ve completed the turn, hold the throttle steady or step it up a little while leaning back. Let the car balance itself, do not jerk the steering wheel.