Monday, August 15, 2016

Practical Stage 3.01 - 3.02

Practical Stage 3.01


In this lesson you will learn how to complete the Plank and Pylon course. The Plank course will test your balance and the Pylon course just tests your maneuverability on a bike. The requirement for the plank course would be that you have to stay on the plank for more than 6 seconds while the requirement for pylon course is that you have to exit the course in less than 6 seconds.


Plank course


We started the lesson by warming up around the circuit and then the instructor told us to get into gear 1 and press on the foot brake while maintaining half clutch position. We were required to try to balance the bike and keep on the white line on the floor. Once everyone has got a rough idea of how we have to ride the bike on the plank we proceeded to the actual course. Keep your body slightly relaxed and grip the tank tightly. Look forward and use your arms to move the handlebar when it moves off course.


Pylon course


The pylon course is right after the plank course. For this course you will have to gear up to gear 2 right before you enter the course. You will have to maneuver the bike in between the cones as smoothly and as quickly as possible. It is better to go about this course smoothly and not try to do it too fast as you will usually hit the cones if you move too fast. Your legs should grip the tank while moving through this course and keep you foot above the gear shifter and not below it as I keep making that mistake.




I took this lesson twice and managed to pass it on the 29/06/16.


Practical Stage 3.02


In this lesson we had to go through the Emergency braking course. The objective of this course is to allow us to come to a stop during an emergency without skidding or falling off the bike. The method to complete this emergency braking course is that we have to bring the bike up to the third gear and maintain a speed of 30km/h. This can be done by bringing the RPMs very high in the 1st and 2nd gear before changing gears.


It is also better to keep the speed higher than 30km/h at around 33 to 35km/h as it is easier to tune it down the speed to 30km/h. A few moments before you reach the line, straighten your body and your arms. Once you cross the line, automatically close the throttle and start to engage the rear brakes and front brakes. Don't jam on the brakes too hard as it will cause the wheels to lock up and you will skid with the bike. It is important to gradually increase your force on the front brakes.
You also have to stop inside the area they have allocated for this course.
It doesn't matter if the bike stalls in this course, in fact some of the instructors will make sure that you stall the bike on your first few tries so that you get a feel of how the bike starts to knock right before it stalls. This will allow you to better gauge when to engage the clutch so that you do not clutch in too early.
Also don't kick down the gear to the first gear. Focus on stopping the bike properly. Once you are at a complete stop:
1) Check your right blindspot and put down your right leg down and bring your left leg up.
2) Clutch in and out while kicking the gears down to the first gear.
3) Check your left blind spot and bring your left leg down and right leg up.
4) Signal right ,check right blindspot and move off.
5) Before exiting the course check right blindspot again and enter the main circuit




I managed to pass this lesson on my first try, 01/07/16.

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