How to Pass an Advanced Bike Test - Acceleration Sense
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- Acceleration sense is the ability to vary the speed of the bike through accurate use of the accelerator. It is not, however, engine braking! In this video I explain the difference between the two and what is expected of you on an advanced bike test.
For more information about advanced & performance riding & driving, visit my website www.reglocal.com & give me a follow on Twitter @RegLocal
Apologies for being late to this particular party, I am a little behind.
1. It is not uncommon to get riders on our IAM course using a gear or two higher than would be ideal for applying 'acceleration sense'. It isn't that surprising as many of these riders are 'born again bikers' or people who drive many more miles than ride. Modern cars are exceedingly quiet, sitting on top of the engine on a bike they often think that they are over stressing the engine simply because they can hear and feel it. This is made worse if they drive a diesel and think any up shifts should be done before 2000 rpm. My tactic is to have them find out where the red line is, divide that number by three and then ask them to ride in a gear that keeps the bike in the middle third of the available range. That is the sweet spot where the best torque (+ve and -ve) happens. Of course change up and drop the revs when cruising at a steady speed.
2. I'm not satisfied with your explanation of using IPSGA to justify not using gears to slow, that's just a self fulfilling prophecy. I think a better explanation which also explains why IPSGA is in this order is that to draw the graph of braking force. Even with competent rev matching, 'gears to slow' creates a saw tooth with the retardation being highest just after each downshift and tailing off rapidly. Using 'brakes to slow' produces a much smoother curve, rising rapidly after the initial application and tailing of gradually as you set the desired speed. This is much smoother and as we all know smooth = control.
Glad to have found these early in my riding career! I'm late to the game at 58 and have only had my license for about 10 weeks. I'm shocked at how unprepared I am after a DAS course! I went out with an IAM observer yesterday and although deemed safe, most areas require improvement. I naturally got myself in the habit of slowing by changing gears and thought it was a good thing! Glad to be put right early on.
A tip that helped me when I was first learning advanced riding and struggling a bit with acceleration sense (I was on the brakes a lot) was to make a conscious decision to do everything one gear lower than I wanted/expected to be doing it. That extra bit of response on the throttle in both directions really demonstrates the point, especially on revvy 4-cylinder bikes that don't necessarily have the pronounced roll-off of big Boxer/V twins.
Nice one Reg. Nice explanation/clarification. Acceleration Sense vs Slowing on the gears, is something that even those who should know better, often fail to grasp/understand properly. Getting it right makes your riding so much smoother. I always explain it as riding in a responsive gear. A gear that will accelerate and slow you down. Getting the Speed, Gear, Acceleration order right is so much easier if you have good acceleration sense and are able to use the throttle subtlety and not like an on/off switch. Acceleration Sense = Smooooooth 🙂
Great advice and absolutely stunning scenery 👌
Really enjoied the video, I'm taking my Rospa next week so been watching loads of your videos. As for the Astra, gave a good example of not using acceleration sense with that break light on and off all the time. Thanks for these videos :)
Your views on engine braking are completely different to the advice given in the “Motorcycle Raoadcraft” book, page 109, Chapter 5, section heading “Slowing down and stopping” and “Releasing the throttle - engine braking”. If you are involved in advanced riding, please explain why you differ, from what the text both IAM and ROSPA riding philosophy is based on.
Watching this series with a keen interest!
I watched through the full driving series whilst on my standard driving and IPP and they really helped, this channel is an amazing resource and is massively appreciated.
Passed an advanced driving suitability assessment today and have several bike assessments upcoming before (hopefully) a full basic and advanced bike course. I can’t stress enough how useful these videos are so thank you very much
Pleased to say, though I’ve not really come across this actual term, I basically do this anyway. Good point about brake lights though, but I wouldn’t be stamping down the box with a car behind me anyway. I’ve got a gs12 and have always enjoyed torquey motorcycles that within reason I can bowl along in top, and on roads like in the video I’m not in a hurry, I’ll happily groove along enjoying the scenery and enjoy the bop bop bop of coming out of a slower corner.
Very different to riding in a semi urban dual carriageway/ roundabout situation where 3 or4 is the ideal gear. Good one
I think on winding roads, a 3 second gap helps even more, closing up when an overtaking chance arises.
Another great video Reg, I’ve done lots of advanced training / instructing in cars and bikes, and have to say I find your method of instruction / coaching the best of any online. I have recently done a couple of days with Rapid Training to check my riding after a couple of years off bikes, and for anyone looking to do the same would benefit greatly from watching your videos.
Rick, was the Rapid training worth the cost considering you are an advanced rider anyway? I've been looking at the Rapid guys but wasn't sure it was worth while. Thanks for any input. 👍
@@PADDYPERV yes I’d definitely recommend it. It is much different to IAM or ROSPA in my experience. You can set out your objectives for your course and work on these.
Hi Reg, really enjoy your motorcycle videos. I'm doing the BikeSafe training this weekend and am planning to do IAM or ROSPA after.
Most of my riding happens to be around the town, often filtering. When you have a chance, could you please make city riding video with commentary? Thanks a lot!
Great informative video. Amazing scenery. Where were you riding.
Over the Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District David - from south to north and then further north past Ullswater.
Thanks back to riding and definitely doing to much engine breaking probably staying in to high a gear to .
Great video and info. That road looks good, where is it? thanks (from MKAM)
A phrase I like to use a lot is "slow hands make smooth riders" and it applies to every bit of riding I do. I aim to minimise my genuine use of brakes (IE, not applying less than 1% to light up my brake lights to signal to following traffic) and I often use my brakes less than 5 times during my commute, a fact I am incredibly proud of. With my SV650, often acceleration sense is more than enough to get me to the lower revs to downshift without needing any brakes and with less than 1MPH decel. Great vid, Reg. I was just wondering, as I'm doing my observing and giving the runsheets for my associates, I often like to use videos as a secondary/optional bit of research for them. Would it be alright for me to give the links to your videos to aid my teaching?
Yes, I put these videos on UA-cam as a free resource for anyone to use, so you’re more than welcome to share them with your associates.
So why do we have blippers
What route was this It seemed a good ride to be on .
Hi Reg thanks for the vids I’m enjoying them and learning lots. Engine braking then why then does the gs have a blipper if you can’t use it for that purpose.
A quickshifter is designed to make the gearchange (both up & down the gearbox) easier & quicker than with a conventional “clutched” gearchange and smoother than a conventional “clutchless” gearchange. It is not designed specifically to allow engine braking. I’ll cover gears (including quickshifters) in a future video.
What about changing down without using the brakes following the use of acceleration sense to reduce speed?
Thats fine Rick, as long as the reduction in speed comes before the gearchange.
@@RegLocal that’s what I thought. I just thought I’d clarify. 👍🏻