Motorcycle training glossary

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

- B -

B roads
Normally roads with lower traffic density (country roads)

Back to biking
Used to ride many years ago and now has the desire to ride again

Banking over
Leaning into a corner while riding

Battery
Storage place for electrical current to start the motorbike

Belt drive
Rear wheel driven by a belt

Bike checks
Checking the motorcycle to ensure it is road worthy

Bike checks (BECTOPSS)
Weekly Check – Brakes, Electrics, Chain, Tyres, Oil, Petrol, Steering & Suspension

Bike checks (BOLTS)
Daily Check – Brakes, Oil, Lights, Tyres, Steering

Bike checks (POWDDERSS)
Weekly check – Petrol, Oil, Water, Damage, Drive, Electrics, Rubbers, Steering & Suspension

Bike checks (VOLTS)
Daily check – Visual check, Oil, Lights, Tyres, Steering & Suspension

Bleed nipple
Allows air to be removed from a fluid system

Blind bends
Can not see through the bends clearly

Blind bend
Limited view when cornering

Blind crest
No view over a crest of a hill

Blind junction
No view at the junction

Born again Biker
Coming back to motorcycling after a long time off

Braided hoses
Metal brake lines

Brake disc
A circular disc of metal on the front or rear wheel, part of the braking system

Brake fade
After prolonged braking, the brakes are ineffective

Brake line
Allows fluid to flow from reservoir to brake caliper

Brake pads
Piece of metal that houses the pad material in order to slow the disc/wheel down by friction

Brake reservoir
Stores brake fluid

Brake shoes
Unseen brake material/parts in a drum brake

Brakes are spongy
The brake lever pulls all the way with very little resistance

Brakes grab
The brakes come on as soon as the lever is depressed

Buckled wheel
Bent wheel rim

Built up area
Riding in a town, built up area, housing estate or industrial estate

Bulges on tyre
Defected tyre, a protruding area of tyre close to the wheel rim

Busy roads
Congested traffic flow

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- C -

Caliper
It houses two brake pads and transfers fluid movement to move the brake pads

Car park
A place when clear of cars may be used as a training site

Category A
Full Motorcycle licence

Category A1
Light Motorcycle licence

Category A2
Medium powered motorcycle licence

CBT
Compulsory Basic Training

CBT Certificate
Issued on the successful completion of a CBT Course, valid for 2 years

Chain adjustment
Adjusting the chain by moving the rear wheel backwards or forwards

Chain drive
Rear wheel Driven by chain

Chain lube
An oil or aerosol that is put onto the chain to lubricate

Chain tension
The specific manufactures recommendation

Chevrons
Black and white deviation markers

Chief instructor
A person who has other trainers working under their charge

Chugging
The gear is too high and unresponsive, could stall when accelerating

City ride
Riding through a city centre

Clutch bite
The position where the drive is engaged when releasing the clutch

Coach
Someone who imparts knowledge and skills

Coasting
Having the clutch pulled in while travelling in gear

Comeback
A person who needs to complete more training before being issued with a DL196

Comprehensive Insurance
All parties covered

Congestion
Heavy slow moving or stationary traffic flow

Controlled stop
Bringing the machine to rest by braking gently

Coolant level
The specific reading of coolant level

Cornering
Leaning the bike over while going round a bend

Counter steering
Using the steering to help corner the machine

Country lanes
Refers to open roads out of built up areas with low traffic density

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- F -

Faring
Aerodynamic plastics on a motorcycle

Feather the clutch
Using the clutch bite

Figure 8
Riding two circles in each direction around 2 cones

Filament
Inside a bulb to make it illuminate

Fins
On the side of an air cooled engine to allow cooling

Footpegs
Where rider rests their feet

Front forks
Houses the front wheel and allows steering and suspension dampening

Front sprocket
Front sprocket delivers drive to the chain

Fuel cap
Allows access to fill/check fuel capacity

Fuel injected
A means of delivering the correct quantity of fuel to the engine

Fuel tank
Petrol storage resevoir

Fully comp
Slang phrase for Comprehensive Cover

Fuse box
Houses rhe fuses for the motorbike

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- G -

Gas
Using throttle to accelerate

Give way line
The place you must Give Way to traffic on a priority Road

Grab rail
Where passenger holds

Gritty feeling
The feeling when checking the head bearings

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- H -

Hairpin bend
A tight bend that comes back on itself, usually a 180 degree bend

Hazards
Anything that causes you to change speed or direction

Head bearings
Are bearings that keep the steering/handlebars firm in the steering head yokes

Heavy traffic
A large volume of vehicles on the road normally causing hold ups

Hedge rows
The line of hedges used to assess the road layout ahead

High side
When the rear wheel grips after losing traction

Higher gear
A gear higher than the one you are currently in

Hill start
Moving away from stationary on a hill

HISS
Honda Ignition Security System

HPT
Hazard Perception Test

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- J -

Jerky
Not smooth and deliberate

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- K -

Kill switch
Cuts electrics to the engine only

Knee down
Putting your knee on the ground while riding through a corner

Curb side
To the left hand side of the bike

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- N -

National speed limit
60 mph on a single Road and 70 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway with a central reservation

Near side
To the left hand side of the bike

Neutral position
Central position in your lane

Neutral throttle
Throttle turned completely off/closed

Normal pull away
Moving away from flat level ground

Notchy
The feeling when checking the head bearings

Novice
New rider

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- O -

Obs
Observation

Observation
Appropriate vision

Off road site
A safe environment where training can be conducted in relative safety

Off road training
Where motorcycle coaching is given in a safe environment away from traffic

Off side
To the right hand side of the bike

Oil seepage
Oil leaking at a certain location

On road training
Motorcycle coaching on the public road

OSMPSL
Observation, Signal, Manoeuvre, Position, Speed and Look

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- P -

Parked vehicles
Vehicles parked at the side of the road

Pass certificate
A certificate that states a pass result

Passenger questions
Questions asked by the examiner on the Motorcycle Test regarding the pillion passenger

Passengers footpegs
Where passenger rests their feet

Passing light
Flashes the headlight

Pedestrian crossing
A place where pedestrians can cross the road in safety

Pegasus crossing
Where pedestrians and horse riders can cross the road together

Pillion
A motorcycle passenger who sits on the rear seat space

Pillion seat
Location where the passenger sits

PINS
Starting the engine – Petrol, Ignition, Neutral & Start

Planning
After seeing a hazard, deciding what to do

Position 1
Left hand third of the lane

Position 2
Central third of the lane

Position 3
Right hand third of the lane

Post cbt
After a Compulsory Basic Training course is taken

Post test
After the Motorcycle Test has finished

Power commander
A fuel injection adjustment unit that plugs into the bike’s ECU

Pre cbt
Before a Compulsory Basic Training course is taken

Pre test
Before the Motorcycle Test begins

Provisional licence
Learner entitlement shown on a driving licence issued by DVLA

PTW
Powered Two Wheeled vehicle

Puffin crossing
A pedestrian crossing controlled by a sensor

Pulling away
Moving the bike forward when in gear

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- Q -

Quick shift
Allows a rider to change gear without using clutch or turning off the throttle

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- S -

SAE fluid type
Viscosity value of oil to be used

Safe haven
A centre refuge in the middle of the road, normally found near old people’s homes

Safety question
Questions asked by the examiner on the Motorcycle Test regarding the motorcycle

Satnav
Satellite Navigation system to aid map reading

Scooter
Usually an automatic up to 125cc but some scooters have a gear selector on the left hand twist grip

Shaft drive
Rear wheel drive by a shift

Side stand
Support on left hand side of motorcycle

Side wall
The side of the tyre

Sight glass
Allows you to see fluid level

Single track
Single lane carriageway

Skid
Locking up the front or rear wheel when braking

Slalom
Swerving one way and then the other through a series of straight cones

Slipper clutch
Specialised clutch developed for performance to mitigate the effects of engine braking when decelerating

Slow control
Riding the machine slowly using the relevant controls

Stall
When the bike cuts out

Starter button
Electrical device that start the engine

Starter pack
Some training schools give a new rider starter information pack

Steering lock
Safety device that stops steering movement

Step up
Move up from a smaller to a bigger Motorcycle

Stop line
A place where you have to stop before joining a new Road

Stoppie
Lifting the rear wheel off the ground

Swing arm
Houses the rear wheel

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- T -

Tail light
When the lights are on, it shows a red light at the rear of the bike

Tax
Road fund licence

Tell tail ring of oil
The mark left on the forks after depression

Terminals
Battery terminals

Test centre
Where a test is conducted by an examiner

Test questions
Questions asked of the candidate by the examiner on test

Test results
The post test result

Theory test
A 2 part highway code and Hazard Perception Test

Theory test pass certificate
Certificate of successful completion of a theory test, valid for 2 years

Third Party
Minimum legal requirement. Third party only

Throttle off
Closing the throttle fully

Tight spot on chain
Resulting from excessive wear, corrosion or lack of lubrication

TLC
Tension Lubrication Condition

Tolerance
Permissable allowed difference from perfect

Toucan crossing
Where cyclists and pedestrians can cross together

Town centre
Riding in a town centre environment

TPFF
Same as tpo but includes cover for fire or theft

TPG
Tyre Pressure Gauge

Traction control
Stops the wheel losing traction on acceleration

Traffic lights
Traffic controlling system with red, amber and green warning lights

Traffic signs
Refers to any sign post

Trainer
Someone who imparts knowledge and skills

Training pad
A place when clear of cars may be used as a training site

Training pan
A place when clear of cars may be used as a training site

Training school
A location where professional motorcycle training takes place

Trash
Broken bike beyond repair

Tread
Amount of groove on the tyre to displace water

Tree line
The line of trees used to assess the road ahead

TUG
Take, Use and Give

Twist and go
An automatic Motorcycle/moped

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- U -

U turn
Riding the machine in a half circle to face the opposite way

UK driving licence
A driving licence issue by the DVLA

Unclassified roads
Single vehicle country lane

Undue hesitation
Not going when it is clear

Unresponsive gear
The gear is too high for the current speed

Urban ride
Riding in a built up area

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- V -

Valve
Where air is put into a tyre

Vision
Looking forward and ahead

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- W -

Warning triangle
Gives prior warning of hazards further ahead of sign

Washout
One or both wheels lose traction resulting in the rider coming off the bike

Wear indicator
Shows the amount of wear used/remaining

Weekly check
Checking the machine fully on a weekly basis

Wheel alignment
Rear wheel position after adjustment is complete

Wheelie
Lifting the front wheel off the ground

Wiring loom
The enclosed wiring harness that encases all the electrical wires fpr the motorcycle

Workshop
A place where a mechanic works on motorcycles

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- X -

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- Y -

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- Z -

Zebra crossing
Black and white stripped area where pedestrians can cross the road, motorists must give way to people on the crossing

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