Looking for motorcycle practice route dimensions

Lukich

Well-known member
Good day.

I got myself a new motorcycle and I want to practice low-speed maneuvers on it, and in order to effectively do so I want to find out measurements for things like a distances between the cones for weaving between them or the diameter of the circle you should be able to perform a u-turn within.

Do you know if there's a place online where these types of measurements can be found?

Thank you!
Luka
 
got this off the internet. Someone made the diagram by taking measurements outside their DMV.

PHWJVszVZcPllcpd4TtZubtEEyTCydg0JtCROCpnutnT3CsqwN_pmt4evcg1Hfg_bCTubPVzbfiFf7dEtdAdB3SwxpRh79xuyZg8fToCcaOel8Gw13hDw0X1La3O8Zsq65kKNWIt


seem to recall there may be an appendix in the DMV motorcycle handbook that includes a diagram of the test course?


good for you for practicing, I should do more low speed practice, myself. :thumbup:ride

edit:
found the DMV handbook, on line. Page 7 has the diagram:
A.The width inside of the
parallel ride lane is one foot.
B. The width inside the circle
ride lane is two feet.
C. The diameter of the outside
circle is twenty-four feet.
D.The cones are spaced twelve
feet apart. The width of the
area for the cones is eight
feet.
 
Last edited:

greenmonster

Well-known member
It’s a good idea to go to a parking lot, set some cones and practice low speed maneuvering, swerving and hard braking. Better to get that stuff in the muscle memory before you need to use it. I need to do that myself come to think of it
 

Lukich

Well-known member
got this off the internet. Someone made the diagram by taking measurements outside their DMV.

PHWJVszVZcPllcpd4TtZubtEEyTCydg0JtCROCpnutnT3CsqwN_pmt4evcg1Hfg_bCTubPVzbfiFf7dEtdAdB3SwxpRh79xuyZg8fToCcaOel8Gw13hDw0X1La3O8Zsq65kKNWIt


seem to recall there may be an appendix in the DMV motorcycle handbook that includes a diagram of the test course?


good for you for practicing, I should do more low speed practice, myself. :thumbup:ride

edit:
found the DMV handbook, on line. Page 7 has the diagram:



Fantastic, thank you!
 

cal scott

Wookie
You might also want to check out the Motojitsu YouTube channel with Fast Eddie. He has put together a series of parking lot friendly drills with dimension recommendations that scale with your experience.
 

Lukich

Well-known member
You might also want to check out the Motojitsu YouTube channel with Fast Eddie. He has put together a series of parking lot friendly drills with dimension recommendations that scale with your experience.

I will check it out, thank you!
 

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
Good day.

I got myself a new motorcycle and I want to practice low-speed maneuvers on it, and in order to effectively do so I want to find out measurements for things like a distances between the cones for weaving between them or the diameter of the circle you should be able to perform a u-turn within.

Do you know if there's a place online where these types of measurements can be found?

Thank you!
Luka

Low speed maneuvers can be anything and just about any dimension.

The simplest is to follow motojitsu as he has many many different exercises to build your skills
 

ThinkFast

Live Long
If you're lacking cones, you can cut tennis balls in half as well.

Or maybe use chalk?? I have no experience designing this kind of training, but if you’re truly a newbie rider, I’d be concerned about psyching yourself out by having any physical objects in your path while doing slow speed stuff. Seems to me like a recipe for a bike drop. Like I said - I have zero experience teaching others on this sort of thing, so I could be all wrong.

Good luck with the skill building!
 

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
Running over split tennis balls or small cones or even the cheap soccer cones that you can buy at sporting goods stores by the dozens for a few bucks running over those with a motorcycle has very very little disruption to the path of travel That's why they're ideal for that use.
 

Gary856

Are we having fun yet?
I had the same quest when I was new to riding - what's a good practice "pattern" to use, circle size, distance between gates, etc., but in the end realized that most of that was more elaborate than necessary. All I needed was doing the simple figure-8 practice which is the fundamental of all slow speed maneuvers. The classic method is using the parking spot markings in a parking lot to gauge the turning radius, but even that's not necessary. Just do fig-8s with whatever radius you're comfortable with, and you'll be able to tighten it as you progress. 10-15 minutes per session is enough.
 

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
The biggest issue is to practice keeping your eyes looking at the big picture in the correct direction 10-15 seconds ahead of where you are
 

flying_hun

Adverse Selection
All I needed was doing the simple figure-8 practice which is the fundamental of all slow speed maneuvers. The classic method is using the parking spot markings in a parking lot to gauge the turning radius, but even that's not necessary. Just do fig-8s with whatever radius you're comfortable with, and you'll be able to tighten it as you progress.

This.

The biggest issue is to practice keeping your eyes looking at the big picture in the correct direction 10-15 seconds ahead of where you are

And this.

Glad you're doing this. It will absolutely make you a better rider.
 
Practise patterns at local motorcycle school

I have seen practise courses at local motorcycle schools with lines already painted on the ground to prepare students for the test.
 

1962siia

Well-known member
IIRC, the book Total Control by Lee Parks has practice drill layouts. Not sure if they are still in favor with current training instructors but I remember finding them helpful and even had a meet ups with other barfers to do practise days. It was fun. :thumbup
 

David 519

Member
Livermore is a bit out of the way for you, but Chabot College has a circle and some other stuff painted in their parking lot. Not sure if it's the DMV approved size or not, I got my endorsement in 1975 (wow, seeing the date really makes me feel old). I use their parking lot to do low speed drills as I'm getting back into street bikes after riding exclusively off road for the last 20 years or so...Best of luck...
 
Top