Looking

Explanation

• Head and eyes are up when riding straight. 
• When riding through a curve or turning, looks in the intended direction of travel.

Requirements

• Keeps head and eyes up when riding straight, braking and operating the motorcycle controls (except when making brief checks of relevant mirrors and scanning to the sides).
• When riding through a corner or turning, looks through the curve or intersection in the intended direction of travel.

Scanning/mirrors

Explanation

• Maintains spatial awareness by scanning to sides and rear (mirrors).

Requirements

• Maintains observation to the sides and rear (mirrors) often enough to maintain awareness of surrounding traffic (when riding straight frequency of mirror use varies with traffic conditions but required prior to braking, diverging or changing direction).

Head check

Explanation

• Head check (to check blind spot) immediately before changing direction.

Requirements

• Performs a head check (as last check after signalling) before leaving the kerb, turning, changing lanes, overtaking, merging, diverging or reversing.

Communication (TUG)

Explanation

• Takes in information communicated by other roads users
• Uses information gained to think and plan
• Gives information to other road users (could include indicators, brake light, flashing your headlight, arm signals and sounding the horn).

Requirements

• Uses the appropriate means of communication either as a courtesy or a legal requirement.
• Complies with legal requirements for signalling, including activation of the correct signal for a minimum duration of three seconds when leaving or returning to the kerb, turning, negotiating roundabouts, changing lanes, overtaking, merging (if required), diverging or parking and maintaining signal until manoeuvre has been completed.
• Does not confuse or mislead other road users by:

            - activating the signal too early; or

            - not cancelling the signal after completing the manoeuvre.

Consideration/courtesy

Explanation

Rider displays appropriate attitude in relation to the way they interact with other road users.

Requirements

Does not display any behaviour that shows a clear lack of consideration or courtesy when interacting with other road users.

Positioning

Explanation

• Adopts and maintains ideal position on the road at all times (relative to the riding task and hazards present).

Requirements

• Maintains the ideal lateral position relative to the task being performed (riding straight, turning, changing lanes, overtaking, negotiating curves etc) and the riding environment/hazards present.
• When stopping behind another vehicle does not stop too close or in a blind spot.
• Does not use incorrect lane for intended travel.

Speed management

Explanation

• Adopts appropriate and legal speeds, relative to the prevailing conditions and task being performed.

Requirements

• Adopts and maintains a speed suitable for the prevailing conditions.
• When conditions permit, travels within 5 km/h of posted speed limit.
• Does not exceed the speed limit.
• Where necessary, adjusts speed to select and maintain a safe gap.
• Selects appropriate gear for road speed.
• Accelerates briskly and smoothly.
• Does not coast.
• Does not over-rev the engine.
• Does not cause the rear wheel to skid or slide unnecessarily.
• Keeps both wheels in contact with the ground at all times.

Progression

Explanation

• Rider is maintaining progress in traffic flow whenever it is safe to do so.

Requirements

• Rider does not filter* or lane split** when unsafe to do so.
  * Lane splitting - relates to moving through the traffic travelling in the same direction (that is in motion) by travelling between the                         lanes. 

       ** Filtering - relates to moving through traffic travelling in the same direction (that is stopped) by travelling between the lanes.

• Does not remain stationary for no good reason (for five seconds or more) when there was ample opportunity to proceed:

            - at traffic lights when the applicable signal has turned green; or

            - at an intersection where all the vehicles to which the rider is required to give way to have cleared the intersection; or

            - vehicles queued in front of the rider have moved off.

• Anticipates gap in traffic by adjusting speed.
• Proceeds in any situation where the rider has priority over other road users and is able to proceed.
• Does not stop unnecessarily before riding through a pedestrian crossing or school crossing when there are no pedestrians on or approaching the crossing.

Stability/smoothness

Explanation

• Maintains stability and manipulates the motorcycle’s controls smoothly.

Requirements

• Maintains stability of the motorcycle at all times (wobbling, weaving or erratic course).
• Rides without jerky movements.
• Maintains smooth coordination of clutch and throttle when changing gear.
• Once moving, both feet remain on the footrests (other than when stopped).
• Uses both brakes when stopping.
• Stopping is smooth and progressive.
• Does not stall.

Following distance

Explanation

• Adopts and maintains safe following distance relative to prevailing conditions.

Requirements

• Adopts and maintains the appropriate following distance (2 or 4 seconds) dependant on the prevailing conditions.

Other illegal

Explanation

• Does not perform any other illegal action (that does not meet the threshold for an immediate failure error) which is not already covered under any other competency categories.

Requirements

• Does not perform any other illegal action not covered under any other competency category (that does not meet the threshold for an immediate failure error).

Immediate failure errors are serious riding errors that compromise safety.

Any one immediate failure error recorded during the assessment will result in immediate termination and failure of the assessment.

Below lists the categories of immediate failure errors and provides a description of the corresponding fault.

Fault

Falls off

You fall off or have a significant loss of control.

Obey

You’re unable, because of lack of riding ability, to carry out a riding task required by the assessor.

Intervention

The assessor provides verbal or physical assistance to you while the assessment is in progress (eg to prevent a collision or prevent the development of an unsafe situation).

Leaving lane

Your lateral position is either too close to, or over the centre line (unless overtaking), or you cross no passing lines (solid yellow lines) at any time.

Give way

You fail to give way to other road users when required to do so, resulting in another road user having to take evasive action. This includes pedestrians on, or obviously waiting to cross at, a pedestrian crossing.

Excessive speed

You exceed the speed limit for more than 10 seconds.

Collision

You hit or mount the kerb or touch any stationary object (such as a sign, fence, pole, tree or rubbish bin) or touch any vehicle or road user (pedestrian or cyclist).

Note – you are not penalised in the following situations:

    •    if your tyre contacts the kerb (without mounting the kerb) when parking perpendicular to the kerb

    •    if your motorcycle collides with another vehicle or road user and the collision is the fault of the other road user and you did not
contribute to the collision.

Fail to stop

You do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign (with one foot on the ground) before proceeding.

You fail to stop when required to do so at:

    •    a red or yellow traffic light; or

    •    a railway level crossing.

Dangerous position

You stop the motorcycle in a dangerous position, eg intruding into or blocking a pedestrian crossing or an area controlled by pedestrian traffic signals resulting in a pedestrian having to take evasive action (ie stop, slow, turn back, hurry, or diverge around the vehicle).

When waiting to turn you stop in a position that blocks the path of oncoming traffic.

When giving way at an intersection you intrude into the intersecting traffic stream.

You stop on a cross- hatched clear zone (cross-hatched yellow lines).

You stop on a railway crossing.

You enter an intersection when your passage or exit is blocked by stationary traffic.

Other dangerous action

Any other riding action not covered by other immediate failure errors that will either:

    •    cause another road user to take evasive action

    •    cause immediate danger to road users or property

    •    unnecessarily increase the risk of collision.