How should you respond to the side skidding of the front wheel when riding a motorcycle on a dirt road?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
B. Balance the weight of your body and appropriately operate the throttle grip and the handlebars.
Explanation
In the photo you can see the front wheel of a motorcycle with a brake disc and the front fork. You respond to side skids of the front wheel on a dirt surface by balancing your body weight and using the throttle grip and the handlebars appropriately - answer B.
The Road Traffic Act requires a driver to keep control of the vehicle, taking into account the condition of the road. On a loose surface, the front wheel keeps losing and regaining grip - the skid is dynamic and changes from second to second. Answers A and C suggest one fixed shift of weight backwards or forwards, and sitting rigidly in one position does not give you control over a wheel that grips one moment and slips the next. The correct technique is to work with your whole body: you stand lightly on the footrests with your knees bent, hold the handlebars loosely and let them "search" for the line, correct your balance with your hips, and control the throttle gently - opening the throttle slightly takes weight off the front and stabilises the motorcycle, while shutting it suddenly shifts weight onto the front wheel and makes the skid worse. You look far ahead, not at the wheel.
Legal basis: Art. 19 para. 1 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)