Training school: Overtaking

BMW Rider Training

RIDE’S Sarah Norman has been riding for just over 18 months. She got more tips from

LAST MONTH I returned to BMW Rider Training, who got me through my Direct Access. If you’re considering advanced training, then it makes sense to start by checking whether your DAS school offers it — if they’re local and if you enjoyed doing your test with them.

I did a day of the Individual Premium Training, a one-to-one course tailored to the individual’s needs and it can cover several things. We focused on refining my forward planning and how reading the road better could help my cornering (January issue) and also looked at how it could improve my overtaking.

My instructor, Ian, explained two approaches to overtaking: ‘staged’ and ‘momentum’. Knowing which to use relies on reading the road and traffic.

With a staged overtake, you ride up to the vehicle you want to overtake, keeping a two-second gap and looking past it to get an early view of gaps in the traffic. While following it, adjust speed to match it and select a gear to keep the engine in the middle of the rev range. When you can see a gap approaching, reduce the distance to the car in front very slightly (the ‘contact’ position).

When the gap appears, move into the opposite lane without accelerating and quickly double-check that it’s still safe to pass. If not, you can tuck safely back into your lane. If it is safe, open the throttle firmly and overtake quickly. You can begin to roll the throttle off as you pass the driver’s door and you’ll still pass without carrying on to a silly speed. Once clear, return to your lane without cutting in and carry on at a normal speed.

With a momentum overtake, you arrive in the overtaking position without having to slow down, because there’s already a gap to overtake in. Ideally, you see the road ahead is clear from a long way back. You get into the oncoming lane early so you can keep checking the road is clear and the vehicle you are passing isn’t turning right. Maintain your normal speed and ride straight past and back in in a smooth, flowing manoeuvre.

“We looked at how it could improve my overtaking”