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Three Tips to Ride Uphill on Your Motorcycle

Sep. 24 2021 Safety By Gina's Motorsports

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You’ll need plenty of practice to ride your motorcycle on a hill like a pro. Even riders with some riding experience may struggle when on an incline. That’s why our experts at Gina’s Motorsports of Monee have created this guide to highlight a few tips you’ll want to follow. For more advice, swing by our dealership in Monee, IL, where we happily welcome our friends from Chicago and Kankakee County.

1. Ensure Your Gear Gives You a Steady RPM

The first tip you’ll want to follow when riding your motorcycle uphill is selecting the right gear that will keep your engine operation smooth.

Usually, as you accelerate, your bike’s RPM rises, prompting you to upshift your gear. However, when riding on a hill, your motorcycle’s RPM will begin to drop, and if you try to accelerate, your vehicle may become shaky. If you aren’t able to control this, your motorcycle may stall and even start rolling backward.

To prevent this, try to find the gear that gives you the smoothest engine operation. If you notice that your RPM has started to drop, you should opt to shift gears.

2. Keep Yourself from Rolling Back

When riding up a steep incline, you might need to stop at a traffic signal for some time and then restart your motorcycle to resume your journey. On a flat surface, all you need to do to get going is release your bike’s clutch and twist the throttle. However, on an incline, you’ll also need to ensure that your bike doesn't roll back when restarting it.

You'll want to engage your front and rear brakes while firmly planting your other foot on the ground and avoid releasing your brakes when accelerating. As you release your clutch, keep your right foot on the back brake until you feel that your vehicle has started moving forward.

3. Avoid Stalling Your Bike

Another point we recommend to our customers is to prevent their bikes from stalling when going uphill. Other motorists may fail to notice that you are on the road and not moving, leading to an accident. So, you must know how to react when your motorcycle stalls accidentally.

The first thing you’ll want to do is use both brakes and pay close attention to your surroundings. Make sure there aren’t any vehicles approaching you from behind, and slowly pull your motorcycle aside. Once you feel safer, start your bike, and move ahead. You’ll need to give your vehicle more gas than you usually do. 

Important Considerations

For smooth riding when going uphill, you’ll want to:

  • Choose the right gear, which will give you a steady RPM.
  • If your RPM drops, consider going down a gear or two.
  • Always be prepared to stop and put your foot on solid ground instead of loose pavement or potholes.
  • Use both your front and rear brake to come to a stop and prevent yourself from rolling back down a slope.

We hope these tips help you safely ride your motorcycle uphill. If you need more advice or help upgrading your bike to the latest model, visit Gina’s Motorsports of Monee. Our friendly team will be happy to address your concerns and will show you our latest inventory of motorcycles for sale. We are in Monee, IL, and we happily serve those from Chicago and Kankakee County, so stop by today.