Squidding
Refers to when a rider doesn’t wear protective safety gear e.g. primarily like only wearing a t-shirt and no jacket when it’s hot. Can also refer to the squid-like point and shoot nature of an inexperienced rider i.e. slow in the corners, fast on the straights.
Chicken Strips
The unused portion of the tyre that indicates the degree to which the rider leans the bike (or rather, doesn’t (hence chicken) – the less you lean it the bigger the “chicken strips”.
Shadow
A person who can legally accompany a learner rider. The shadow needs to have held the class of licence they wish to shadow for 4 years.
Stoppie
When the rear wheel leaves the ground due to excessive front braking
Pillion
The passenger on the motorbike who sits behind the rider
Lane Splitting or Filtering
Riding between cars in traffic. This can be done legally.
Wheelie
When the front wheel leaves the ground due to excessive acceleration.
Countersteering
Contrary to popular belief by new riders, you do not steer a bike by gripping the bars tightly and rotating the bars as if you were holding a broom handle out in front of you. You steer a bike by pushing the inside bar in the direction you want to go (i.e. want to go left? push the inside bar with the palm of your left hand). The strength of the push and the duration is proportional to how fast and tight you want the bike to turn. To see how this works, try slalom on an quiet, empty road: push left, then right, then left, then right and the bike will weave in the direction you push the bar. Mention push/pull steering? i.e. it’s not just pushing the inside bar – you can replicate the push by pulling on the opposite bar and you can thus ride one handed
Apex
The point at which you come closest to the corner/kerb.
Tip-in Point
The point where you commence tipping into the corner. The line you take through a corner through to the apex is very important and determines where you end up – safely on your side of the road, or on the other side of the road and whether you can avoid unexpected objects (potholes, gravel etc)
Wheel Track
Riding in the centre of the lane should be avoided due to the oil slick that accumulate due to cars – it is slippery. You should either ride on the left hand side of the oil slick (left wheel track) or right hand side (right wheel track). Depending upon road conditions/situations, you may choose the left or right wheel track.
Swingarm
Frame that connects the rear wheel to the main frame
Acronyms and Colloquialisms
WOT = Wide Open Throttle
Lid = Helmet