Let's get straight to it: the gear you select should always be appropriate for the speed you are travelling, as well as the road, weather and traffic conditions.

Ride in a gear that provides enough torque for instant acceleration without the need to change down to get it. The lower the gear the greater the torque available for acceleration and engine braking, but the lower the road speed possible.

In built-up areas, be in a gear which produces enough exhaust noise to herald your approach to pedestrians. Silence is not the safe option.

Changing up or down, maintain pressure on the gear lever until the clutch has been released to minimise the likelihood of selecting false-neutrals and losing drive. If a false-neutral is entered, change up a gear. Changing down may see you slip one or possibly two gears lower than intended, risking rear-wheel lock-up and a possible skid.

On older bikes, the gear lever and change direction can be the opposite of current ones. Be very careful when borrowing a bike.

If selecting first gear from neutral is noisy, hold the clutch in and blip the throttle to free the clutch properly. Allow the revs to drop back to idle before engaging gear.