Life in the slow lane is tougher than you think. Plenty of injuries and machine damage occur at slow speeds when motorcycles are less stable, or when the bike is actually stationary.

You can be hurt if your bike falls on you, including seriously burned if the exhaust or other hot parts press against you. Trap yourself under one on the road and you may be run over. (Do it in front of friends, and you'll want that to happen anyway.) Bikes with thousands of dollars of bodywork have become insurance write-offs simply by falling over while stationary.

Heavy immobile motorcycles
Manoeuvring any immobile (no engine running) bike is a skill needed when parking or moving your bike around the home. Just what constitutes a heavy motorcycle depends on how big and strong you are. For most riders, any bike weighing more than 200kg is heavy. Learning how to shift one has a lot to do with confidence and not allowing any imbalance to start.

Parking typically involves reversing, often down a slope and to a large extent blindly if you're sitting on the bike. It's easy to lose your footing on a loose surface. Look down, and be ready for a less than perfect grip. Lower both feet while reversing and have the engine stopped so that an awkward moment like bumping into gear won't throw the bike forward and catch you out. Front brake is the one to use, but be ready for skidding if you're moving too fast. Once stopped, engage first gear as a parking brake.

Provided your bike has a reliable non-self retracting side-stand and you're manoeuvring it on level ground, stand on the right with the left side-stand down. The stand will catch the bike if it falls away from you, and you'll be able to push against it if it falls towards you. Move the bike, holding onto the right-side handlebar and passenger grab handle (or rear carrier if there is one.) This way you can apply the front brake when necessary.

Sitting and paddling with your feet works well in many cases, but it's harder to see where you're going. Have the side-stand up so you can't catch your foot on or under it.

Slow-speed riding
The secret here is a combination of throttle, clutch and rear brake. The rear brake should be engaged to control forward speed against the pull of the motor, with the clutch being slipped to allow sufficient revs to prevent stalling. Maintain balance by keeping your upper body vertical, and if necessary leaning the opposite way from the direction being turned if the bike needs to be banked to make the turn.

If you feel uneasy during a slow-speed turn, straighten the bike and either stop before resuming, or release the rear brake to get more forward momentum. Use of the front brake during low-speed turns invites topple-over for sure. But don't worry. With a little practise, these techniques will allow full lock, feet up, slow turns to be made with confidence.

U-turn on narrow roads
Before making any U-turn check the road is clear in both directions. Road-width and your bike's ability to turn completely in the space available must be judged perfectly. Keep in mind long-wheelbased bikes have a larger turning radius than most shorter ones. The amount of steering lock also varies - sports models tend to have a restricted steering lock that prevents their low handlebars touching the fuel tank.

One idea is to ride ahead and check your steering lock in a safe place, so you have a better idea of its turning radius. Property entrances and intersections often provide greater vision and width.

U-turns on steep roads are difficult but still manageable with the correct technique. Adjust the bike's bank angle and your body position to compensate for the slope. Turns made while riding downhill are a little easier because the ground on the inside of the turn is closer if you need to plant a foot for support. Conversely, uphill is harder because it still requires you to lean up the slope yet the ground on the inside of the turn will be further, if not impossible, to reach.

If you have misjudged your turning ability, you'll need to take the U in two manoeuvres. Turn as much as possible from the left-side of your lane until you reach the centre-line. Stop and reverse in the opposite direction, then move forward again to complete the turn. Because they can be seen from all directions, use your bike's hazard-warning lights rather than its indicators throughout.