Motorcycle Training Wheels: How They Work?

If you happen to be a beginner or a female rider who doesn’t feel confident enough to ride on two wheels, we have a solution for you. There are also new riders who are frightened to get on a motorcycle as they are not good at balancing and controlling.

Similarly, if you are an older or vertically-challenged rider who wants to ride a heavyweight touring bike but are unable to put both your feet down during braking and slowing down, motorcycle training wheels can help you. Continue reading this article to learn in detail about what training wheels for motorcycles are.

The most common and major reason why motorcycles are considered dangerous than cars is their two wheels. The debate or argument on motorcycle vs. cars have usually been referred to as two wheels vs. four wheels. Four wheel, being the symbol of safety, is considered more stable. It is obvious that a weight balanced on four wheels is more stable and balanced than on two wheels.

Motorcycles, being built with two wheels, requires balancing. Riders have to make an effort to keep the bike balanced during the ride and even when it is stopped. If you are riding a heavyweight motorbike, balancing and stability becomes a challenge, especially at low speeds. When motorcycle stops, riders are supposed to put their feet down to avoid dropping the bike.

There are trike motorcycles with three wheels, especially designed for older riders or riders who don’t want to take the risk of riding the bike on two wheels. If you have ever ridden a trike motorcycle, they are more stable, balanced, and easy to ride than two-wheel motorbikes. However, trikes are not as fun and exciting to ride as motorcycles.

You may or may not have seen a motorcycle with training wheels. They are not as big as the main two wheels of a motorcycle. Instead, they are small balancing wheels on either side of the bike to help prevent it from falling to one side. They are often referred to as the motorcycle landing gear.

Motorcycle training wheels are often smaller in size. With training wheels on, riders don’t need to put their feet down to balance the bike while slowing down and stopping it. They don’t have to worry about balancing the bike on two wheels.

The top benefit of training wheels on motorcycles is safety. These wheels ensure a much safer riding experience compared to riding on two wheels. You can also help avoid damaging or scratching your expensive motorcycle parts if you have training wheels attached to your bike. There is no fear of falling from a bike with training wheels. You can comfortably slow down and stop the bike without having to put your feet down.

Motorcycles with training wheels are used for safety riding training courses. They can be very helpful for beginners to learn riding without being intimidated by motorbikes.

If you have experienced a motorcycle accident, motorcycle training wheels can help you make a comeback. With these balancing wheels, it will be easier for you to start riding again, especially if you have experienced leg or knee injuries.

With training wheels on a motorcycle, reversing a heavyweight bike is much easier and comfortable. All you need to do is push the bike backward without having to worry about keeping the bike balanced and upright at the same time.

With training wheels installed on a motorcycle, you can learn how to brake safely in different riding conditions. You can also learn about the traction control and get used to road grip on different surfaces. You can learn how to ride a motorcycle with more peace of mind. With motorcycle training wheels, you can be more confident while riding.

Motorcycle training wheels are often attached to the rear wheel axle, the motorcycle frame, or are mounted below the passenger footrests in large motorbikes. The installation of the motorcycle training wheels is different depending on the type of wheels.

The idea of motorcycle training wheels came from children's bicycles. You must have ridden a bicycle with small supporting wheels in your childhood when you started bicycling. When you start on two wheels as a kid, you have no idea how to balance it. It takes time until you learn about some physical phenomena that help you ride on two wheels.

Kids often start with either a tricycle or a bicycle with two small supporting wheels. This is to help you learn the balance. These supporting or training wheels aren’t touching the ground at all times. They are slightly elevated.

When you start riding a bicycle as a kid, you are actually doing it on two wheels. The supporting wheels don’t touch the ground as you are balancing. The supporting training wheels are there when you slow down, as the bicycle will fall on one side. This is where the supporting training wheels help.

The same idea of supporting training wheels or sometimes referred to as motorcycle landing gears was employed on motorcycles. It turns out to be great for beginner riders.

These small-sized, fixed supporting or training wheels on motorcycles are quite small and lightweight compared to the original two wheels. They are usually installed on lightweight bikes. They are usually mounted to the rear wheel axle.

The purpose is to prevent the bike from falling to one side when stopped or when slowed down. These training wheels are slightly elevated from the ground. With these training wheels, you can lean the bike slightly to only a certain extent. If you try to lean your motorbike above a certain limit, the supporting wheel will touch the ground, and you will not be able to lean further.

This type of small-sized, fixed, non-retractable, and lightly elevated motorcycle training wheels are widely used by motorcycle training schools. 

Considering the size of these additional wheels as shown in the above image, they cannot be referred to as supporting or training wheels. Such a motorbike cannot be called a trike as it has a total of four wheels. The rear driving wheel is there to power the bike and push it forward.

With such large-sized, fixed, additional wheels on a motorcycle, the handling characteristics of a motorcycle completely change. You cannot lean the bike at all. The additional balancing wheels installed on these bikes are in the same position as the main two wheels, just like a car. The motorbike in this case is perfectly balanced and upright.

It may sound perfect for a new rider intimidated by riding a motorbike. However, it takes away all the fun of riding the bike on twists and turns.

On the other hand, it can make riding the bike dangerous to a certain level. Straight line performance on such a motorbike with additional fixed wheels is not a problem. However, if you have to turn a corner, especially at high speeds, the bike is likely to flip in the opposite direction of the turn, resulting in a tragic accident.

It is like riding a motorcycle with a sidecar or riding a classic trike motorbike. Such additional fixed wheels are usually installed on heavyweight touring bikes.

The retractable motorcycle training wheels are among the most useful innovations that have made it easier for touring bike riders. This technology has been marketed as one of the most notable features on many concept bikes of the future. However, the same equipment has been around for many years, making the lives of touring bike riders easy and safe.

Most riders have heard about this motorbike part for the first time. It is true. Most of us didn’t know about such a thing as the retractable motorcycle training wheels. These training wheels feature automated technology that retracts the wheels as soon as the bike picks up the pace.

On the other hand, as you slow down and apply the brakes, these training wheels are opened automatically. You don’t have to worry about balancing the bike on two wheels while approaching a traffic signal or while braking. This is a great feature for shorter riders, especially those who want to ride a heavyweight touring bike or a taller adventure bike.

There are many riders who want to reach the ground with both their feet flat. Some riders can hardly reach the ground with their toes. For such riders, such retractable motorcycle training wheels are a game changer. These are the training wheels that are also known as the landing gear because they can retract and expand.

Most of these modern retractable motorcycle training wheels feature both automated and manual systems to operate them.

In the manual system, these retractable training wheels are operated using a control switch on the handlebars. Riders can manually open or retract these training wheels through the control switch.

On the other hand, the automated system allows these training wheels to go down and retract automatically. The computer chip is installed, and the decision, based on the motorcycle's position and speed, is made on when to open and retract the training wheels.

These motorcycle training wheels have a pneumatic system that activates the landing gear when required. It is also termed as the motorbike stabilization system. These landing gears are ideally made for large touring bikes, such as the Honda Gold Wing, Harley-Davidson touring bikes and baggers, and BMW K1600 models.

These motorcycle training wheels are mounted below the passenger footrests or floorboards. When retracted, they become harder to point them out as they get mixed with the motorcycle frame. You can either choose between the chrome or blacked out bike training wheels or landing gears, depending on your bike.

Even in the activated mode, these motorbike training wheels or landing gears look cool. However, more than they look good on your bike, they are very useful in terms of their operation, making rides more comfortable and safer.

These retractable motorcycle training wheels are quite different from the conventional supporting wheels attached to bikes, especially on kids’ bikes. It is very different and more technical. These training wheels make the lives of riders much easier, safer, and comfortable, especially those who ride touring bikes and baggers.

Motorcycle training wheels are a good way to start your bike riding journey as a novice rider. There are many people out there who don’t start motorcycling because they are afraid of motorcycles, mainly because it requires balancing. The fact that you have to keep the bike upright, balanced, and stable sounds challenging. Also, when you approach a corner, you are expected to lean to take a turn. These things can scare the hell out of people who want to start riding a motorcycle but cannot.

For such riders, and those who are older or vertically challenged, motorcycle training wheels are very useful motorbike attachments. Make your rides easy, comfortable, and above all, safer to the next level with motorcycle training wheels.

Riding on two wheels requires courage as it is a daring act compared to riding a vehicle with four wheels. Therefore, those who are intimidated by motorbikes can add two more supporting wheels to a motorcycle to make it more stable and upright.