An Essential Guide for Safe Motorcycle Riding on Britain’s Poor Road Surfaces

TL;DR Stop dodging potholes and hanging on for dear life as you ride Britain’s ruined roads. Our safe riding techniques for managing poor road surfaces will keep you steady no matter what conditions you face.

It’s no secret that our road surfaces could do with some TLC. Puckered tarmac, potholes and loose shale are the bane of drivers and riders alike. The problem is, poor surfaces have a bigger impact for motorcyclists than drivers. Safe motorcycle riding on poor road surfaces is a skill that’ll stand you in good stead while the government makes good on their promise to sort things out. Smooth riding is safe, specific motorcycling skills for rough surface riding will keep you even safer.

Starting this month, the UK government plans to begin spending the £7.3 billion specifically put aside for local highway maintenance. We have over 245,000 miles of road in the UK. Roughly 79% of them are classified as minor roads. The other 21% are motorways, ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads. Getting them all up to a safe standard will take time, which is why the government’s allowing four years to complete the work.

While the hefty investment is welcome, it’s the RAG rating system that will help riders and other road users keep track of progress. The 154 Local Highway Authorities have been given a traffic light benchmark rating—red, amber or green—based on three pillars: actual road condition, level of capital spend, and adoption of best practices (like preventative treatments instead of just filling holes).

To get the full roadworks payout, each council must publish annual Transparency Reports showing residents exactly where the money went. You can already see how your county rates in the RAG system. As works continue, how many potholes are actually fixed and whether road surface improvements have been made will be easily compared.

In the meantime, learning a few safe motorcycle riding skills for poor road surfaces will make life easier. Read on for actionable tips and advice for safe riding on rough roads.

Mastering the surface: safe, sure, and smooth handling

Record wet weather brought us a pothole plague. That crumbling tarmac creates holes and the sliding shale which is a hazard all its own. And hazards are a certainty, like death and taxes. Developing your motorcycling skills is the best way to stay safe; keeping your bike stable and sure is the ultimate tactic whatever the weather or road surface does.

How to deal with potholes on a motorcycle

Potholes can appear unexpectedly, so ‘planning’ for them may seem strange. But riding on a ruined road isn’t only about what your hands are doing, it’s where your eyes are looking too. Even a few seconds’ warning will give you time to prepare and plot your path successfully. So give yourself the time you need:

• Keep your eyes up, scanning the road ahead.
• Don’t fixate on a pothole when you see one, look for your clear line around it.
• If you can’t avoid a pothole, slow your bike, anchor your feet and push up a little from your seat. Release your brakes just before the moment of impact to let your bike do its job. 

Releasing your brakes before impact takes the load off your front forks, giving your bike more bounce. Anchoring your feet to the pegs and pushing up from your seat gives you more stability while protecting your spine from jolts.

The clip above shows how to anchor yourself to the pegs (07:05), Discusses the neutral body position (08:27) and keeping your eyes trained where you want to go (10:08).

Riding on rough roads, slidey shale and loose gravel

Riding on rough surfaces with the added challenge of slidey shale and loose gravel could have some motorcyclists breaking out in a sweat. There’s no need to though, if you know the rules for navigating loose surfaces.

Leaning on slippery surfaces is a dangerous tactic as you’re inviting your wheels to slide out from beneath the bike. Stay upright wherever possible. If you do need to turn, keep the bike as upright as possible and use a touch more counter-steering to initiate your change in direction.

It’s tempting to tense up and tighten your grip when you hit gravel; but you need to keep a neutral grip and loose upper body to allow your bike to track through uneven ground. Keeping upright and loose gives you and your bike the best chance possible of getting through uneven surfaces safely, without mishaps.

The best way to get comfortable with the loose riding feeling is to take a day on the trails. There is no better classroom for managing uneven surfaces than a little off-road riding on muddy tracks. The skills you learn off road are directly transferable to what you need for safe motorcycle riding on poor road surfaces.

Being visible is your best safety tool

It’s a grim thought, but the reality of riding on poor surfaces is that sometimes, the road wins. If you do come off—especially on a remote, poorly maintained road or in low-light conditions—your top priority is making sure you can be seen immediately.

Being visible is about self-preservation. High-visibility gear creates the contrast you need against the grey, pothole-strewn tarmac. This will help drivers register your presence long before they reach you.

If you’re forced to stop or if you’ve had an incident, treat yourself as an active hazard. Don’t wait for others to spot you; use your bike’s visibility tools:

• Active Signalling: If your bike’s electrical system is intact, hazard lights are your best friend. Use them if they work, even if your bike is down, as soon as you’re safely able to do so. They create a distinct, unnatural rhythm that alerts drivers to the hazard ahead. 
• Positioning: If you are able to move safely, position yourself and the bike out of the way but where you are most conspicuous to oncoming traffic. Don’t add risk of further injury by hiding behind a bend or a ridge.
• Reflective Gear: On Britain’s roads, the weather can turn from bright to bleak in minutes. High-vis is a safety tool that cuts through spray, mist, and the gloom of late-afternoon roadworks. Carry it with you and put it on when you need it.

Remember, if you’re down in the road, the goal is to make it impossible for a driver not to see you. Staying visible is your essential layer of your hazard perception toolkit. If you find yourself in a fix on a motorway, the latest National Highways advice on breakdowns will keep you safe.

Navigating mobile hazards on rough roads

Potholed roads and loose shale are just part of the problem of riding on rough roads. The other, often bigger, hazard is other road users. They’re dodging and swerving to save their suspension too. And, of course, there are mobile roadworks, sometimes stationary just beyond a bend, working hard to fix the poor surfaces you’ve been cursing as you ride. Handling them takes a whole new level of expertise.

The swerving driver

When the car ahead suddenly darts toward the center line or brakes hard, don’t assume they’re distracted. It’s quite possible they’re avoiding a pothole you’re yet to see. In our pitted tarmac landscape, vehicles in front or heading towards you can become unpredictable obstacles.

• Create a safety bubble: Creating a safe distance around you as you ride is your first defence. When roads are rough, you need to expand that bubble and increase your following distance. It’ll give you more time to see what they are seeing.
• Scan through the vehicle: Look past the vehicle in front to spot hazards they might swerve for. If the car ahead brakes without a clear reason, expect a hole.
• Don’t follow their line: Avoid following in the exact tyre paths of the vehicle ahead. They may clear a safe path for themselves, but they’re often straddling or narrowly missing hazards that could upset your bike.

The stationary surprise

Roadworks are a necessary evil, but they can be poorly signposted or hidden around blind corners. A stationary highway maintenance van is a lethal object for an inattentive rider. Stay sharp and look for indications they’re improving the road you’re using.

• Expect the unexpected: On minor roads, always anticipate that a bend might hide a parked vehicle or a coned-off section of the road. Look for indications like pulsing lights, knocked over signs or random traffic cones.
• Slow for the unknown: If your view of the road ahead is restricted, cut speed before the corner. If you can’t see what’s around the bend, assume it’s blocked.

Sharpening your hazard perception skills

The difference between a close call and a safe ride is often down to how quickly you register a threat. Hazard perception is a skill that dies if you don’t use it, but you can keep it tuned. Practicing from the comfort of your home is a safer bet than pushing yourself beyond your limits while riding.

ESitu’s online Hazard Perception practice tests are a great way to keep your brain in gear and primed for spotting surprises before they become threats. This gold standard of keeping observation skills sharp is the perfect way to maintain your riding edge safely, year round. Try their online tests for motorcyclists to see how you measure up and keep your skills alive.

Gaining an expert edge

Road conditions in the UK will always be a variable—the weather changes, the tarmac crumbles, and the debris shifts. Your skill set is the one thing you can control. There is no point hoping for perfect roads. Your expert edge comes from accepting the road is dynamic and ensuring your responses are consistent, calculated, and calm.

Advanced training gives you that calm confidence. It’s not just for those just starting out; it’s the best way to replace panic-mode-reflexes with trained, effective muscle memory. In a split-second hazard, you won’t switch to unhelpful natural reactions, instead, you’ll sink into well-trained responses that’ve become second nature. Conscious practice and professional guidance turn moments of terror into controlled, managed adjustments that leave you feeling accomplished.

Take the next step to smoother, safer motorcycling on poor road surfaces

Whether you’re looking to refine your observation, master advanced positioning, or simply rebuild confidence after a season dodging potholes, professional training is the fastest route for you. Which advanced course you choose depends on the level you’re starting from and the specific skills you want help with.

• Book your next step with a Phoenix Motorcycle Training Advanced Course—from the DVSA Enhanced Rider Scheme to tailored coaching, we ensure your skills are as sharp as your bike’s handling.
• Embark on a journey to master your bike and elevate your riding with a ProSkills Course to achieve motorcycling mastery.
• Remember, trail riding days are a great way to have fun and get comfortable on loose and unpredictable surfaces. When you’re not fighting your bike, you’re free to enjoy your ride.

Motorcycle riding on poor road surfaces FAQs