Reverse parking

Reverse parking might not be the most exciting exercise in the AVB test, but it is one of the most important.

The examiner is not looking for speed or power here. They want to see whether you can control the motorcycle even when you are not riding it.
Control is the key word.

Safely moving the bike. Manoeuvring it backwards. Placing it steadily on the stand.

And honestly — what use is riding if you cannot calmly park your bike when you stop for a coffee or an ice cream on the road?

How do you do it?

You walk alongside the motorcycle with the engine off, guiding it by hand past the imaginary parking space.

Then you manoeuvre it carefully to the other side of the road and guide it slowly backwards into the marked space.

Once the bike is in position, you place it on the stand and check briefly that it is stable. After that, you take it off the stand again and walk it calmly out of the space.

Simple in theory.
A little different in practice.

Where it goes wrong

This is not a technically difficult exercise, but it is one where many learners lose points through rushing.

Most mistakes come from trying to go too fast or using your arms too much instead of your body. That is when the bike starts to feel unstable.

Another common issue is not looking properly at where the bike needs to go. Small things matter more than they seem.

And sometimes it goes wrong at the smallest detail: the stand is not fully down.

That may sound minor, but a 200+ kg motorcycle is not something you can easily correct once it starts to lean.

Tips

• Take your time — there is no rush
• Keep the motorcycle close to your body
• Let it rest lightly against your hip for control
• Look where you want the bike to go
• Always check that the stand is fully down
• Stay relaxed — control matters more than speed

My experience

Before I tried it, this felt like one of the easiest exercises.

In practice, I noticed something else: I was often just a bit too quick.

The moment I slowed down and kept the bike close to my body, everything became easier. More stable. More predictable.

What surprised me most was how much difference calmness makes.
Once I stopped rushing, the exercise suddenly felt simple.

It is one of those moments where you realise: technique matters, but calmness changes everything.