You often see motoring stunts like 'drifting' in the movies.

In the motorcycling world, 'drifting' is also known as power-sliding.

Power-sliding allows a motorcyclist to accelerate fast in a long sweeping corner.

It may look easy but it requires practice to perfect.

POWER TECHNIQUES

This is the mechanics behind it, but be warned, there is every likelihood you may take a spill.

So proceed cautiously.

First, find an open piece of land with even terrain.

Practise cornering near two tyres set 20m apart.

Stick to second gear and ride in a huge circle cornering only at the point the tyres are placed.

Start slow and build up speed progressively.

Ride in a clockwise direction and oh yes, do not use any brakes for this exercise.

The point is to feel how your rear tyre starts to lose traction as the motorcycle's handlebar is dipped into a corner.

Sit forward and use your foot to balance yourself from falling over.

Be ready for the rear to misbehave - it will occasionally break loose and try to turn the whole bike 180 degrees.

To prevent this, put more weight on the outside footpeg, or learn to counter-steer.

Counter-steering is the act of turning the handlebar in the opposite direction of move.

For example while cornering left, the left handlebar grip is pushed forward and the right grip is pulled.

This 'push-pull' cornering may sound complex in theory, but your hands will instinctively react in a corner.

And if your hands don't react, two things can happen: You will fall from a low-side or high-side.

In a high-side, you're ejected from the motorcycle.

In a low-side, your rear tyre will lose traction and you end up sliding with the motorbike on the ground.

In power-sliding you will notice that the more throttle you give in a corner, the more the rear tyre will spin and want to 'come out'.

Expert riders are able to go fast in wide-sweeping corners because they apply a balance of throttle and steering input (counter-steering).

TRAIN ON TERRAIN

Different terrain surfaces will also determine how much slide can be generated.

Loose surfaces like sand or gravel makes power-sliding a breeze.

You know you've got the drill correct when you're sideways, yet you're still accelerating out of the corners.

Power-sliding, as strange as it may sound, is about losing control, while still being in control.

Remember to change direction, go anti-clockwise.

And once you have mastered power-sliding, try power-sliding standing up.

Learn to steady yourself by not putting your foot down mid-corner.

More experienced riders can control a slide by applying different amounts of weight on the inside footpegs to control a powerslide.

Good luck in power-sliding!