If you've spent any time around advanced riding, you've probably heard "IPSGA" mentioned — usually without much explanation of what it actually means in practice. It sounds like jargon, but it's genuinely one of the most useful frameworks a rider can carry in their head. It's the structure behind almost everything I coach on an ERS day, including the limit point work covered in an earlier post.
What IPSGA Actually Is
IPSGA stands for the System of Motorcycle Control — a sequence used to approach every hazard on the road, from a roundabout to a parked car to a sweeping bend. It's the backbone of Motorcycle Roadcraft, and it's what separates riding that's genuinely planned from riding that's reactive.
I
Information — take, use, and give information continuously, before and throughout every hazard
P
Position — where you place the bike on the road for safety and view
S
Speed — adjusting speed to suit what the information tells you
G
Gear — selecting the right gear for the speed and situation
A
Acceleration — getting back on the throttle smoothly and appropriately once through the hazard
Every one of those five elements matters, but Information comes first for a reason — everything that follows depends on it. Get the information wrong, and the position, speed, gear, and acceleration decisions that follow are all built on shaky ground. That's why it gets its own phrase: Take. Use. Give.
Take. Use. Give. — Breaking Down the Information Phase
"Take, Use, Give" describes the three things you're doing with information, continuously, as you ride:
TakeGather information from your surroundings — mirrors, road signs, other road users, the road surface, what's happening ahead and behind.
UseInterpret what you've taken in and decide what it means for your riding — does it change your speed, position, or plan for the hazard ahead?
GiveCommunicate your own intentions to others — indicators, brake light, position, even eye contact — so other road users understand what you're about to do.
The sequence repeats constantly, not just once per hazard. You're taking, using, and giving information in a continuous loop, the whole time you're riding — it's less a checklist and more a habit of mind.
Questions I Get Asked About This
Isn't this just common sense?
In principle, yes — most riders are doing some version of this already. The value of IPSGA is making it deliberate and consistent rather than something that happens by accident. Riders who structure it properly catch things earlier and make smoother, more confident decisions, especially under pressure.
Do I need to consciously think "Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Acceleration" while riding?
Not word for word, no — that would be exhausting and counterproductive in the moment. The aim is for it to become instinctive through practice, the same way changing gear became automatic once you'd done it enough times. On an ERS day, we build it up consciously first, then let it settle into habit.
How does this connect to the limit point?
Directly — the limit point is one of the clearest examples of "taking" information on a bend, which then feeds into your Speed and Gear decisions. It's a practical tool that sits inside the wider Information phase of IPSGA.
Related Reading
Want IPSGA coached properly, on the road?
The whole system is built into every RPM ERS and Back to Bike day across Gloucestershire.
See ERS Pricing