2011 Motorcycle Operators Manual

8/6/2019 2011 Motorcycle Operators Manual

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Motorcycle

operator

Manual

MSF LICENSING PROGRAMS

a n m s f manual

With Supplementary Inormation

or Three-Wheel Motorcycles


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2

Preface

Operating a motorcycle saelyin trac requires special skills andknowledge. The Motorcycle SaetyFoundation (MSF) has made this manualavailable to help novice motorcyclistsreduce their risk o having a crash. Themanual conveys essential sae ridinginormation and has been designedor use in licensing programs. Whiledesigned or the novice, all motorcyclistscan benet rom the inormation thismanual contains.

The original Motorcycle OperatorManual was developed by the NationalPublic Services Research Institute (NPSRI)under contract to the National HighwayTrac Saety Administration (NHTSA)and within the terms o a cooperativeagreement between NHTSA and the

MSF. The manual and related testswere used in a multi-year study oimproved motorcycle operator licensingprocedures, conducted by the CaliorniaDepartment o Motor Vehicles undercontract to NHTSA.

The purpose o this manual is toeducate the reader to help avoid crasheswhile saely operating a motorcycle. For

this edition, the MSF has updated andexpanded the content o the originalmanual.

These revisions refect:

Thelatestndingofmotorcycle-saety research.

Commentsandguidanceprovidedby the motorcycling, licensing andtrac saety communities.

Expandedalcoholanddruginormation.

In promoting improved licensing

programs, the MSF works closely withstate licensing agencies. The Foundationhas helped more than hal the statesin the nation adopt the MotorcycleOperator Manual or use in theirlicensing systems.

Improved licensing, along with high-quality motorcycle rider education andincreased public awareness, has thepotential to reduce crashes. Sta at theFoundation are available to assist state,private and governmental agencies ineorts to improve motorcycle saety.

Tim BuchePresident,Motorcycle Safety Foundation

2 Jenner, Suite 150Irvine, CA 92618-3806

www.ms-usa.org


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Indiana Motorcycle

Requirements March 2011

In order to operate a motorcycleon a public roadway, an individual

must have a valid Motorcycle

Learner Permit or a Motorcycle

Endorsement on any of the

following types of base license:

An Operator, Chauffeur,

or Public Passenger

Chauffeur.

GENERAL INFORMATION

If an applicant applies for a

Motorcycle Temporary Permit,

Motorcycle Learner Permit,

Motorcycle Only, or a Motorcycle

Endorsement the Bureau of

Motor Vehicles may not issue if

the applicant is ineligible due to

driving privileges being revoked,

suspended or invalidated which

prohibits obtaining a permit or

license.

PERMIT TYPES

Temporary Motorcycle Learner

Permit

An individual must meet the

following conditions to obtain a

Temporary Motorcycle Learners

Permit:

Be at least fteen (15) years

of age;

Be enrolled in an approved

motorcycle driver education

and training course:

Present a certicate of

enrollment in an approvedmotorcycle driver education

and training course to the

Bureau of Motor Vehicles at

the time of application;

Must present identication

from approved list;

Must successfully pass a

vision screeningUpon completion of an approved

motorcycle driver education and

training course the Temporary

Motorcycle Learners Permit will be

validated and the holder may only

operate a motorcycle under the

following conditions: When wearing a helmet

that meets the standards

established by the United

States Department of

Transportation under

49CFR571.218;

Operate a motorcycle only

during daylight hours; May not carry passengers;

Must be under the

supervision of the licensed

motorcycle operator who is

at least eighteen (18) years

of age (upon completion

of an approved driver

education training course).

The holder of this permit may

operate a motorcycle upon a

highway while enrolled in an


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approved motorcycle driver

education and training course only

when the holder is under the direct

supervision of an instructor. Theinstructor must be certied to teach

a motorcycle drivers education

course by the State Board of

Education or by the Bureau of Motor

Vehicles.

NOTE: If the holder of a Temporary

Motorcycle Learner Permitchooses to have a Motorcycle Only

License issued once they meet

the experience, age and BMV

requirements, they will be required

to surrender their Motorcycle Only

license when they apply for a Driver

Education or Learner Permit. Atthat time, the license branch may

give the applicant an afdavit of

motorcycle endorsement. During

this time, the applicant may not

ride a Motorcycle. Once they

meet the age and time requirements

of the Driver Education or Learner

Permit, an Operators Licensemay be issued with the Motorcycle

Endorsement.

Motorcycle Learners Permit

A person may qualify for a

Motorcycle Learners Permit underthe following conditions:

The individual must hold a

valid Operator, Chauffeur, or

Public Passenger Chauffeur

base license.

Pass a vision screening

and motorcycle written

examination.

A Motorcycle Learners Permit

authorizes the holder to operate a

motorcycle upon the highway for a

period of one (1) year from the date

of issuance, under the following

restrictions:

The holder must

wear a helmet that

meets the standards

established by the United

States Department of

Transportation under

49CFR571.218;

Operate a motorcycle onlyduring daylight hours;

May not carry passengers;


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MOTORCYCLE ONLY LICENSE

A Motorcycle Only License may

be issued to an individual who hasheld a Temporary Motorcycle

Learners Permit for a period

of thirty days, and meets the age

requirements of at lease sixteen

(16) years and thirty (30) days of

age, and passed the approved

motorcycle driver education and

training course. The applicant mustalso pass a motorcycle written test

and vision screening at the license

branch.

TESTING

When applicable the applicant must

pass a vision screening, a written

motorcycle examination and a

Motorcycle Skills Test.

The Motorcycle Skills test will be

administered at a Motorcycle Skills

Test site by an individual certied

by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.(Inquire at the License Branch

for information regarding the

Motorcycle Skills Test site locations

and testing dates.)

All applicants must hold a valid

Motorcycle Learner Permit for a

period ofthirty (30) days before

a Motorcycle Skills Test can be

administered. Proof of a current

Motorcycle Endorsement from any

other state Licensing Agency may

exempt them from the Motorcycle

Skills Test.

The fee for a Motorcycle Skills Testis Ten dollars ($10.00). Applicants

must bring exact amount of

money for the skills test; the

examiner will not make change.

No checks will be accepted.

Applicants must present photo-ID

and permit or Afdavit of MotorcycleEndorsement at time of skills

test. If an applicant does not pass

the Motorcycle Skills Test on the

rst attempt, a second attempt

may be taken on the same day

at no additional charge. Once the

motorcycle skills test is successfullycompleted, the skills test results are

good for the duration of the holders

motorcycle permit.

The Motorcycle Learner Permit is

valid for a period of one (1) year.

Each individual is allowed three (3)

attempts during the validity of themotorcycle permit.

Every applicant prior to taking of

the Motorcycle Skills Test will be

required to sign a Waiver of Liability.


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THE MOTORCYCLE

SKILLS TEST

The Motorcycle Skills Test consistsof seven areas, which measures

an applicants basis control of

the Motorcycle and response

to hazardous situations. The

Motorcycle Skills Test consists of

the following actions:

Overall control

Sharp left turn, stopping atdesignated points, offset

cone weave, right U-turn,

quick stop and obstacle

swerve.

Points will be assessed if the

applicant fails to execute any of the

above maneuvers properly.

The applicant will fail the

motorcycle skills test if he/she:

Accumulates more than

ten (10) points;

Falls or drops the

motorcycle; Commits an unsafe act;

Disregards or fails to

understand instructions

of the examiners.

FEES

Fees are subject to change. Please

inquire at the License Branch for the

Permit, License, and Endorsement

fees.


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contents 3

contents

PREPARING TO RIDE

Wear the Right Gear 4Helmet Use ..........................................4

Helmet Selection ..................................4EyeandFaceProtection .......................5Clothing ...............................................6

Know Your Motorcycle 6The Right Motorcycle or You ...............6Borrowing and Lending ........................7Get Familiar with the

Motorcycle Controls ........................7Check Your Motorcycle ........................8

Know Your Responsibilities 9

RIDE WITHIN YOUR ABILITIES

Basic Vehicle Control 10Body Position .....................................10Shiting Gears ....................................10Braking ..............................................11Turning ..............................................11

Keeping Your Distance 12Lane Positions ....................................12

Following Another Vehicle ..................13Being Followed ..................................14Passing and Being Passed ...................14Lane Sharing ......................................16Merging Cars .....................................16Cars Alongside ...................................16

SEE 17

Intersections 18Blind Intersections ..............................19

Passing Parked Cars ...........................20Parking at the Roadside ......................20

Increasing Conspicuity 21Clothing .............................................21Headlight ...........................................21Signals ...............................................21Brake Light ..........................................22Using Your Mirrors .............................22Head Checks ......................................23Horn ..................................................23

Riding at Night ...................................24

Crash Avoidance 24Quick Stops ........................................24Swerving or Turning Quickly ...............25Cornering ..........................................26

Handling Dangerous Surfaces 27

Uneven Suraces and Obstacles ..........27Slippery Suraces ................................28Railroad Tracks, Trolley Tracks

and Pavement Seams .....................29

Grooves and Gratings ........................29

Mechanical Problems 30Tire Failure .........................................30Stuck Throttle ....................................30Wobble ..............................................30Drive Train Problems ...........................31EngineSeizure ...................................31

Animals 31

Flying Objects 32

Getting Off the Road 32

Carrying Passengersand Cargo 32Equipment .........................................32Instructing Passengers ........................33Riding With Passengers ......................33Carrying Loads ...................................33

Group Riding 34Keep the Group Small ........................34

Keep the Group Together ...................34Keep Your Distance ............................34

BEING IN SHAPE TO RIDE

Why This Information IsImportant 36

Alcohol and Other Drugs inMotorcycle Operation 36

Alcohol in the Body 37Blood AlcoholConcentration ...............................37

Alcohol and the Law 38Consequences o

Conviction .....................................38

Minimize the Risks 38

Step in to Protect Friends 39

Fatigue 39

EARNING YOUR LICENSEKnowledge Test ..................................40On-Motorcycle Skill Test .....................41

SUPPLEMENT FOR 3-WHEELMOTORCYCLES


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What you do beore you start a trip goes a long way toward determiningwhether or not youll get where you want to go saely. Beore taking o onany trip, a sae rider makes a point to:

1 Wear the right gear

2 Become familiar with the motorcycle

3 Check the motorcycle equipment

4 Be a responsible rider

4 PreParInG to rIDe

Wear the right gear

When you ride, your gear is right

i it protects you. In any crash, you havea ar better chance o avoiding seriousinjury i you wear:

ADOTcomplianthelmet.

Faceoreyeprotection.

Protectiveclothing.

Helmet Use

Crashes can occur particularlyamong untrained, beginning riders.And one out o every ve motorcyclecrashes results in head or neck injuries.Head injuries are just as severe as neckinjuries and ar more common. Crashanalyses show that head and neckinjuries account or a majority o seriousand atal injuries to motorcyclists.

Research also shows that, with ewexceptions, head and neck injuries arereduced by properly wearing a qualityhelmet.

Some riders dont wear helmetsbecause they think helmets will limittheir view to the sides. Others wearhelmets only on long trips or whenriding at high speeds. But, here aresome acts to consider:

ADOTcomplianthelmet letsyou see as ar to the sides as

necessary. A study o more than900 motorcycle crashes, where40% o the riders wore helmets,did not nd even one case in whicha helmet kept a rider rom spottingdanger.

Mostcrasheshappen on shorttrips (less than ve miles long), justa ew minutes ater starting out.

Mostriders are riding slower than30 mph when a crash occurs. Atthese speeds, helmets can cut boththe number and the severity o headinjuries by hal.

No matter what the speed, helmetedriders are three times more likely tosurvive head injuries than those notwearing helmets at the time o the

crash. The single most important thingyou can do to improve your chances osurviving a crash is to wear a securely-astened, quality helmet.

Helmet Selection

There are two primary types ohelmets, providing two dierent levelso coverage: three-quarter and ull ace.

Whichever style you choose, you canget the most protection by making surethat the helmet:


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IsdesignedtomeetU.S.Department o Transportation(DOT) and state standards. Helmetswith a label rom the Snell MemorialFoundation also give you anassurance o quality.

Fitssnugly, all the way around.

Hasnoobviousdefectssuch ascracks, loose padding or rayedstraps.

Whatever helmet you decide on, keepit securely astened on your head whenyou ride. Otherwise, i you are involvedin a crash, its likely to fy o your head

beore it gets a chance to protect you.

Eye and Face Protection

A plastic shatter-resistant aceshieldcan help protect your whole ace in acrash. It also protects you rom wind,dust, dirt, rain, insects and pebblesthrown up rom cars ahead. Theseproblems are distracting and can be

painul. I you have to deal with them,you cant devote your ull attention tothe road.

Goggles protect your eyes, thoughthey wont protect the rest o your acelike a aceshield does. A windshieldis not a substitute or a aceshield orgoggles. Most windshields will notprotect your eyes rom the wind. Neitherwill eyeglasses or sunglasses. Glasseswont keep your eyes rom watering,and they might blow o when you turnyour head while riding.

To be eective, eye or aceshieldprotection ust:

Befree o scratches.

Beresistant to penetration.

Giveaclearview to either side.

Fastensecurely, so it does notblow o.

Permitair to pass through, toreduce ogging.

Permitenoughroom oreyeglasses or sunglasses, i needed.

Tinted eye protection should not beworn at night or any other time whenlittle light is available.

Helmets


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6 PreParInG to rIDe

Clothing

The right clothing protects you ina collision. It also provides comort,

as well as protection rom heat, cold,debris and hot and moving parts o themotorcycle. It can also make you morevisible to others.

Jacket and pants should coverarms and legs completely. Theyshould t snugly enough to keeprom fapping in the wind, yet

loosely enough to move reely.Leather oers the most protection.Sturdy synthetic material providesa lot o protection as well. Weara jacket even in warm weather toprevent dehydration. Many aredesigned to protect without gettingyou overheated, even on summerdays.

Bootsorshoes should be highand sturdy enough to cover yourankles and give them support. Solesshould be made o hard, durable,slip-resistant material. Keep heelsshort so they do not catch on roughsuraces. Tuck in laces so they wontcatch on your motorcycle.

Gloves allow a better grip and helpprotect your hands in a crash. Yourgloves should be made o leather orsimilar durable material.

In cold or wet weather, your clothesshould keep you warm and dry, aswell as protect you rom injury. Youcannot control a motorcycle well iyou are numb. Riding or long periods

in cold weather can cause severe chilland atigue. A winter jacket shouldresist wind and t snugly at the neck,wrists and waist. Good-quality rainsuitsdesigned or motorcycle riding resisttearing apart or ballooning up at highspeeds.

KNOW YOUr

MOtOrCYCLe

There are plenty o things on thehighway that can cause you trouble.Your motorcycle should not be oneo them. To make sure that yourmotorcycle wont let you down:

Read the owners manual rst.

Start with the right motorcycle oryou.

Befamiliar with the motorcyclecontrols.

Check the motorcycle beore everyride.

Keep it in sae riding conditionbetween rides.

Avoid add-ons and modicationsthat make your motorcycle harder

to handle.

The Right Motorcycle For You

First, make sure your motorcycle isright or you. It should t you. Youreet should reach the ground whileyou are seated on the motorcycle, andthe controls should be easy to operate.Smaller motorcycles are usually easier

or beginners to operate.

A plastic shatter-resistant aceshield:

A. Is not necessary i you have awindshield.

B. Only protects your eyes.

C. Helps protect your whole ace.

D. Does not protect your ace as wellas goggles.

test yourself 1

Answer - page 41


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7

At iniu, your street-legalotorcycle should have:

Headlight,taillightand

brakelight

Frontandrearbrakes.

Turnsignals.

Horn.

Twomirrors.

Borrowing and Lending

Borrowers and lenders o motorcycles,beware. Crashes are airly commonamong beginning riders especiallyin the rst months o riding. Ridingan unamiliar motorcycle adds to theproblem. I you borrow a motorcycle,get amiliar with it in a controlled area.And i you lend your motorcycle toriends, make sure they are licensed and

know how to ride beore allowing themout into trac.

No matter how experienced you

may be, ride extra careully on anymotorcycle thats new or unamiliarto you. More than hal o all crashesinvolve riders with less than ve monthso experience on their motorcycle.

Get Familiar with theMotorcycle Controls

Make sure you are completely amiliar

with the motorcycle beore you takeit out on the street. Be sure to reviewthe owners manual. This is particularlyimportant i you are riding a borrowedmotorcycle.

I you are going to use an unamiliarmotorcycle:

motorcycle controls

Light Switch (high/low)

Choke (varies)

Turn-SignalSwitch

Ignition Key(varies)

Engine Cut-OffSwitch

Horn Button

Clutch LeverSpeedometer& Odometer

Fuel Supply Valve(if equipped)

Gear-Change Lever

Throttle

Front Brake Lever

Tachometer(if equipped)

Rear Brake Pedal

Kick Starter(if equipped)

ElectricStartButton


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8 PreParInG to rIDe

Make all the checks you would onyour own motorcycle.

Findoutwhereeverythingis,

particularly the turn signals, horn,headlight switch, uel-supply valveand engine cut-o switch. Find andoperate these items without havingto look or them.

Knowthegearpattern. Work thethrottle, clutch and brakes a ewtimes beore you start riding. Allcontrols react a little dierently.

Rideverycautiously and be awareo surroundings. Accelerate gently,take turns more slowly and leaveextra room or stopping.

Check Your Motorcycle

A motorcycle needs more requentattention than a car. A minor technical

ailure in a car seldom leads to anythingmore than an inconvenience or thedriver.

I somethings wrong with themotorcycle, youll want to nd outabout it beore you get in trac. Makea complete check o your motorcyclebeore every ride.

Beore ounting the otorcycle,ake the ollowing checks:

Tires Check the air pressure,general wear and tread.

Fluids Oil and fuid levels. At aminimum, check hydraulic fuidsand coolants weekly. Look underthe motorcycle or signs o an oil orgas leak.

HeadlightsandTaillight Checkthem both. Test your switch tomake sure both high and lowbeams are working.

TurnSignals Turn on both rightand let turn signals. Make sure all

lights are working properly.

BrakeLight Try both brakecontrols, and make sure each one

turns on the brake light.

Once you have mounted themotorcycle, complete the ollowingchecks beore starting out:

ClutchandThrottle Make surethey work smoothly. The throttleshould snap back when you let go.The clutch should eel tight andsmooth.

Mirrors Clean and adjust bothmirrors beore starting. Its dicultto ride with one hand while youtry to adjust a mirror. Adjust eachmirror so you can see the lanebehind and as much as possible othe lane next to you. When properlyadjusted, a mirror may show theedge o your arm or shoulderbut

its the road behind and to the sidethats most important.

Brakes Try the ront and rearbrake levers one at a time. Makesure each one eels rm and holdsthe motorcycle when the brake isully applied.

Horn Try the horn. Make sure itworks.

FuelSupplyValve Make surethe valve is open. Your motorcyclemay start with uel still in the lines,but it will stall once the lines areempty.

In addition to the checks you shouldmake beore every trip, check theollowing items at least once a week:Wheels, cables, asteners and fuidlevels. Follow your owners manual toget recommendations.


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9

KNOW YOUr

reSPONSiBiLitieS

Accident implies an unoreseenevent that occurs without anyones aultor negligence. Most oten in trac, thatis not the case. In act, most peopleinvolved in a crash can usually claimsome responsibility or what takes place.

Consider a situation where someonedecidestotrytosqueezethroughanintersection on a yellow light turning

red. Your light turns green. You pull intothe intersection without checking orpossible latecomers. That is all it takesor the two o you to tangle. It was thedrivers responsibility to stop. And it wasyour responsibility to look beore pullingout. Neither o you held up your endo the deal. Just because someone elseis the rst to start the chain o events

leading to a crash, it doesnt leave anyo us ree o responsibility.

As a rider you cant be sure that otheroperators will see you or yield the righto way. To lessen your chances o acrash occurring:

Bevisible wear proper clothing,use your headlight, ride in the bestlane position to see and be seen.

Communicateyourintentionsuse the proper signals, brake lightand lane position.

Maintainanadequatespacecushion when ollowing, beingollowed, lane sharing, passing andbeing passed.

Searchyourpath o travel 12

seconds ahead.Identifyandseparate multiplehazards.

Bepreparedtoact remain alertand know how to carry out propercrash-avoidance skills.

Blame doesnt matter when someoneis injured in a crash. There is rarely a

single cause o any crash. The ability toride aware, make critical decisions andcarry them out separates responsibleriders rom all the rest. Remember, it isup to you to keep rom being the causeo, or an unprepared participant in, anycrash.

More than hal o all crashes:A. Occur at speeds greater than 35 mph.

B. Happen at night.

C. Are caused by worn tires.

D. Involve riders who have less thanve months o experience on theirmotorcycle.

test yourself 2

Answer - page 41


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10 rIDe wItHIn your abIlItIes

This manual cannot teach you how to control direction, speed or balance.Thats something you can learn only through practice, preerably in a ormalcourse o instruction like an MSF RiderCourse. But control begins with knowing

your abilities and riding within them, along with knowing and obeying the ruleso the road.

BaSiC VehiCLe CONtrOL

Body Position

To control a otorcycle well:

Posture Sit so you can use your

arms to steer the motorcycle ratherthan to hold yoursel up.

Seat Sit ar enough orward sothat arms are slightly bent whenyou hold the handlegrips. Bendingyour arms permits you to press onthe handlebars without having tostretch.

Hands Hold the handgripsrmly to keep your grip over roughsuraces. Start with your rightwrist fat. This will help you keeprom accidentally using too muchthrottle. Also, adjust the handlebarsso your hands are even with orbelow your elbows. This permitsyou to use the proper muscles orprecision steering.

HolDInG HanDGrIPs

right

WrONg

Knees Keep your knees againstthe gas tank to help you keep yourbalance as the motorcycle turns.

Feet Keep your eet rmly on theootrests to maintain balance. Dontdrag your eet. I your oot catcheson something, you could be injuredand it could aect your control othe motorcycle. Keep your eet nearthe controls so you can get to themast i needed. Also, dont let yourtoes point downward they mayget caught between the road andthe ootrests.

Shifting GearsThere is more to shiting gears than

simply getting the motorcycle to pickup speed smoothly. Learning to use thegears when downshiting, turning orstarting on hills is important or saemotorcycle operation.

Shit down through the gears with

the clutch as you slow or stop. Remainin rst gear while you are stopped sothat you can move out quickly i youneed to.

Make certain you are riding slowlyenough when you shit into a lowergear. I not, the motorcycle will lurch,and the rear wheel may skid. Whenriding downhill or shiting into rst gear

you may need to use the brakes to slowenough beore downshiting saely.Work toward a smooth, even clutchrelease, especially when downshiting.


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11

It is best to change gears beoreentering a turn. However, sometimesshiting while in the turn is necessary.

I so, remember to do so smoothly. Asudden change in power to the rearwheel can cause a skid.

Braking

Your motorcycle has two brakes: oneeach or the ront and rear wheel. Useboth o them at the same time. Theront brake is more powerul and can

provide at least three-quarters o yourtotal stopping power. The ront brake issae to use i you use it properly.

Reeber:

Usebothbrakes every time youslow or stop. Using both brakes oreven normal stops will permityou to develop the proper habit orskill o using both brakes properlyinanemergency.Squeezetheront brake and press down on therear. Grabbing at the ront brakeor jamming down on the rear cancause the brakes to lock, resulting incontrol problems.

Ifyouknowthetechnique,using both brakes in a turn is

possible, although it should be donevery careully. When leaning themotorcycle some o the traction isused or cornering. Less tractionis available or stopping. A skidcan occur i you apply too muchbrake. Also, using the ront brakeincorrectly on a slippery suracemaybehazardous.Usecaution

and squeeze the brake lever, nevergrab.

Somemotorcycles have integratedbraking systems that activate theront and rear brakes together

when applying the rear brakepedal. (Consult the owners manualor a detailed explanation on theoperation and eective use o thesesystems.)

Turning

Riders oten try to take curves or turnstoo ast. When they cant hold the turn,

they end up crossing into another laneo trac or going o the road. Or, theyoverreact and brake too hard, causing askid and loss o control. Approach turnsand curves with caution.

Use our steps or better control:

SLOW Reduce speed beore theturn by closing the throttle and, inecessary, applying both brakes.

LOOK Look through the turnto where you want to go. Turn

just your head, not your shoulders,and keep your eyes level with thehorizon.

PRESS To turn, the motorcyclemust lean. To lean the motor-cycle, press on the handgrip in

the direction o the turn. Press lethandgrip lean let go let.Press right handgrip lean right go right. The higher the speed in aturn, the greater the lean angle.

ROLL Roll on the throttle tomaintain or slightly increase speed.Thishelpsstabilizethemotorcycle.


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In normal turns, the rider and themotorcycle should lean together at thesame angle.

slow, tIGHt turns

When riding, you should:

A. Turn your head and shouldersto look through turns.

B. Keep your arms straight.

C. Keep your knees away romthe gas tank.

D. Turn just your head and eyesto look where you are going.

test yourself 3

Answer - page 41

normal turns

KeePiNg YOUr DiStaNCe

The best protection you can have isdistance a cushion o space allaround your motorcycle. I someone elsemakes a mistake, distance permits you:

Timetoreact.

Spacetomaneuver.Lane Positions

Insomewaysthesizeofthemotorcycle can work to your advantage.Eachtrafclanegivesamotorcyclethree paths o travel, as indicated in theillustration.

Your lane position should:

Increase your ability to see and beseen.

Avoid others blind spots.

Avoidsurfacehazards.

Protect your lane rom otherdrivers.

Communicate your intentions.

Avoid wind blast rom othervehicles.

Provide an escape route.

Select the appropriate path tomaximizeyourspacecushionandmakeyoursel more easily seen by others onthe road.

In slow, tight turns, counterbalance byleaning the motorcycle only and keepingyour body straight.


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13

In general, there is no single bestposition or riders to be seen and tomaintain a space cushion around themotorcycle. No portion o the lane needbe avoided including the center.

Position yoursel in the portion othe lane where you are most likely tobe seen and you can maintain a spacecushion around you. Change positionas trac situations change. Ride in path2 or 3 i vehicles and other potentialproblems are on your let only. Remain

inpath1or2ifhazardsareonyourright only. I vehicles are being operatedon both sides o you, the center o thelane, path 2, is usually your best option.

The oily strip in the center portionthat collects drippings rom cars isusually no more than two eet wide.Unless the road is wet, the averagecenter strip permits adequate traction

to ride on saely. You can operate tothe let or right o the grease strip andstill be within the center portion o thetrac lane. Avoid riding on big buildupso oil and grease usually ound at busyintersections or toll booths.

Following Another Vehicle

Following too closely could be a

actor in crashes involving motorcyclists.In trac, motorcycles need as muchdistance to stop as cars. Normally, aminimum of two seconds distanceshould be maintained behind the vehicleahead.

To gauge your ollowing distance:

Pickoutamarker, such as apavement marking or lamppost, on

or near the road ahead.

Whentherearbumper o thevehicle ahead passes the marker,count o the seconds: one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.

Ifyoureachthemarker beoreyou reach two, you are ollowingtoo closely.

A two-second ollowing distanceleaves a minimum amount o space tostop or swerve i the driver ahead stopssuddenly. It also permits a better view opotholesandotherhazardsintheroad.

A larger cushion o space is neededi your motorcycle will take longer

lane PosItIons


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than normal to stop. I the pavementis slippery, i you cannot see throughthe vehicle ahead, or i trac is heavyandsomeonemaysqueezeinfrontofyou, open up a three-second or moreollowing distance.

Keep well behind the vehicle aheadeven when you are stopped. This willmake it easier to get out o the wayi someone bears down on you rombehind. It will also give you a cushion ospace i the vehicle ahead starts to back

up or some reason.When behind a car, ride where the

driver can see you in the rearview mirror.Riding in the center portion o the laneshould put your image in the middle othe rearview mirror where a driver ismost likely to see you.

Riding at the ar side o a lane maypermit a driver to see you in a sideview

mirror. But remember that most driversdont look at their sideview mirrorsnearly as oten as they check therearview mirror. I the trac situationallows, the center portion o the lane isusually the best place or you to be seenby the drivers ahead and to prevent lanesharing by others.

Being Followed

Speeding up to lose someone

ollowing too closely only ends up withsomeone tailgating you at a higherspeed.

A better way to handle tailgatersis to get them in ront o you. Whensomeone is ollowing too closely,change lanes and let them pass. I youcant do this, slow down and open upextra space ahead o you to allow roomor both you and the tailgater to stop.This will also encourage them to pass.I they dont pass, you will have givenyoursel and the tailgater more time andspace to react in case an emergencydoes develop ahead.

Passing and Being Passed

Passing and being passed by anothervehicle is not much dierent than with a

car. However, visibility is more critical. Besure other drivers see you, and that youseepotentialhazards.

followInG


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15

Passing

1 Ride in the left portion o thelane at a sae ollowing distance

to increase your line o sight andmake you more visible. Signaland check or oncoming trac.Use your mirrors and turn yourhead to look or trac behind.

2.Whensafe, move into the letlane and accelerate. Select a laneposition that doesnt crowd thecar you are passing and providesspacetoavoidhazardsinyourlane.

3 Ride through the blind spot asquickly as possible.

4.Signalagain, and completemirror and headchecks beorereturning to your original laneand then cancel the signal.

Remember,passesmustbe

completed within posted speedlimits,andonlywherepermitted.Know your signs and road markings!

Being Passed

When you are being passed rombehind or by an oncoming vehicle,

stay in the center portion o your lane.Riding any closer to them could put youinahazardoussituation.

Avoid being hit by:

Theothervehicle A slightmistake by you or the passing drivercould cause a sideswipe.

Extendedmirrors Some driversorget that their mirrors hang outarther than their enders.

ObjectsthrownfromwindowsEvenifthedriverknowsyourethere, a passenger may not see youand might toss something on you orthe road ahead o you.

Blastsofwindfromlargervehicles They can aect yourcontrol. You have more room orerror i you are in the middle portionwhen hit by this blast than i youare on either side othe lane.

Do not move into the portion o thelane arthest rom the passing vehicle. Itmight invite the other driver to cut backinto your lane too early.

PassInG beInG PasseD


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Lane Sharing

Cars and motorcycles need a ull laneto operate saely. Lane sharing is usually

prohibited.

Riding between rows o stopped ormoving cars in the same lane can leaveyou vulnerable to the unexpected. Ahand could come out o a window;a door could open; a car could turnsuddenly. Discourage lane sharing byothers. Keep a center-portion position

whenever drivers might be temptedtosqueezebyyou.Driversaremosttempted to do this:

Inheavy, bumper-to-bumpertrac.

Whenthey want to pass you.

Whenyou are preparing to turn atan intersection.

Whenyou are moving into an exitlane or leaving a highway.

Merging Cars

Drivers on an entrance ramp maynot see you on the highway. Give them

plenty o room. Change to another lanei one is open. I there is no room or alane change, adjust speed to open up

space or the merging driver.Cars Alongside

Do not ride next to cars or trucks inother lanes i you do not have to. Youmight be in the blind spot o a car in thenext lane, which could switch into yourlane without warning. Cars in the nextlane also block your escape i you come

upon danger in your own lane. Speedup or drop back to nd a place clear otrac on both sides.

merGInG

blInD sPots

Usually, a good way to handletailgaters is to:

A. Change lanes and let them pass.

B. Use your horn and makeobscene gestures.

C. Speed up to put distancebetween you and the tailgater.

D. Ignore them.

test yourself 4

Answer - page 41


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17

See

Good experienced riders remainaware o what is going on around them.

They improve their riding strategy byusingMSFsSEESM strategy, a three-step process used to make appropriate

judgments, and apply them correctly indierent trac situations:

Search

Evaluate

Execute

Lets examine each o these steps.

Search

Search aggressively ahead, to thesides and behind to avoid potentialhazardsevenbeforetheyarise.Howassertively you search, and how muchtime and space you have, can eliminate

or reduce harm. Focus even more onnding potential escape routes in oraround intersections, shopping areasandschoolandconstructionzones.

Search or actors such as:

Oncomingtrafc that may turnlet in ront o you.

Trafccoming rom the let and

right.Trafc approaching rom behind.

Hazardous road conditions.

Be especially alert in areas with limitedvisibility. Visually busy surroundingscould hide you and your motorcyclerom others.

EvaluateThinkabouthowhazardscaninteract

to create risks or you. Anticipatepotential problems and have a plan toreduce risks.

Roadandsurfacecharacteristics Potholes, guardrails, bridges,telephone poles and trees wont

move into your path but mayinfuence your riding strategy.

Trafccontroldevices Look ortrac signals, including regulatorysigns, warning signs, and pavementmarkings, to help you evaluatecircumstances ahead.

Vehiclesandothertrafc Maymove into your path and increasethe likelihood o a crash.

Think about your time and spacerequirements in order to maintaina margin o saety. You must leaveyoursel time to react i an emergencyarises.

Execute

Carry out your decision.Tocreatemorespaceandminimize

harmfromanyhazard:

Communicate your presence withlights and/or horn.

Adjustyourspeed by accelerating,stopping or slowing.

Adjustyourposition and/ordirection.

Apply the old adage one step at atimetohandletwoormorehazards.Adjustspeedtopermittwohazardsto separate. Then deal with them oneatatimeassinglehazards.Decision-making becomes more complex withthreeormorehazards.Evaluatethe

consequences o each and give equaldistancetothehazards.


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iNterSeCtiONS

The greatest potential or confictbetween you and other trac is at

intersections. An intersection can bein the middle o an urban area or ata driveway on a residential street anywhere trac may cross your path otravel. Over one-hal o motorcycle/carcrashes are caused by drivers entering ariders right-o-way. Cars that turn let inront o you, including cars turning letrom the lane to your right, and cars on

side streets that pull into your lane, arethebiggestdangers.YouruseofSEE[p. 17] at intersections is critical.

There are no guarantees thatothers see you. Never count on eyecontact as a sign that a driver willyield. Too oten, a driver looks right at amotorcyclist and still ails to see him

or her. The only eyes that you can counton are your own. I a car can enter yourpath, assume that it will. Good ridersare always looking or trouble notto get into it, but to stay out o it.

Increase your chances o beingseen at intersections. Ride with yourheadlight on and in a lane position thatprovides the best view o oncoming

trac. Provide a space cushion aroundthe motorcycle that permits you to takeevasive action.

To reduce your reaction time, youshould:

A. Ride slower than the speedlimit.

B. Cover the clutch and the brakes.

C. Shit into neutral when slowing.

D. Pull in the clutch when turning.

In potential high-risk areas, such asintersections, shopping areas and schoolandconstructionzones,covertheclutch

and both brakes to reduce the time youneed to react.

test yourself 5

small IntersectIons

Answer - page 41


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19

When approaching an intersectionwhere a vehicle driver is preparing tocross your path, slow down and selecta lane position to increase your visibiityto that driver. Cover the clutch lever andboth brakes to reduce reaction time. Asyou enter the intersection, move awayrom the vehicle. Do not change speed

or position radically, as drivers mightthink you are preparing to turn. Beprepared to brake hard and hold yourposition i an oncoming vehicle turns inront o you, especially i there is othertrac around you. This strategy shouldalso be used whenever a vehicle in theoncoming lane o trac is signaling ora let turn, whether at an intersection

or not.

Blind Intersections

I you approach a blind intersection,move to the portion o the lane that willbring you into another drivers eld ovision at the earliest possible moment.

In this picture, the rider has moved tothe let portion o the lane awayrom the parked car so the driver onthe cross street can see him as soon aspossible.

Remember, the key is to see as muchas possible and remain visible to otherswhile protecting your space.

blInD IntersectIons

larGe IntersectIons


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I you have a stop sign or stop line,stop there rst. Then edge orwardand stop again, just short o where thecross-trac lane meets your lane. Fromthat position, lean your body orwardand look around buildings, parked carsor bushes to see i anything is coming.Just make sure your ront wheel stays

out o the cross lane o travel whileyoure looking.

Passing Parked Cars

When passing parked cars, staytoward the let o your lane. Youcan avoid problems caused by doorsopening, drivers getting out o carsor people stepping rom between

cars. I oncoming trac is present, itis usually best to remain in the center-lanepositiontomaximizeyourspacecushion.

A bigger problem can occur i thedriver pulls away rom the curb without

checkingfortrafcbehind.Evenifhedoes look, he may ail to see you.

In either event, the driver might cutinto your path. Slow down or changelanes to make room or someonecutting in.

Cars making a sudden U-turn are

the most dangerous. They may cutyou o entirely, blocking the wholeroadway and leaving you with noplace to go. Since you cant tell what adriver will do, slow down and get thedrivers attention. Sound your horn andcontinue with caution.

Parking at the Roadside

Park at a 90 angle to the curb withyour rear wheel touching the curb.

Making eye contact with otherdrivers:

A. Is a good sign they see you.

B. Is not worth the eort it takes.

C. Doesnt mean that the driver will yield.

D. Guarantees that the other driver willyield to you.

test yourself 6

stoP sIGns ParkeD cars

ParkInG at curbs

Answer - page 41


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21

iNCreaSiNg

CONSPiCUitY

In crashes with motorcyclists, driversoten say that they never saw themotorcycle. From ahead or behind, amotorcycles outline is much smallerthan a cars. Also, its hard to seesomething you are not looking or,and most drivers are not looking ormotorcycles. More likely, they arelooking through the skinny, two-wheeled silhouette in search o cars thatmay pose a problem to them.

Evenifadriverdoesseeyoucoming,you arent necessarily sae. Smallervehicles appear arther away and seemto be traveling slower than they actuallyare. It is common or drivers to pull outin ront o motorcyclists, thinking theyhave plenty o time. Too oten, they are

wrong.However, you can do many things to

makeiteasierforotherstorecognizeyou and your motorcycle.

Clothing

Most crashes occur in broad daylight.Wear bright-colored clothing to increaseyour chances o being seen. Remember,your body is hal o the visible suracearea o the rider/motorcycle unit.

Bright orange, red, yellow or greenjackets or vests are your best bets orbeing seen. Your helmet can do morethan protect you in a crash. Brightlycolored helmets can also help others seeyou.

Any bright color is better than drabor dark colors. Refective, bright-coloredclothing (helmet and jacket or vest) isbest.

Refective material on a vest and onthe sides o the helmet will help drivers

coming rom the side to spot you.Refective material can also be a big helpor drivers coming toward you or rom

behind.Headlight

The best way to help others see yourmotorcycle is to keep the headlight on at all times (new motorcycles soldin the USA since 1978 automaticallyhave the headlights on when running).Studies show that, during the day, a

motorcycle with its light on is twice aslikely to be noticed. Use low beam atnight and in og.

Signals

The signals on a motorcycle are similarto those on a car. They tell others whatyou plan to do.

sIGnalInG


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However, due to a riders addedvulnerability, signals are even moreimportant. Use them anytime you plan

to change lanes or turn. Use them evenwhen you think no one else is around.Its the car you dont see thats going togive you the most trouble. Your signallights also make you easier to spot.Thats why its a good idea to use yourturn signals even when what you planto do is obvious.

When you enter a reeway, drivers

approaching rom behind are more likelyto see your signal blinking and makeroom or you.

Turning your signal light on beoreeach turn reduces conusion andrustration or the trac around you.Once you turn, make sure your signal iso or a driver may pull directly into yourpath, thinking you plan to turn again.Use your signals at every turn so driverscan react accordingly. Dont make themguess what you intend to do.

Brake Light

Your motorcycles brake light is usuallynot as noticeable as the brake lights ona car particularly when your taillightis on. (It goes on with the headlight.)I the situation will permit, help othersnotice you by fashing your brake lightbeore you slow down. It is especiallyimportant to fash your brake lightbeore:

Youslowmorequickly thanothers might expect (turning o ahigh-speed highway).

Youslowwhere others may notexpect it (in the middle o a block orat an alley).

I you are being ollowed closely, itsa good idea to fash your brake lightbeore you slow. The tailgater may bewatching you and not see somethingahead that will make you slow down.This will hopeully discourage them romtailgatingandwarnthemofhazardsahead they may not see.

Using Your MirrorsWhile its most important to keep

track o whats happening ahead, youcant aord to ignore situations behind.Trac conditions change quickly.Knowing whats going on behind isessential or you to make a sae decisionabout how to handle trouble ahead.

Frequent mirror checks should be parto your normal searching routine. Makea special point o using your mirrors:

Whenyouarestopped at anintersection. Watch cars coming uprom behind. I the drivers arentpaying attention, they could be ontop o you beore they see you.

Beforeyouchangelanes.Make

sure no one is about to pass you.

Beforeyouslowdown.The driverbehind may not expect you to slow,or may be unsure about where youwill slow. For example, you signal aturn and the driver thinks you planto turn at a distant intersection,rather than at a nearer driveway.


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Some motorcycles have rounded(convex) mirrors. These provide a widerview o the road behind than do fatmirrors. They also make cars seemarther away than they really are. Iyou are not used to convex mirrors,get amiliar with them. (While you are

stopped, pick out a parked car in your

irror. For a ental iage o howar away it is. Then, turn around andlook at it to see how close you cae.)Practice with your mirrors until youbecomeagoodjudgeofdistance.Eventhen, allow extra distance beore youchange lanes.

usInG mIrrorsHead Checks

Checking your mirrors is not enough.Motorcycles have blind spots like

cars. Beore you change lanes, turn yourhead, and look to the side or othervehicles.

On a road with several lanes, checkthe ar lane and the one next to you. Adriver in the distant lane may head orthe same space you plan to take.

Frequent head checks should be

your normal scanning routine, also.Only by knowing what is happeningall around you are you ully preparedto deal with it.

Horn

Be ready to use your horn to getsomeones attention quickly.

It is a good idea to give a quick beepbeore passing anyone that may moveinto your lane.

Here are soe situations:

Adriver in the lane next to youis driving too closely to the vehicleahead and may want to pass.

Aparkedcar has someone in the

drivers seat.Someoneisinthestreet, riding a

bicycle or walking.

In an emergency, press the hornbutton loud and long. Be ready to stopor swerve away rom the danger.

Keep in mind that a motorcycles hornisnt as loud as a cars thereore, use

it, but dont rely on it. Other strategies,like having time and space to maneuver,may be appropriate along with thehorn.


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Riding at Night

At night it is harder or you to seeand be seen. Picking your headlight

or taillight out o the car lights aroundyou is not easy or other drivers. Tocompensate, you should:

ReduceYourSpeed Ride evenslower than you would during theday particularly on roads youdont know well. This will increaseyourchancesofavoidingahazard.

IncreaseDistance Distances

are harder to judge at night thanduring the day. Your eyes rely uponshadows and light contrasts todetermine how ar away an objectis and how ast it is coming. Thesecontrasts are missing or distortedunder articial lights at night.Open up a three-second ollowingdistance or more. And allow moredistance to pass and be passed.

UsetheCarAhead Theheadlights o the car ahead can giveyou a better view o the road thaneven your high beam can. Taillightsbouncing up and down can alertyou to bumps or rough pavement.

UseYourHighBeam Get all thelight you can. Use your high beamwhenever you are not ollowing

or meeting a car. Be visible: Wearrefective materials when riding atnight.

BeFlexibleAboutLanePosition.Change to whatever portion o thelane is best able to help you see, beseen and keep an adequate spacecushion.

CraSh aVOiDaNCe

No matter how careul you are, therewill be times when you nd yoursel in a

tight spot. Your chances o getting outsaely depend on your ability to reactquickly and properly. Oten, a crashoccurs because a rider is not prepared orskilled in crash-avoidance maneuvers.

Know when and how to stop orswerve, two skills critical in avoidinga crash. It is not always desirable orpossible to stop quickly to avoid an

obstacle. Riders must also be able toswerve around an obstacle. Deter-mining which skill is necessary or thesituation is important as well.

Studies show that ost crash-involved riders:

Underbrake the ront tire andoverbrake the rear.

Didnot separate braking romswerving or did not chooseswerving when it was appropriate.

The ollowing inormation oerssome good advice.

Quick Stops

To stop quickly, apply both brakesat the same time. Dont be shy aboutusing the ront brake, but dont grabit,either.Squeezethebrakeleverrmly and progressively. I the rontwheel locks, release the ront brakeimmediately then reapply it rmly. Atthe same time, press down on therear brake. I you accidentally lock therear brake on a good traction surace,you can keep it locked until you havecompletely stopped; but, even with alocked rear wheel, you can control themotorcycle on a straightaway i it isupright and going in a straight line.

Refective clothing should:

A. Be worn at night.

B. Be worn during the day.

C. Not be worn.

D. Be worn day and night

test yourself 7

Answer - page 41


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25

Always use both brakes at the sametime to stop. The ront brake canprovide 70% or more o the potentialstopping power.

I you must stop quickly while turningor riding a curve, the best technique isto straighten the bike upright rst andthen brake. However, it may not alwaysbe possible to straighten the motorcycle

and then stop. I you must brake whileleaning, apply light brakes and reducethe throttle. As you slow, you canreduce your lean angle and apply morebrake pressure until the motorcycle is

straight and maximum brake pressureis possible. You should straightenthe handlebars in the last ew eet ostopping. The motorcycle should then

be straight up and in balance.

Swerving or Turning Quickly

Sometimes you may not have enoughroom to stop, even i you use bothbrakes properly. An object might appearsuddenly in your path. Or the car aheadmight squeal to a stop. The only way toavoid a crash may be to turn quickly, or

swerve around it.

A swerve is any sudden change indirection. It can be two quick turns, ora rapid shit to the side. Apply a smallamount o pressure to the handgriplocated on the side o your intendeddirection o escape. This will cause themotorcycle to lean quickly. The sharper

the turn(s), the more the motorcyclemust lean.

Keep your body upright and allowthe motorcycle to lean in the directiono the turn while keeping your knees

stoPPInG DIstance

swerve, tHen brake brake, tHen swerve


30/53


against the tank and your eet solidly onthe ootrests. Let the motorcycle moveunderneath you. Make your escape

route the target o your vision. Presson the opposite handgrip once youclear the obstacle to return you to youroriginal direction o travel. To swerve tothe let, press the let handgrip, thenpress the right to recover. To swerve tothe right, press right, then let.

IFBRAKINGISREQUIRED,SEPARATEITFROMSWERVING.Brakebeforeor

ater never while swerving.

Cornering

A primary cause o single-vehiclecrashes is motorcyclists running wide in

a curve or turn and colliding with theroadway or a xed object.

Everycurveisdifferent.Bealerttowhether a curve remains constant,gradually widens, gets tighter orinvolves multiple turns.

Ride within your skill level and postedspeed limits.

Your best path may not always ollowthe curve o the road.

constant curves

DecreasInG curves(tIGHter turns)

multIPle curves

wIDenInG curves


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Riseslightly o the seat with yourweight on the ootrests to absorbthe shock with your knees andelbows, and avoid being thrown o

the motorcycle.

Justbeforecontact, roll on thethrottle slightly to lighten the rontend.

I you ride over an object on thestreet, pull o the road and check yourtires and rims or damage beore ridingany arther.

Slippery Surfaces

Motorcycles handle better whenridden on suraces that permit goodtraction. Suraces that provide poortraction include:

Wetpavement, particularly justater it starts to rain and beoresurace oil washes to the side o the

road.Gravelroads, or where sand and

gravel collect.

Mud,leaves,snow,andice.

Lanemarkings(paintedlines),steel plates and manhole covers,especially when wet.

To ride saely on slippery suraces:

ReduceSpeed Slow downbeore you get to a slipperysurace to lessen your chances oskidding. Your motorcycle needsmore distance to stop. And it isparticularly important to reducespeed beore entering wet curves.

AvoidSuddenMoves Anysudden change in speed or direction

can cause a skid. Be as smooth aspossible when you speed up, shitgears, turn or brake.

UseBothBrakes The rontbrake is still eective, even on aslipperysurface.Squeezethebrake

lever gradually to avoid locking theront wheel. Remember, gentlepressure on the rear brake.

Thecenterofalane can behazardouswhenwet.Whenitstartsto rain, ride in the tire tracks let bycars. Oten, the let tire track willbe the best position, depending ontrac and other road conditions aswell.

Watchforoilspotswhen you putyour oot down to stop or park. Youmay slip and all.

Dirtandgravel collect along thesides o the road especially oncurves and ramps leading to androm highways. Be aware o whatson the edge o the road, particularlywhen making sharp turns andgetting on or o reeways at highspeeds.

Raindriesandsnowmeltsfaster

on some sections o a road thanon others. Patches o ice tend todevelop in low or shaded areas andon bridges and overpasses. Wetsuraces or wet leaves are just asslippery. Ride on the least slipperyportion o the lane and reducespeed.

Cautious riders steer clear o roads

covered with ice or snow. I you cantavoid a slippery surace, keep yourmotorcycle straight up and proceedasslowlyas possible. I you encountera large surace so slippery that youmust coast, or travel at a walking pace,consider letting your eet skim alongthe surace. I the motorcycle starts toall, you can catch yoursel. Be sure to

keepoffthebrakes.Ifpossible,squeezethe clutch and coast. Attempting thismaneuver at anything other thanthe slowest o speeds could provehazardous.


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RailroadTracks,TrolleyTracksand Pavement Seams

Usually it is saer to ride straight withinyour lane to cross tracks. Turning to taketracks head-on (at a 90 angle) can bemore dangerous your path may carryyou into another lane o trac.

crosstracksrIGHt

crosstrackswronG

Parallel tracksrIGHt

Grate crossInGsrIGHt

Parallel trackswronG

Grate crossInGswronG

For track and road seams that runparallel to your course, move ar enoughaway rom tracks, ruts, or pavementseams to cross at an angle o at least

45. Then, make a deliberate turn.Edgingacrosscouldcatchyourtiresandthrow you o balance.

Grooves and GratingsRiding over rain grooves or bridge

gratings may cause a motorcycle toweave. The uneasy, wandering eeling isgenerallynothazardous.Relax,maintaina steady speed and ride straight across.

Crossing at an angle orces riders tozigzagtostayinthelane.Thezigzagisfarmorehazardousthanthewanderingeeling.

When it starts to rain it is usuallybest to:

A. Ride in the center o the lane.

B. Pull o to the side until the rainstops.

C. Ride in the tire tracks let by cars.

D. Increase your speed.

test yourself 9

Answer - page 41


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MeChaNiCaL PrOBLeMS

You can nd yoursel in an emergencythe moment something goes wrong

with your motorcycle. In dealing withany mechanical problem, take intoaccount the road and trac conditionsyou ace. Here are some guidelinesthat can help you handle mechanicalproblems saely.

Tire Failure

You will seldom hear a tire go fat.

I the motorcycle starts handlingdierently, it may be a tire ailure. Thiscan be dangerous. You must be able totell rom the way the motorcycle reacts.I one o your tires suddenly loses air,react quickly to keep your balance. Pullo and check the tires.

I the ront tire goes fat, the steering

will eel heavy. A ront-wheel fat isparticularlyhazardousbecauseitaffectsyour steering. You have to steer well tokeep your balance.

I the rear tire goes fat, the back othe motorcycle may jerk or sway romside to side.

I either tire goes fat while riding:

Holdhandgrips rmly, ease o thethrottle, and keep a straight course.

Ifbrakingisrequired,however,gradually apply the brake o the tirethat isnt fat, i you are sure whichone it is.

Whenthemotorcycleslows,edge to the side o the road,

squeezetheclutchandstop.

Stuck Throttle

Twist the throttle back and orthseveral times. I the throttle cable is

stuck, this may ree it. I the throttlestays stuck, immediately operate theengine cut-o switch and pull in theclutch at the same time. This will removepower rom the rear wheel, thoughengine sound may not immediatelydecline. Once the motorcycle is undercontrol, pull o and stop.

Ater you have stopped, check thethrottle cable careully to nd the sourceo the trouble. Make certain the throttleworks reely beore you start to rideagain.

Wobble

A wobble occurs when the rontwheel and handlebars suddenly start

to shake rom side to side at anyspeed. Most wobbles can be traced toimproper loading, unsuitable accessoriesor incorrect tire pressure. I you arecarrying a heavy load, lighten it. I youcant, shit it. Center the weight lowerand arther orward on the motorcycle.Make sure tire pressure, spring pre-load, air shocks and dampers are at the

settings recommended or that muchweight. Make sure windshields andairings are mounted properly.

Check or poorly adjusted steering;worn steering parts; a ront wheel thatis bent, misaligned, or out o balance;loose wheel bearings or spokes; andworn swingarm bearings. I none othese is determined to be the cause,

have the motorcycle checked outthoroughly by a qualied proessional.


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31

Trying to accelerate out o awobble will only make the motorcyclemore unstable. Instead:

Gripthehandlebarsrmly, butdont ght the wobble.

Closethethrottlegraduallyto slow down. Do not apply thebrakes; braking could make thewobble worse.

Moveyourweight as ar orwardand down as possible.

Pullofftheroad as soon as youcan to x the problem.

I your motorcycle starts to wobble:

A. Accelerate out o the wobble.

B. Use the brakes gradually.

C. Grip the handlebars rmly and close

the throttle gradually.D. Downshit.

test yourself 10

Drive Train Problems

The drive train or a motorcycle useseither a chain, belt, or drive shat totranser power rom the engine tothe rear wheel. Routine inspection,

adjustment, and maintenance makesailure a rare occurrence. A chain or beltthat slips or breaks while youre ridingcould lock the rear wheel and causeyour motorcycle to skid.

I the chain or belt breaks, youllnotice an instant loss o power to therear wheel. Close the throttle and brake

to a stop in a sae area.On models with a drive shat, loss o

oil in the rear dierential can cause therear wheel to lock, and you may not beable to prevent a skid.

Engine Seizure

When the engine locks orfreezesitisusuallylowonoil.The

engines moving parts cant movesmoothly against each other, and theengine overheats. The rst sign may bea loss o engine power or a change intheenginessound.Squeezetheclutchlever to disengage the engine rom therear wheel. Pull o the road and stop.Check the oil. I needed, oil should beadded as soon as possible or the engine

willseize.Whenthishappens,theeffectis the same as a locked rear wheel. Letthe engine cool beore restarting.

aNiMaLS

Naturally, you should do everythingyou saely can to avoid hitting ananimal. I you are in trac, however,remain in your lane. Hitting something

small is less dangerous to you thanhitting something big like a car.

Motorcycles seem to attract dogs. Iyou are chased, downshit and approachthe animal slowly. As you approach it,accelerate away and leave the animalbehind. Dont kick at an animal. Keepcontrol o your motorcycle and look to

where you want to go.For larger animals (deer, elk, cattle)

brake and prepare to stop they areunpredictable.

Answer - page 41

I you are chased by a dog:

A. Kick it away.

B. Stop until the animal loses interest.

C. Swerve around the animal.

D. Approach the animal slowly, thenspeed up.

test yourself 11

Answer - page 41


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FLYiNg OBJeCtS

From time to time riders are struckby insects, cigarettes thrown rom cars

or pebbles kicked up by the tires othe vehicle ahead. I you are wearingace protection, it might get smearedor cracked, making it dicult to see.Without ace protection, an objectcould hit you in the eye, ace or mouth.Whatever happens, keep your eyeson the road and your hands on thehandlebars. When sae, pull o the road

and repair the damage.

gettiNg OFF the rOaD

I you need to leave the road to checkthe motorcycle (or just to rest or awhile), be sure you:

Checktheroadside Make surethe surace o the roadside is rmenough to ride on. I it is sot grass,loose sand or i youre just not sureabout it, slow way down beore youturn onto it.

Signal Drivers behind might notexpect you to slow down. Give aclear signal that you will be slowingdown and changing direction.Check your mirror and make a headcheck beore you take any action.

Pullofftheroad Get as ar othe road as you can. It can be veryhard to spot a motorcycle by theside o the road. You dont wantsomeone else pulling o at thesame place you are.

Parkcarefully Loose and slopedshoulders can make setting the sideor center stand dicult.

CarrYiNg PaSSeNgerS

aND CargO

Only experienced riders should carrypassengers or large loads. The extraweight changes the way the motorcyclehandles, balances, speeds up and slowsdown. Beore taking a passenger or aheavy load on the street, practice awayrom trac.

Equipment

To carry passengers saely:

Equipandadjustyour motorcycleto carry passengers.

Instructthepassengerbeore youstart.

Adjustyourriding technique orthe added weight.

Equipent should include:

Aproperseat large enough tohold both o you without crowding.You should not sit any artherorward than you usually do.

Footrests or the passenger.Firm ooting prevents yourpassenger rom alling o andpulling you o, too.

Protectiveequipment the same

protective gear recommended oroperators.

Adjust the suspension to handle theadditional weight. You will probablyneed to add a ew pounds o pressureto the tires i you carry a passenger.(Check your owners manual orappropriate settings.) While yourpassenger sits on the seat with you,

adjust the mirrors and headlightaccording to the change in themotorcycles angle.


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Instructing Passengers

Evenifyourpassengerisamotorcyclerider, provide complete instructions

beore you start. Tell your passenger to:Geton the motorcycle only ater

you have started the engine.

Sitasfarforward as possiblewithout crowding you.

Holdrmly to your waist, hips,belt, or to the bikes passengerhandholds.

Keepbothfeet on the ootrests,even when stopped.

Keeplegsaway rom themufer(s), chains or moving parts.

Staydirectlybehindyou, leaningas you lean.

Avoidunnecessary talk or motion.

Also, tell your passenger to tighten his

or her hold when you:Approach surace problems.

Areabouttostart rom a stop.

Warnthatyou will make a suddenmove.

Riding With Passengers

Your motorcycle will respond more

slowly with a passenger on board. Theheavier your passenger, the longer itmay take to slow down and speed up especially on a light motorcycle.

Passengers should:

A. Lean as you lean.

B. Hold on to the motorcycle seat.

C. Sit as ar back as possible.

D. Never hold onto you.

test yourself 12

Answer - page 41

Ridealittleslower, especiallywhen taking curves, corners orbumps.

Startslowingearlier as youapproach a stop.

Openupalargercushion ospace ahead and to the sides.

Waitforlargergaps to cross,enter or merge in trac.

Warn your passenger o specialconditions when you will pull out,stop quickly, turn sharply or ride over abump. Turn your head slightly to makeyoursel understood, but keep your eyeson the road ahead.

Carrying Loads

Most motorcycles are not designedto carry much cargo. Small loads can becarried saely i positioned and astenedproperly.

KeeptheLoadLow Fastenloads securely, or put them insaddlebags. Piling loads against asissybar or rame on the back o theseat raises the motorcycles centero gravity and disturbs its balance.

KeeptheLoadForward Placethe load over, or in ront o, the rearaxle. Tankbags keep loads orward,but use caution when loading hardor sharp objects. Make sure thetankbag does not interere withhandlebars or controls. Mountingloads behind the rear axle can aecthow the motorcycle turns andbrakes. It can also cause a wobble.

DistributetheLoadEvenlyLoad saddlebags with about the

same weight. An uneven load cancause the motorcycle to drit to oneside.


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SecuretheLoad Fasten the loadsecurely with elastic cords (bungeecordsornets).Elasticcordswithmore than one attachment point

per side are more secure. A tightload wont catch in the wheel orchain, causing it to lock up and skid.Rope tends to stretch and knotscome loose, permitting the load toshit or all.

ChecktheLoad Stop and checkthe load every so oten to makesure it has not worked loose or

moved.

grOUP riDiNg

I you ride with others, do it in away that promotes saety and doesntinterere with the fow o trac.

Keep the Group Small

Small groups make it easier and saeror car drivers who need to get aroundthem. A small number isnt separatedas easily by trac or red lights. Riderswont always be hurrying to catch up.I your group is larger than our or veriders, divide it up into two or moresmaller groups.

Keep the Group Together

Plan The leader should look

ahead or changes and signal earlyso the word gets back in plentyo time. Start lane changes early topermit everyone to complete thechange.

PutBeginnersUpFront Placeinexperienced riders just behindthe leader. That way the moreexperienced riders can watch themrom the back.

FollowThoseBehind Letthe tailender set the pace. Useyour mirrors to keep an eye onthe person behind. I a rider allsbehind, everyone should slow downa little to stay with the tailender.

KnowtheRoute Make sureeveryone knows the route. Then, isomeone is separated they wonthave to hurry to keep rom getting

lost or taking a wrong turn. Planrequent stops on long rides.

Keep Your DistanceMaintain close ranks but at the same

time keep a sae distance to allow eachrider in the group time and space toreacttohazards.Aclosegrouptakesup less space on the highway, is easierto see and is less likely to be separated.

However, it must be done properly.

Dont Pair Up Never operatedirectly alongside another rider. There isno place to go i you have to avoid a caror something on the road. To talk, waituntil you are both stopped.

Staggered Formation This isthe best way to keep ranks close yetmaintain an adequate space cushion. The

leader rides in the let side o the lane,while the second rider stays one secondbehind in the right side o the lane.

staGGereD formatIon


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A third rider maintains in the letposition, two seconds behind the rstrider. The ourth rider would keep atwo-second distance behind the second

rider. This ormation keeps the groupclose and permits each rider a saedistance rom others ahead, behind andto the sides.

PassinginFormation Riders ina staggered ormation should passone at a time.

First,theleadridershouldpullout and pass when it is sae. Ater

passing, the leader should return tothe let position and continue ridingat passing speed to open room orthe next rider.

Aftertherstriderpassessafely, the second rider should move upto the let position and watch or asae chance to pass. Ater passing,this rider should return to the right

position and open up room or thenext rider.

GrouP PassInG (staGe 1) GrouP PassInG (staGe 2)

Some people suggest that the leadershould move to the right side aterpassing a vehicle. This is not a goodidea. It encourages the second rider

to pass and cut back in beore thereis a large enough space cushion inront o the passed vehicle. Its simplerand saer to wait until there is enoughroom ahead o the passed vehicle toallow each rider to move into the sameposition held beore the pass.

Single-File Formation It is bestto move into a single-le ormation

when riding curves, turning, entering orleaving a highway.

When riding in a group,inexperienced riders should positionthemselves:

A. Just behind the leader.

B. In ront o the group.

C. At the tail end o the group.

D. Beside the leader.

test yourself 13

Answer - page 41


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36 beInG In sHaPe to rIDe

Riding a motorcycle is a demanding and complex task. Skilled riderspay attention to the riding environment and to operating the motorcycle,identifyingpotentialhazards,makinggoodjudgmentsandexecutingdecisions

quickly and skillully. Your ability to perorm and respond to changing roadand trac conditions is infuenced by how t and alert you are. Alcohol andother drugs, more than any other actor, degrade your ability to think clearlyand to ride saely. As little as one drink can have a signicant eect on yourperormance.

Lets look at the risks involved in riding ater drinking or using drugs. What todo to protect yoursel and your ellow riders is also examined.

WhY thiS iNFOrMatiON

iS iMPOrtaNtAlcohol is a major contributor to

motorcycle crashes, particularly atalcrashes. Studies show that nearly 40%o all riders killed in motorcycle crasheshad been drinking. The rest had only aew drinks in their systems enoughto impair riding skills. In the past, druglevels have been harder to distinguish or

have not been separated rom drinkingviolations or the trac records. Butriding under the infuence o eitheralcohol or drugs poses physical and legalhazardsforeveryrider.

Drinking and drug use is as biga problem among motorcyclistsas it is among automobile drivers.Motorcyclists, however, are more likelyto be killed or severely injured in a crash.

Injuries occur in 90% o motorcyclecrashes and 33% o automobile crashesthat involve abuse o substances. Ona yearly basis, 2,000 motorcyclistsare killed and about 50,000 seriouslyinjured in this same type o crash. Thesestatistics are too overwhelming toignore.

By becoming knowledgeable about

the eects o alcohol and other drugsyou will see that riding and substanceabuse dont mix. Take positive steps toprotect yoursel and prevent others rominjuring themselves.

aLCOhOL aND Other

DrUgS iN MOtOrCYCLeOPeratiON

No one is immune to the eects oalcohol or drugs. Friends may bragabout their ability to hold their liquoror perorm better on drugs, but alcoholor drugs make them less able to thinkclearly and perorm physical tasksskillully. Judgment and the decision-

making processes needed or vehicleoperation are aected long beore legallimitations are reached.

Many over-the-counter, prescriptionand illegal drugs have side eects thatincrease the risk o riding. It is dicult toaccurately measure the involvement oparticular drugs in motorcycle crashes.But we do know what eects various

drugs have on the processes involved inriding a motorcycle. We also know thatthe combined eects o alcohol andother drugs are more dangerous thaneither is alone.

aLCOhOL iN the BODY

Alcohol enters the bloodstreamquickly. Unlike most oods andbeverages, it does not need to be

digested. Within minutes ater beingconsumed, it reaches the brain andbegins to aect the drinker. The majoreect alcohol has is to slow down andimpair bodily unctions both mentaland physical. Whatever you do, you doless well ater consuming alcohol.


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37

Blood Alcohol Concentration

Blood Alcohol Concentration or BACis the amount o alcohol in relation to

blood in the body. Generally, alcohol canbe eliminated in the body at the rate oalmost one drink per hour. But a varietyo other actors may also infuencethe level o alcohol retained. The morealcohol in your blood, the greater thedegree o impairment.

Three actors play a ajor part indeterining BAC:

Theamounto alcohol youconsume.

Howfast you drink.

Yourbody weight.

Other actors also contribute to theway alcohol aects your system.

Your sex, physical condition andood intake are just a ew that may

cause your BAC level to be even higher.But the ull eects o these are notcompletely known. Alcohol may stillaccumulate in your body even if youare drinking at a rate of one drinkper hour Abilities and judgment can beaected by that one drink.

A 12-ounce can o beer, a mixed drinkwith one shot (1.5 ounces) o liquor,and a 5- ounce glass o wine all containthe same amount o alcohol.

The aster you drink, the more alcoholaccumulates in your body. I you drinktwo drinks in an hour, at the end o thathour, at least one drink will remain inyour bloodstream.

Without taking into account anyother actors, these examples illustratewhy time is a critical actor when a riderdecides to drink.

A person drinking:

Seven drinks over the span o threehours would have at least our (7 3= 4) drinks remaining in their systemat the end o the three hours. Theywould need at least another our hoursto eliminate the our remaining drinksbeore they consider riding.

alcoHol content


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38 beInG In sHaPe to rIDe

Four drinks over the span o twohours would have at least two (4 2 =2) drinks remaining in their system at

the end o the two hours. They wouldneed at least another two hours toeliminate the two remaining drinksbeore they consider riding.

There are times when a largerperson may not accumulate as higha concentration o alcohol or eachdrink consumed. They have moreblood and other bodily fuids. But

because o individual dierences itis better not to take the chance thatabilities and judgment have not beenaected. Whether or not you arelegally intoxicated is not the real issue.Impairment o judgment and skillsbegins well below the legal limit.

aLCOhOL aND the LaW

In all states, an adult with a BACo 0.08% or above is consideredintoxicated. For operators under the ageo 21, lower BAC limits (0.00 to 0.02%,depending on state) apply. It doesntmatter how sober you may look or act.The breath or urine test is what usuallydetermines whether you are ridinglegally or illegally.

Your chances o being stopped orriding under the infuence o alcohol areincreasing. Law enorcement is beingstepped up across the country in responseto the senseless deaths and injuries causedby drinking drivers and riders.

Consequences of Conviction

Years ago, rst oenders had a goodchance o getting o with a small neand participation in alcohol-abuseclasses. Today the laws o most statesimpose sti penalties on drinkingoperators. And those penalties aremandatory, meaning that judges mustimpose them.

I you are convicted o riding underthe infuence o alcohol or drugs,you may receive any o the ollowing

penalties:LicenseSuspension Mandatory

suspension or conviction, arrest orreusal to submit to a breath test.

Fines Severe nes are anotheraspect o a conviction, usually leviedwith a license suspension.

CommunityService Perormingtasks such as picking up litter along

the highway, washing cars in themotor-vehicle pool or working at anemergency ward.

Costs Additional lawyers ees topay, lost work time spent in court oralcohol-education programs, publictransportation costs (while yourlicense is suspended) and the addedpsychological costs o being tagged

a drunk driver.MiNiMiZe the riSKS

Your ability to judge how well youare riding is aected rst. Althoughyou may be perorming more and morepoorly, you think you are doing betterand better. The result is that you ridecondently, taking greater and greater

risks.Minimizetherisksofdrinkingandriding by taking steps beore you drink.Control your drinking or control yourriding.

Make an Intelligent Choice

Dont Drink Once you start, yourresistance becomes weaker.

Setting a limit or pacing yoursel are

poor alternatives at best. Your ability toexercise good judgment is one o therstthingsaffectedbyalcohol.Evenifyou have tried to drink in moderation,youmaynotrealizetowhatextentyour skills have suered rom alcoholsatiguing eects.


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Or Dont Ride I you haventcontrolled your drinking, you mustcontrol your riding.

Leavethemotorcycle so youwont be tempted to ride. Arrangeanother way to get home.

Wait I you exceed your limit,wait until your system eliminates thealcohol and its atiguing eects.

SteP iN tO PrOteCt

FrieNDS

People who have had too much todrink are unable to make a responsibledecision. It is up to others to step inand keep them rom taking too greata risk. No one wants to do this itsuncomortable, embarrassing andthankless. You are rarely thankedor your eorts at the time. But thealternatives are oten worse.

There are several ways to keep riendsrom hurting themselves:

Arrangeasaferide Providealternative ways or them to gethome.

SlowthepaceofdrinkingInvolve them in other activities.

Keepthemthere Use anyexcuse to keep them rom gettingon their motorcycle. Serve themood and coee to pass the time.Explainyourconcernsfortheirrisks o getting arrested or hurt orhurting someone else. Take theirkey, i you can.

Getfriendsinvolved Use peerpressure rom a group o riends to

intervene.It helps to enlist support rom others

when you decide to step in. The morepeople on your side, the easier it is to be

rm and the harder it is or the rider toresist. While you may not be thanked atthe time, you will never have to say, I

only I had ...FatigUe

Riding a motorcycle is more tiringthan driving a car. On a long trip, youlltire sooner than you would in a car.Avoid riding when tired. Fatigue canaect your control o the motorcycle.

Protectyourself rom the elements

Wind, cold, and rain makeyou tire quickly. Dress warmly. Awindshield is worth its cost i youplan to ride long distances.

LimityourdistanceExperi-enced riders seldom try to ride morethan about six hours a day.

Takefrequentrestbreaks Stopand get o the motorcycle at least

every two hours.Dontdrinkorusedrugs

Articial stimulants oten result inextreme atigue or depression whenthey start to wear o. Riders areunable to concentrate on the task athand.

I you wait one hour per drink orthe alcohol to be eliminated romyour body beore riding:

A. You cannot be arrested or drinkingand riding.

B. Your riding skills will not be aected.

C. Side eects rom the drinking maystill remain.

D. You will be okay as long as you ride

slowly.

test yourself 14

Answer - page 41


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Answers to Test Yoursel (previous pages)

1-C, 2-D, 3-D, 4-A, 5-B,

6-C, 7-D 8-D, 9-C, 10-C,

11-D, 12-A, 13-A, 14-C

Answers to Knowledge Test (let):

1-B, 2-C, 3-C, 4-C, 5-B

On-Motorcycle Skill Test

Basic vehicle control and crash-avoidance skills are included in on-

motorcycle tests to determine yourabilitytohandlenormalandhazardoustrac situations.

You ay be tested or your ability to:

Knowyourmotorcycle and yourriding limits.

Accelerate,brakeandturnsafely

See,beseen and communicatewith others.

Adjustspeed and position to thetrac situation.

Stop,turnandswervequickly.

Makecriticaldecisions and carrythem out.

Exainers ay score on actorsrelated to saety such as:

Selecting sae speeds to perormmaneuvers.

Choosing the correct path andstaying within boundaries.

Completing normal and quickstops.

Completing normal and quickturns or swerves.

Toreceiveamotorcyclelicensewithfullprivileges,moststates require that maneuvers be performed as designed

forsingle-track,two-wheeledmotorcycles.

On-motorcycle skill tests are not designed or sidecars or three-wheeled

vehicles. Those vehicles maneuver dierently than a two-wheeled motorcycle.Depending on the state, an examiner may ollow you on a car test-route.Restrictions (sidecar, three-wheeled vehicle) may be added until completion o atwo-wheeled motorcy

2011 Motorcycle Operators Manual

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Transcript of 2011 Motorcycle Operators Manual