Alabama Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and operate every control without looking — throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear shift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel valve and engine cut-off switch. A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, and a minor failure can put you on the side of the road or cause a crash, so the manual urges a complete pre-ride inspection before every ride (p.8-9).

• A street-legal motorcycle should have a headlight, taillight, brake light, front and rear brakes, turn signals, a horn and two mirrors (p.7-8).
• The throttle must snap back to fully closed when released; the clutch should feel tight and operate smoothly (p.9).
• Clean and adjust both mirrors before you start — it is unsafe to do it while riding (p.9).

Your gear is 'right' if it protects you. One in five motorcycle crashes results in head or neck injuries, and a securely fastened, quality helmet is the single most important thing you can do to improve your chances of surviving a crash (p.5). Alabama requires a helmet for every rider and passenger and requires shoes; it strongly encourages a face shield and protective clothing (p.Motorcycle Operation in Alabama).

• Choose a three-quarter or full-face helmet that meets U.S. DOT standards, fits snugly all the way around, and has no cracks, loose padding or frayed straps (p.5).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is no substitute for either (p.6).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots, and leather or other durable gloves (p.6-7).

Sit so your arms steer the motorcycle rather than hold you up, keep your knees against the tank and feet firmly on the pegs, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid using too much throttle (p.10-11). Your motorcycle has two brakes — always use both every time you slow or stop. The front brake supplies at least 70% of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, not grab, the lever (p.12-13).

• Maximum straight-line braking means fully applying both brakes without locking either wheel (p.13).
• Stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly if needed (p.12).
• Grabbing the front brake or jamming the rear can lock a wheel and cause loss of control (p.13).

The friction zone is the range of clutch-lever movement where the engine starts to power the rear wheel — controlling it is key to smooth starts and low-speed handling (p.12). Shift up soon enough to avoid over-revving but not so soon the engine lugs, and use the three-step process for both upshifts and downshifts (p.11-12).

• Upshift: roll off the throttle and squeeze the clutch, lift the shift lever firmly, then ease out the clutch and adjust the throttle (p.12).
• Change gears before entering a turn whenever possible — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (p.12).
• Shifting to a lower gear slows you like the brakes; this is engine braking (p.12).

Riders crash in curves by entering too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL (p.14). Slow before the turn, look through it to where you want to go, press the handgrip in the direction of the turn to lean — press left, lean left, go left — and roll on the throttle to stabilize the motorcycle.

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns counterbalance — lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight (p.14).
• The higher the speed or the sharper the turn, the greater the lean angle needs to be (p.14).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted limit (p.29).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel. There is no single best position — and no part of the lane, including the center, must be avoided on a dry road. Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route (p.15). Keep at least a two-second following distance, and open it to three seconds or more in poor conditions (p.16).

• Ride in path 2 or 3 if hazards are on your left, path 1 or 2 if hazards are on your right, and the center (path 2) when vehicles are on both sides (p.15).
• Many riders use the left third — the left tire track of cars — as their default position (p.15).
• Avoid riding in another vehicle's blind spot, and keep well behind the vehicle ahead even when stopped (p.16).

Experienced riders reduce risk with MSF's three-step SEE strategy — Search, Evaluate, Execute (p.20). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind. Evaluate how road features, traffic control devices and other road users could create risk. Execute your decision by communicating, adjusting speed, and adjusting position.

• Search the area you would reach in about 12 seconds; anything within 4 seconds of your path is immediate (p.20).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate (p.21).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (p.21).

Intersections are where you have the greatest potential for conflict with other traffic — over half of car/motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way (p.21). Never count on eye contact: a driver can look right at you and still not see you. Keep your headlight on — a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed by day — wear bright or reflective clothing, and signal every turn (p.24-25).

• Cars turning left in front of you and cars pulling in from side streets are the biggest dangers (p.21).
• Cancel your signal after a turn so a driver does not think you plan to turn again (p.25).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (p.25).

Two skills save you in a tight spot: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time, squeezing the front lever firmly and progressively — never grabbing it (p.27). When there is no room to stop, swerve: press the handgrip on the side of your escape direction to lean the motorcycle quickly, then press the opposite grip to recover (p.28).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it firmly (p.27).
• Never brake while swerving — separate braking from swerving, doing it before or after (p.29).
• To stop quickly in a curve, first straighten and square the handlebars, then brake (p.28).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, painted lines and metal plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (p.30-31). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip until surface oil washes away (p.31).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane — turning to take them head-on is more dangerous (p.32).
• For seams that run parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (p.32).
• At night, slow down, open a three-second-or-more following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (p.32).

Checking your motorcycle before every ride catches trouble before you reach traffic (p.8). If a problem happens on the road, account for traffic and surface conditions. If a tire goes flat, hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle, keep a straight course, and edge to the side of the road (p.33).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time (p.33).
• Wobble: do not accelerate or brake — close the throttle gradually, move your weight forward, and pull off the road (p.33-34).
• If the engine seizes from low oil, squeeze the clutch to disengage the rear wheel and pull off the road (p.34).

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think clearly and ride skillfully more than any other factor — as little as one drink affects performance, and impairment begins well below the legal limit (p.42-44). In all states an adult with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or above is intoxicated; under-21 limits are 0.00–0.02%. Alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (p.43-44).

• Marijuana distorts your perception of time, space and speed — never ride impaired by it (p.45).
• Make an intelligent choice: don't drink, or if you have been drinking, don't ride (p.44).
• Riding is more tiring than driving a car — take a rest break at least every two hours and never ride when tired (p.46).