Arizona Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gearshift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel-supply valve and engine cut-off switch without looking for them. Position yourself so your arms are slightly bent, hold the grips firmly, keep your knees against the tank and your feet firmly on the footrests.

• Start with your right wrist flat so you do not accidentally use too much throttle.
• Adjust the handlebars so your hands are even with or below your elbows for precision steering.
• On an unfamiliar motorcycle, work the throttle, clutch, brakes and shifter a few times before riding.

Arizona law requires operators and passengers under 18 to wear a properly secured, DOT-approved helmet, and requires every operator to wear protective glasses, goggles or a transparent face shield unless the motorcycle has a protective windshield. One in five motorcycle crashes results in head or neck injuries, so the manual urges every rider to wear a quality helmet.

• A face shield helps protect your whole face; goggles protect only the eyes; a windshield is no substitute for either.
• Choose a helmet that meets DOT standards, fits snugly all around, and has no cracks, loose padding or frayed straps.
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots and leather gloves; do not wear tinted eye protection at night.

Shift down through the gears as you slow, and stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out of the way quickly. Downshifting while going too fast makes the motorcycle lurch and can skid the rear wheel. Change gears before entering a turn whenever possible.

• To upshift: roll off the throttle and squeeze the clutch, lift the shift lever, then ease the clutch out.
• Shifting to a lower gear creates an effect like braking - this is engine braking.
• A typical gear pattern is 1-N-2-3-4-5; most motorcycles have five gears.

Use four steps to turn well: Slow, Look, Press and Roll. Reduce speed before you enter a curve, look through the turn, press the handgrip in the direction of the turn to lean, and roll on the throttle to stabilize the motorcycle. Riders often crash by taking curves too fast and running wide.

• Press the left handgrip to lean and go left; press the right handgrip to lean and go right.
• A swerve is a sudden change of direction; if braking is needed, brake before or after - never while swerving.
• To stop quickly in a curve, straighten and square the handlebars first, then brake.

Each traffic lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel. Choose the position where you are most likely to be seen and can keep a space cushion, and change it as traffic situations change. The center third of the lane collects oil and debris but still gives adequate traction when dry.

• Ride in the center portion of the lane behind a car so you appear in the middle of the driver's rearview mirror.
• Avoid riding in another vehicle's blind spot, and do not ride alongside cars in other lanes.
• When being passed, stay in the center portion of your lane; when passing parked cars, stay toward the left of your lane.

Use MSF's three-step SEE strategy - Search, Evaluate, Execute - to spot trouble early. Search about 12 seconds ahead, treat anything within 4 seconds of your path as immediate, and never count on eye contact as a sign a driver will yield.

• Intersections present the greatest danger; cars turning left across your path are the biggest threat.
• If a car can enter your path, assume that it will, and cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time.
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time by adjusting speed so they separate.

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, leaves, painted lines and steel plates all give poor traction. Pavement is most slippery just after rain begins, before surface oil washes away. Slow down before a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently.

• When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars rather than the oily center strip.
• If you cannot avoid a very slippery surface, keep the motorcycle straight up and go as slowly as possible.
• At night, slow down, open a three-second or longer following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car.

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads - the extra weight changes how the motorcycle accelerates, brakes, balances and turns. Your motorcycle must have a proper seat and passenger footrests, and Arizona law also requires handrails for the passenger.

• Your passenger should wear the same level of protective gear as you and get on only after the engine is started.
• Tell the passenger to hold your waist, hips, belt or the handholds, keep both feet on the pegs, and lean with you.
• Keep cargo low and forward - over or in front of the rear axle - and fasten it securely with elastic cords.

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think clearly and ride skillfully more than any other factor - as little as one drink can affect performance. Your judgment is the first ability harmed, and impairment begins well below the legal limit.

• In all states an adult is intoxicated at a BAC of 0.08%; under-21 riders face far lower limits (0.00-0.02%).
• The body eliminates alcohol at about one drink per hour; only time - not coffee - restores lost skill.
• Riding tires you faster than driving; take a rest break at least every two hours and never ride fatigued.

A Class M licence or endorsement is required to operate a motorcycle in Arizona. You may get a motorcycle instruction permit at 15 years 6 months and a licence or endorsement at 16. The permit is valid 7 months and bars passengers, freeways and night riding.

• Arizona requires at least one mirror, a horn audible 200 feet, at least one brake, and a properly closed fuel cap.
• Use your turn signals at every turn and make sure the signal cancels after you complete the turn.
• Completing an MVD-authorized Motorcycle Rider Course eliminates both the knowledge and the skills test at MVD.

A minor failure that is an inconvenience in a car can cause a crash on a motorcycle. Use the MSF T-CLOCS checklist - Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, Stands - before every ride. It takes only a few minutes and should become as routine as checking the weather.

• The throttle should snap back to fully closed when released, and the clutch should operate smoothly.
• Try both brakes and make sure each one turns on the brake light; turn on both turn signals.
• Clean and adjust your mirrors before you start, and make sure the fuel valve is open.

Most crashes happen because a rider is not prepared. The two skills critical to avoiding a crash are stopping quickly and swerving - and you must separate them, never doing both at once. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time without grabbing the front lever.

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it smoothly.
• If the throttle sticks, hit the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch together.
• In a wobble, grip the bars firmly and close the throttle gradually - do not brake and do not accelerate.