Arkansas Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear shift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch and engine cut-off switch without looking for them (MSF Manual p.7). Sit so your arms are slightly bent, keep your knees against the tank and your feet firmly on the pegs, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid using too much throttle (MSF Manual p.10).

• A typical gear pattern is 1-N-2-3-4-5; stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (MSF Manual p.10).
• The throttle must snap fully closed when released — never ride if it does not (MSF Manual p.8).
• Adjust both mirrors before you start riding, not while moving (MSF Manual p.8).

A securely fastened, quality helmet is the single most important thing you can wear (MSF Manual p.4). In Arkansas a helmet is required for every operator and passenger under 21, and eye protection — glasses, goggles or a face shield — is required for riders of all ages unless the motorcycle has a windshield. A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is no substitute for either (MSF Manual p.5).

• Choose a three-quarter or full-face helmet that meets DOT standards, fits snugly, and has no cracks or frayed straps (MSF Manual p.4).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots, and leather or durable gloves (MSF Manual p.5-6).
• Bright orange, red, yellow or green gear, plus reflective material, helps drivers see you (MSF Manual p.22).

Your motorcycle has two brakes — always use both at the same time, every time you slow or stop. The front brake supplies 70% or more of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, never grab, the lever (MSF Manual p.11). Shift down through the gears as you slow, and change gears before a turn whenever possible, because a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (MSF Manual p.11).

• Maximum straight-line braking uses both brakes fully without locking either wheel (MSF Manual p.11).
• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it (MSF Manual p.26).
• Engine braking — shifting to a lower gear — produces a slowing effect similar to the brakes (MSF Manual p.11).

Riders crash in curves by entering too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL (MSF Manual p.12). 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 lean only the motorcycle and keep your body upright (MSF Manual p.13).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level (MSF Manual p.27).
• If you must stop in a curve, straighten and square the handlebars first, then brake (MSF Manual p.26).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel — left, center and right — and no part of the lane, including the center, needs to be avoided (MSF Manual p.13-14). Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route. Keep at least a two-second following distance, opening it to three seconds or more in poor conditions (MSF Manual p.14-15).

• Ride in path 2 or 3 if hazards are on your left, path 1 or 2 if they are on your right, and the center when vehicles are on both sides (MSF Manual p.14).
• Avoid riding in another vehicle's blind spot — one absolute rule of lane position (MSF Manual p.14).
• Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane; lane sharing is usually prohibited (MSF Manual p.17).

Experienced riders use SEE — Search, Evaluate, Execute — to spot hazards and act early (MSF Manual p.17). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind. Evaluate how road features, traffic devices and other road users could create risk. Execute by communicating with lights or horn, adjusting your speed, and adjusting your position.

• Search the road ahead to an area about 12 seconds away (MSF Manual p.18).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate (MSF Manual p.18).
• In high-risk areas, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (MSF Manual p.18).

Intersections are the most likely place for a crash, and over half of motorcycle/car crashes happen when a driver violates the rider's right-of-way (MSF Manual p.18). Keep your headlight on — a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed — wear bright clothing, and signal every time. Never count on eye contact: a driver may look at you and still fail to see you (MSF Manual p.19, 22-23).

• At a blind intersection, move to the lane position that brings you into the other driver's view earliest (MSF Manual p.20).
• If a car can enter your path, assume that it will, and be ready to react (MSF Manual p.19).
• Cancel your turn signal after every turn so drivers don't think you plan to turn again (MSF Manual p.23).

Two skills get you out of a tight spot: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time, squeezing the front lever firmly and progressively (MSF Manual p.26). When there is no room to stop, swerve — press the handgrip on the side of your escape path to lean the motorcycle quickly, then press the opposite grip to recover.

• Separate braking from swerving — brake before or after, never during an aggressive swerve (MSF Manual p.27).
• If the front wheel locks, release and reapply the front brake; keep a locked rear wheel locked until stopped if you are straight and upright (MSF Manual p.26-27).
• Underbraking the front and overbraking the rear is a common mistake — practice using both (MSF Manual p.26).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, lane markings and metal plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (MSF Manual p.28-29). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip until the surface oil washes away.

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane (MSF Manual p.30).
• For seams that run parallel to your path, move away and cross them at an angle of at least 45° (MSF Manual p.30).
• At night, slow down, open a three-second-or-more following gap, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (MSF Manual p.24).

A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, because a minor failure can cause a crash rather than just an inconvenience. Use the MSF T-CLOCS checklist — Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, Stands — before every ride (MSF Manual p.8). If a problem happens on the road, account for traffic and surface conditions and stay calm.

• Flat tire: hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle, keep a straight course, then edge off the road (MSF Manual p.31).
• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and squeeze the clutch (MSF Manual p.32).
• Wobble: grip the bars firmly and close the throttle gradually — do not brake or accelerate (MSF Manual p.32).

Only experienced riders should carry a passenger or a large load, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops (MSF Manual p.33). A passenger should mount after the engine starts, hold your waist or the handholds, keep both feet on the pegs, and lean with you through turns (MSF Manual p.34).

• With a passenger, ride slower, start slowing earlier, and keep a larger space cushion (MSF Manual p.35).
• Carry cargo low and over or in front of the rear axle, fastened securely; an uneven load makes the motorcycle pull to one side (MSF Manual p.35-36).
• Ride in a staggered formation, with inexperienced riders just behind the leader, and move to single file for curves (MSF Manual p.37).

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think and ride more than any other factor — as little as one drink affects performance, and impairment begins well below the legal limit (MSF Manual p.40, 42). In Arkansas an adult is legally intoxicated at 0.08% BAC, and riders under 21 face a near-zero limit of 0.00 to 0.02%. Alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (MSF Manual p.41-42).

• Your judgment is the first ability alcohol affects — you may think you are riding well while riding poorly (MSF Manual p.42).
• Riding while impaired by cannabis can bring a conviction for riding under the influence, just like alcohol (MSF Manual p.44).
• Riding is more tiring than driving — take a rest break at least every two hours and never ride when tired (MSF Manual p.43).