Colorado Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Sit far enough forward with your arms slightly bent so you can use your arms to steer the motorcycle rather than hold yourself up (Colorado Handbook §3.1). Hold the handle grips firmly, keep your knees against the gas tank to help your balance, and keep your feet firmly on the foot pegs near the controls.

• Start with your right wrist down so you do not accidentally use too much throttle, especially if you must reach for the brake suddenly (§3.1).
• Do not drag your feet, and do not let your toes point downward — they can get caught between the road and the foot peg (§3.1).
• On an unfamiliar motorcycle, find every control and learn the gear pattern before you ride; work the throttle, clutch and brakes a few times first (§2.3).

Crashes are not rare among beginning riders, and one of every five reported motorcycle crashes results in head or neck injuries (Colorado Handbook §2.1). Unhelmeted riders are three times more likely to die of head injuries than helmeted riders. Colorado law requires a helmet for every operator and passenger under 18; eye protection is required of every rider at every age.

• Choose a three-quarter or full-face helmet that meets U.S. DOT standards; an ANSI or Snell Memorial Foundation label adds assurance of quality (§2.1).
• A helmet should fit snugly with no cracks, loose padding or frayed straps, and must be kept securely fastened so it cannot fly off in a crash (§2.1).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is no substitute for either. Never wear tinted eye protection at night (§2.1).

Your motorcycle has two brakes — always use both at the same time. On a two-wheel motorcycle and a sidecar rig the front brake provides the most stopping power; on a three-wheel motorcycle the rear brake provides the most power (Colorado Handbook §3.3). Squeeze the front brake — never grab it. To completely stop, roll off the throttle, apply the brakes, and squeeze the clutch.

• Shift down through the gears as you slow, and remain in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (§3.4).
• Change gears before entering a turn whenever possible — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (§3.4).
• If you downshift while going too fast, the motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid (§3.4).

Riders crash by taking curves too fast, then running wide or braking too hard into a skid. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, ROLL (Colorado Handbook §3.2). Slow before the turn, look through the turn, press the handgrip toward the turn to lean — press left, lean left, go left — and roll on the throttle through the turn.

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow, tight turns lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight (§3.2).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted speed limit (§10.3).
• Three-wheel motorcycles turn by pointing the front wheel where you want to go; following the center of the lane on a curve can produce the greatest tipover forces (§3.2, §10.3).

Each marked lane gives a motorcyclist three possible paths of travel, and there is no single best position — ride where it is easiest for drivers to see you (Colorado Handbook §5). No portion of the lane needs to be avoided, including the center; unless the road is wet, even the oily strip gives enough traction. The best protection you can have is distance — a cushion of space all around your motorcycle.

• Riding in the center portion places your image in the middle of the driver's rearview mirror, where it is most likely to be seen (§5).
• Do not ride next to cars in other lanes or in their blind spots — pass the vehicle or drop back (§4.2, §5).
• Keep at least a two-second following distance; open it to three seconds when the pavement is slippery or you cannot see around the vehicle ahead (§6.1).

Experienced riders use SIPDE — Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute — a five-step process to make judgments and take action in traffic (Colorado Handbook §7). Scan aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind; identify hazards; predict where a collision might occur; decide how to act; and execute by communicating, adjusting speed, and adjusting position.

• Anticipating a vehicle moving away from you is not as critical as predicting one moving into your path (§7).
• In high-risk situations such as intersections, cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce your reaction time (§7).
• Most motorcycle/automobile collisions occur at intersections — be especially alert where visually busy surroundings could camouflage you (§7).

In crashes with motorcyclists, car drivers often say they never saw the motorcycle (Colorado Handbook §4). Wear bright orange, yellow or green clothing, keep your headlight on at all times — use the high beam in daylight — and use your turn signals every time you turn, change lanes, or use a freeway ramp.

• Flash your brake light before you slow down, especially when slowing more quickly than others expect (§4).
• Handle a tailgater by changing lanes to let them pass, or by slowing and opening space ahead to encourage them to pass (§6.2).
• Make frequent mirror checks part of your scanning routine, and turn your head to check blind spots before changing lanes (§4.1, §4.2).

Knowing when and how to stop or swerve are two skills critical to avoiding a collision (Colorado Handbook §10). To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time — squeeze the front brake firmly without grabbing it, and apply the rear brake hard without locking it. When there is no room to stop, swerve instead.

• On a straightaway, if the rear wheel locks, keep it locked until you have completely stopped (§10.1).
• To swerve, press the handgrip toward your escape direction, then press the opposite grip to recover; keep your knees against the tank and feet on the pegs (§10.2).
• Separate braking from swerving — brake before or after, never while swerving (§10.2).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, lane markings and steel plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (Colorado Handbook §8). 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 tracks at an angle as sharp as 45 degrees; for seams or ruts running parallel to your path, move over and cross at an angle close to 90 degrees (§8.2).
• On a very slippery surface keep the bike straight up, go as slowly as possible, stay off the brakes and squeeze the clutch to coast (§8.1).
• At night, reduce your speed, open a three-second following distance, and use your high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car (§9).

A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, and a minor failure can cause a crash — make a complete check before every ride (Colorado Handbook §2.2). Check tire pressure, fluid levels and leaks, both headlight beams, all four turn signals, the brake light from both controls, the throttle (it should snap back), the mirrors, the brakes and the horn.

• Front tire flat: the steering feels heavy. Rear tire flat: the back of the motorcycle jerks side to side. Hold the grips firmly, keep straight, and ease off the road (§11.1).
• If the throttle sticks, twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch (§11.2).
• Do not try to accelerate out of a wobble — grip the bars firmly, close the throttle gradually, do not brake, and let the motorcycle slow (§11.3).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops (Colorado Handbook §13). A passenger must have a proper seat and their own foot pegs, should get on after you start the engine, and should hold firmly to your waist, hips or belt.

• With a passenger, ride a little slower, start slowing earlier, and open up a larger cushion of space (§13.1).
• Keep cargo low and forward — over or in front of the rear axle — distribute it evenly, and secure it with elastic cords, never rope (§13.2).
• Ride in groups of no more than four or five, in a staggered formation, and move to single file for curves, turns, and entering or leaving a highway (§14).

It is illegal to operate a motorcycle on a Colorado public road without a license that authorizes it. The general 'M' endorsement covers two- and three-wheel motorcycles; the separate '3' endorsement covers three-wheel motorcycles only (Colorado Handbook §1). To add an endorsement you must be at least 16 and pass a driving-record review, a physical-aptitude review, a vision test, the written knowledge test, and the skills test.

• A motorcycle instruction permit lets you ride only under the immediate supervision of an adult 21 or older who holds a valid Colorado motorcycle-endorsed license (§1).
• The skills test has six riding exercises; the test motorcycle's engine must be rated over 50cc, and the test ends if you stall four times (§16).
• Completing an approved Basic Rider Course waives the skills test — but never the written knowledge test (§1, back cover).