Georgia Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and use the throttle, clutch lever, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear shift, and switches without looking for them. Read your owner's manual to learn where every control is. Georgia limits handlebar height to no more than 25 inches above the operator's seat (GA Motorcycle Manual, Motorcycle Controls; Getting to Know Your Motorcycle).

• The throttle and front brake lever are at the right handgrip; the rear brake is the right-foot pedal (GA Motorcycle Manual, Motorcycle Controls).
• Adjust both mirrors for the best rearward view before you ride (GA Motorcycle Manual, Getting to Know Your Motorcycle).
• The headlight and taillight must be on at all times, and turn signals are required equipment (GA Motorcycle Manual, Getting to Know Your Motorcycle).

Georgia requires a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and passenger, and eye protection is required. Crash data shows head injuries account for a majority of serious and fatal injuries to motorcyclists (GA Motorcycle Manual, Selecting and Wearing Protective Gear).

• A DOT-compliant helmet carries a label stating DOT, FMVSS No. 218, CERTIFIED, and has no cracks, loose padding or frayed straps (GA Motorcycle Manual, Helmet Selection).
• A full face helmet gives the most protection; a windshield is not a substitute for a face shield (GA Motorcycle Manual, Helmet Selection; Face and Eye Protection).
• Wear a sturdy jacket and pants, leather over-the-ankle boots, and full-fingered gloves — jeans do not provide adequate protection (GA Motorcycle Manual, Protective Riding Gear).

Conduct a pre-ride check before every ride. Georgia's manual uses the T-CLOCS inspection: Tires and wheels, Controls, Lights and electrics, Oil and other fluids, Chassis, and Stands (GA Motorcycle Manual, Pre-trip Inspection).

• T — tires and wheels: air pressure, tread, cracks, dents, bearings and brakes (GA Motorcycle Manual, Pre-trip Inspection).
• C — controls: levers, switches, cables, hoses and throttle. L — lights and electrics. O — oil and other fluids (GA Motorcycle Manual, Pre-trip Inspection).
• C — chassis: suspension and drive components such as the chain, belt or driveshaft. S — side stand and center stand (GA Motorcycle Manual, Pre-trip Inspection).

Most motorcycles have a manual transmission, so you use the friction zone — the point on the clutch where the engine's power begins to reach the rear wheel — to move off smoothly. Roll on the throttle as you reach the friction zone, and do not fully release the clutch until the motorcycle is moving and stable (GA Motorcycle Manual, Friction Zone).

• Shift to neutral and confirm it by rocking the motorcycle; if the engine does not start within 5 to 8 seconds, stop and repeat the steps (GA Motorcycle Manual, Starting the Engine).
• Upshift: roll off the throttle as you squeeze the clutch, lift the shift lever, then ease the clutch out (GA Motorcycle Manual, Shifting Gears).
• On a hill, hold the motorcycle with the front brake while you start and shift to first, then use the foot brake while you work the throttle (GA Motorcycle Manual, Starting on an Incline).

Your motorcycle has brakes on both wheels — always use both, every time you slow or stop. The front brake provides 70% or more of your stopping power, so it is required for effective speed reduction (GA Motorcycle Manual, Stopping).

• Squeeze the front brake and press the rear gradually; grabbing the front or jamming the rear can lock a wheel and cause control problems (GA Motorcycle Manual, Stopping).
• To stop while leaned in a curve, apply smooth gradual pressure to both brakes as you reduce your lean angle (GA Motorcycle Manual, Stopping in a Curve).
• To stop quickly in a curve, straighten the motorcycle and square the handlebars first, then brake (GA Motorcycle Manual, Stopping Quickly in a Curve).

Many crash-involved riders enter turns too fast. Use the four steps that apply to every curve: Slow, Look, Press, Roll. Slow before the turn, look through it, press the handgrip in the direction of the turn, and roll on the throttle through the curve (GA Motorcycle Manual, Turning; Cornering).

• Press left handgrip forward — lean left — go left; the higher the speed, the greater the lean angle (GA Motorcycle Manual, Turning).
• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns counterbalance — lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight (GA Motorcycle Manual, Turning Techniques).
• With no traffic, start at the outside of a curve to widen your line of sight, move to the inside through the turn, then back outside to exit (GA Motorcycle Manual, Cornering).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel. There is no single best position — change it as traffic situations change to be seen and keep a space cushion. The manual recommends new riders keep a minimum four-second following distance (GA Motorcycle Manual, Space Management; Following Another Vehicle).

• 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 (GA Motorcycle Manual, Lane Positions).
• Open the gap to five seconds or more at 40 mph or faster, on slippery roads, when you cannot see ahead, or in heavy traffic (GA Motorcycle Manual, Following Another Vehicle).
• A car and a motorcycle each need a full lane — do not share lanes or ride between rows of vehicles (GA Motorcycle Manual, Lane Sharing).

SEE is the strategy for managing risk in traffic: Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind for hazards and escape routes; Evaluate how those hazards could affect you and ask 'what if?'; Execute your decision by adjusting position, adjusting speed, and communicating (GA Motorcycle Manual, Risk Management).

• Mirror checks are not enough — motorcycles have blind spots, so do a head check before changing lanes (GA Motorcycle Manual, Search).
• When two or more hazards appear, adjust speed so you can deal with them one at a time (GA Motorcycle Manual, Evaluate).
• In high-risk areas, cover the clutch and brakes to cut your reaction time (GA Motorcycle Manual, Intersections).

Intersections are the greatest potential for conflict with other traffic — over half of motorcycle-car crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way. Keep your headlight on (it makes you twice as likely to be noticed by day), wear bright clothing, and use your signals every time (GA Motorcycle Manual, Intersections; Increasing Conspicuity).

• Cars turning left in front of you are the biggest danger at intersections (GA Motorcycle Manual, Intersections).
• Eye contact does not guarantee a driver will yield — slow down and be ready to act (GA Motorcycle Manual, Intersections).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (GA Motorcycle Manual, Brake Light).

Two crash-avoidance skills to practice are stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply controlled pressure to both brakes without locking either wheel. To swerve, press firmly on the handgrip toward your escape direction — and never brake while swerving (GA Motorcycle Manual, Crash Avoidance; Swerving).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it smoothly (GA Motorcycle Manual, Handling Skids).
• If the rear wheel locks, keep it locked until you have completely stopped (GA Motorcycle Manual, Handling Skids).
• With ABS, apply full pressure to both brakes; ABS works mainly in a straight line, not while leaned in a curve (GA Motorcycle Manual, Anti-Lock Braking Systems).

Wet pavement, gravel, metal grates and lane markings all reduce traction. Slow down before a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently. The first half-hour of rain is the most hazardous (GA Motorcycle Manual, Slippery Surfaces).

• When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip (GA Motorcycle Manual, Slippery Surfaces).
• Cross railroad tracks by riding straight within your lane; take parallel tracks or pavement seams at an angle of at least 45 degrees (GA Motorcycle Manual, Railroad Tracks and Pavement Seams).
• 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 (GA Motorcycle Manual, Tire Failure).

Alcohol is a major contributor to motorcycle crashes. In Georgia an adult is legally intoxicated at 0.08% BAC, and the limit for riders under 21 is 0.02%. Impairment begins with the first drink, and the only proven way to sober up is time — your body processes about one drink per hour (GA Motorcycle Manual, Alcohol, Other Drugs and Riding).

• Alcohol and other drugs impair judgment, vision and reaction time; never combine alcohol with other drugs (GA Motorcycle Manual, Effects of Alcohol).
• To fight fatigue, take a rest break every two hours, protect yourself from wind and cold, and never use artificial stimulants (GA Motorcycle Manual, Fatigue).
• Only experienced riders should carry passengers — seat the passenger behind you on footrests, ride slower, and keep a larger space cushion (GA Motorcycle Manual, Carrying Passengers and Cargo).