Hawaii Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before every ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gearshift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch and engine cut-off switch without looking for them. A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car — a minor failure that is just an inconvenience in a car may cause a crash on a motorcycle (Hawaii MOM p.8-9).

• The throttle is the right handgrip and should snap back to fully closed when released; the front brake is the right-hand lever (Hawaii MOM p.9, 12).
• The gearshift is in front of the left footrest; a typical pattern is 1-N-2-3-4-5, with neutral between first and second (Hawaii MOM p.11).
• Run a T-CLOCS pre-ride inspection before every ride and adjust your mirrors to show the lane behind and beside you (Hawaii MOM p.9-10).

In Hawaii, any operator or passenger under 18 must wear an approved safety helmet, securely fastened with a chin strap. Every rider of any age must wear glasses, goggles or a face shield unless the motorcycle has a windshield (Hawaii MOM, Equipment Requirements). Helmeted riders are three times more likely to survive head injuries (Hawaii MOM p.5).

• 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 (Hawaii MOM p.5).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is not a substitute for either (Hawaii MOM p.6).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, sturdy over-the-ankle boots, and leather or durable gloves (Hawaii MOM p.6-7).

Sit so your arms steer the motorcycle rather than hold you up, keep your knees against the tank and your feet firmly on the footrests, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid using too much throttle (Hawaii MOM p.11). Always use both brakes — the front brake provides at least 70% of your stopping power (Hawaii MOM p.12-13).

• Use the friction zone of the clutch for smooth starts and low-speed control; remain in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (Hawaii MOM p.12).
• Squeeze the front brake firmly and progressively — grabbing the front brake or jamming the rear can cause a lock-up and loss of control (Hawaii MOM p.13).
• Change gears before you enter a turn; a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (Hawaii MOM p.12).

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

• Press left — lean left — go left; the higher the speed or the sharper the turn, the greater the lean angle needed (Hawaii MOM p.14).
• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns counterbalance — lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight (Hawaii MOM p.14).
• With no traffic, start a curve at the outside to increase your line of sight, move to the inside, then out to exit (Hawaii MOM p.29).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel — left, center and right. There is no single best position; change it as traffic situations change (Hawaii MOM p.15). Keep at least a two-second following distance, and open it to three seconds or more on slippery roads, in heavy traffic, or when you cannot see ahead (Hawaii MOM 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 when vehicles are on both sides (Hawaii MOM p.15).
• Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane — lane sharing is usually prohibited and leaves you vulnerable (Hawaii MOM p.18).
• When following a car, ride in the center portion of the lane so your image lands in the middle of the driver's rearview mirror (Hawaii MOM p.17).

Experienced riders use SEE — Search, Evaluate, Execute — to spot trouble early and act before it becomes immediate (Hawaii MOM p.20). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind; evaluate how hazards can interact to create risk; execute by communicating, adjusting speed, and adjusting position.

• Search about 12 seconds ahead; anything within 4 seconds of your path is an immediate hazard (Hawaii MOM p.20).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate, then deal with each (Hawaii MOM p.21).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (Hawaii MOM p.21).

Over half of motorcycle/car crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way, and intersections carry the greatest potential for conflict (Hawaii MOM p.21). Keep your headlight on — during the day a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed — and wear bright, reflective clothing (Hawaii MOM p.24-25).

• Eye contact does not guarantee a driver will yield — slow down, choose a visible lane position, and be ready to react (Hawaii MOM p.22).
• At a blind intersection, move to the part of your lane that brings you into the other driver's view soonest (Hawaii MOM p.23).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (Hawaii MOM p.25).

Two crash-avoidance skills are critical: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time, squeezing the front lever firmly and progressively — never grabbing it (Hawaii MOM p.27). When there is no room to stop, swerve: press the handgrip toward your escape direction, then press the opposite grip to recover (Hawaii MOM p.28-29).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately and completely, then reapply it smoothly (Hawaii MOM p.27, 29).
• If you lock the rear brake on good traction, keep it locked until you stop, as long as you are upright and going straight (Hawaii MOM p.27).
• Never brake while swerving — brake before or after, but separate braking from swerving (Hawaii MOM p.29).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, lane markings and metal plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (Hawaii MOM p.31). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars — wet pavement is most slippery just after rain starts, before surface oil washes away (Hawaii MOM p.31-32).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane; for seams that run parallel to your path, move away and cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (Hawaii MOM p.33).
• At night, ride slower than during the day, open a three-second-or-more following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (Hawaii MOM p.27).
• Rain grooves and bridge gratings cause a harmless wandering feeling — relax, hold a steady speed, and ride straight across (Hawaii MOM p.33).

Catch trouble before traffic with a pre-ride check (Hawaii MOM p.9). 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 (Hawaii MOM p.33).

• Front tire flat: the steering feels heavy. Rear tire flat: the back of the motorcycle jerks or sways side to side (Hawaii MOM p.33).
• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time (Hawaii MOM p.33).
• Wobble: grip the handlebars firmly and close the throttle gradually — do not brake and do not try to accelerate out of it (Hawaii MOM p.34).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops (Hawaii MOM p.35). Hawaii bars carrying any passenger under 7, and allows no passenger at all on a two-wheeled moped (Hawaii MOM, Passengers). Keep cargo low, forward and securely fastened (Hawaii MOM p.37-38).

• Your passenger needs footrests, should wear the same gear as you, and should get on only after the engine is started (Hawaii MOM p.35-36).
• Tell your passenger to hold your waist, hips or belt, keep both feet on the footrests, and lean with you through turns (Hawaii MOM p.36).
• Ride in a staggered formation in a group, move to single file for curves and freeway ramps, and keep at least a two-second cushion (Hawaii MOM p.39).

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think clearly and ride skillfully more than any other factor — as little as one drink has a significant effect (Hawaii MOM p.42). An adult with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or above is legally intoxicated, and alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (Hawaii MOM p.43-44).

• Impairment of judgment and skills begins well below the legal limit, and riders under 21 face a much lower 0.00-0.02% limit (Hawaii MOM p.44).
• There is no shortcut to sobering up — alcohol may still accumulate even when you drink at one drink per hour (Hawaii MOM p.43).
• Riding is more tiring than driving; protect yourself from wind and cold, limit your distance, and rest at least every two hours (Hawaii MOM p.46).