Kansas Motorcycle Test Study Guide

A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so make a complete check before every ride. Before mounting, check the tires, fluid levels, headlight and taillight on both beams, turn signals, and the brake light from both controls (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.11). After mounting, confirm the clutch and throttle work smoothly — the throttle must snap back when released — try each brake lever, and clean and adjust both mirrors (p.12).

• At minimum a street-legal motorcycle has a headlight, taillight and brake light, front and rear brakes, turn signals, a horn, and two mirrors (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.10).
• Check wheels, cables, fasteners and fluid levels at least once a week (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.12).
• On an unfamiliar motorcycle, find the controls and work the throttle, clutch and brakes before riding — controls react differently (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.10).

Your gear is "right" if it protects you: an approved helmet, face or eye protection, and protective clothing. One out of every five motorcycle crashes results in head or neck injuries, and helmeted riders are three times more likely to survive a head injury (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.7).

• Choose a three-quarter or full-face helmet that meets U.S. DOT and state standards, fits snugly all the way around, and has no cracks or frayed straps (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.8).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only the eyes; a windshield is not a substitute for either, and tinted protection should not be worn at night (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.8).
• Wear leather or sturdy synthetic clothing that fully covers your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots, and durable gloves (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.9).

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 (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.13). Your motorcycle has two brakes — use both every time you slow or stop. The front brake supplies at least three-quarters (70%+) of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, never grab, the lever (p.14).

• Shift down through the gears as you slow, and stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.14).
• Change gears before you enter a turn — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.14).
• Grabbing the front brake or jamming the rear brake can lock a wheel and cause a loss of control (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.14).

Riders crash by taking curves too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.15). 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 right, lean right, go right — and roll on the throttle through the turn to stay stable.

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns lean only the motorcycle and keep your body straight (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.15).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted speed limit (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.29).
• With no traffic, start a curve at the outside to increase your line of sight, then move toward the inside (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.29).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel, and no part of the lane — including the center — needs to be avoided. Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.16-17). Keep at least a two-second following distance, and open it to three seconds or more in heavy traffic, on slippery roads, or when you cannot see ahead (p.17).

• 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 (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.17).
• Riding in the center portion places your image in the driver's rearview mirror and discourages lane sharing (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.17).
• Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane; lane sharing is usually prohibited (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.20).

Experienced riders use SEE — Search, Evaluate, Execute — a three-step process for spotting hazards and acting early (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.21). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind. Evaluate how road characteristics, traffic control devices and other vehicles could create risk. Execute by communicating with lights or horn, adjusting speed, and adjusting position.

• Scan your path of travel about 12 seconds ahead (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.12).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate, then deal with each (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.22).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school or construction zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.22).

Over half of motorcycle/car crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way, and the intersection is the most likely place for a crash (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.22). Drivers often say they never saw the motorcycle. Keep your headlight on — a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed — wear bright clothing, and signal every time (p.24-25).

• Making eye contact does not guarantee a driver will yield — slow down and be ready to react (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.22).
• Cancel your signal after every turn so drivers do not think you plan to turn again (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.25).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before slowing where others may not expect it (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.25).

Two skills save you in a tight spot: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time, squeezing the front lever firmly and progressively — never grabbing it (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.28). When there is no room to stop, swerve: press the handgrip on the side of your escape direction to lean the motorcycle quickly, then press the opposite grip to recover.

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it firmly (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.28).
• To stop quickly in a curve, straighten the motorcycle upright first, then brake (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.28).
• Never brake while swerving — brake before or after, but separate braking from swerving (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.28).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, painted lane markings and metal plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.30-31). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars rather than the slippery center of the lane (p.31).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane — turning to take them head-on is more dangerous (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.31).
• For seams that run parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.31).
• At night, slow down, open a three-second-or-more following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.27).

Checking your motorcycle before every ride catches trouble before you reach traffic. 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 (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.32-33).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.33).
• Wobble: do not accelerate or brake — close the throttle gradually, move your weight forward, and pull off the road (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.33).
• If the engine seizes from low oil, squeeze the clutch to disengage the rear wheel and pull off the road (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.34).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.35). Instruct your passenger before you start, and keep cargo low, forward, evenly distributed and securely fastened (p.36).

• A passenger should get on only after the engine is started, hold your waist or the handholds, and keep both feet on the footrests even when stopped (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.35).
• Keep loads low and forward — a load behind the rear axle can cause a wobble; load saddlebags with equal weight (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.36).
• Ride in groups of no more than four or five, in a staggered formation, and move to single file for curves and turns (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.37-38).

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think clearly and ride safely more than any other factor — as little as one drink affects performance, and impairment begins well below the legal limit (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.39). In Kansas a rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or higher is legally intoxicated, and alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (p.40-41).

• Studies show 40% to 45% of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes had been drinking (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.39).
• A conviction for riding under the influence brings a mandatory license suspension, severe fines, community service and added costs (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.41).
• Riding a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car — rest at least every two hours and never ride when fatigued (Kansas Motorcycle Handbook p.42).