Oregon Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Six primary controls make the motorcycle move and stop, and you need both hands and both feet to work them: the handlebars, throttle, clutch lever, gearshift lever, front brake lever and rear brake pedal (p.15). The throttle is the right grip, the clutch the left lever, and the gearshift is worked by the left foot in a 1-N-2-3-4-5 pattern. The friction zone is the point on the clutch where the engine's power begins to reach the rear wheel (p.20).

• The front brake lever is at the right grip and the rear brake pedal is at the right foot; the engine cut-off switch is usually red on the right grip (p.15).
• Most turn signals do not self-cancel, so cancel yours after every turn; convex mirrors widen your view but make vehicles look farther away (p.16).
• Keep four fingers around the throttle and your right wrist flat so you do not use too much throttle (p.15, 19).

Oregon requires a DOT-compliant helmet (labeled FMVSS No. 218) for every operator and passenger on a motorcycle, moped or unenclosed autocycle, at every age (p.11). A full-face helmet gives the most protection; a three-quarter helmet should be paired with a snap-on face shield or goggles, and a half helmet gives the least. Face and eye protection are strongly recommended but not required by Oregon law (p.11-13).

• A windshield is not a substitute for a face shield, and eyeglasses or sunglasses will not keep wind and debris from your eyes (p.13).
• Never wear tinted eye protection at night or when little light is available (p.13).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle leather boots, and full-fingered gloves; jeans do not provide adequate protection (p.13).

Mount from the left side with the front brake squeezed, confirm neutral by rocking the bike (don't trust the light), and start the engine without using the throttle (p.18). To get moving, ease the clutch out through the friction zone as you roll on the throttle, and do not fully release the clutch until the motorcycle is moving and stable (p.20).

• To upshift, roll off the throttle and squeeze the clutch, then lift the shift lever; ease the clutch out smoothly when downshifting to avoid skidding the rear tire (p.20).
• Shift down through the gears as you slow to a stop (p.20).
• To start on a hill, hold the bike with the front brake while you shift to first, then release the rear brake once it begins to pull forward (p.20-21).

Riders crash by entering curves too fast. Oregon teaches four steps: SLOW, LOOK, ROLL, PRESS. Slow before the turn, look through it to where you want to go, roll on the throttle to stay stable, and press the handgrip in the direction of the turn to lean — press left, lean left, go left (p.22).

• In a normal turn the rider and motorcycle lean together; in a slow, tight turn counterbalance by leaning the bike only and keeping your body straight (p.22).
• With traffic, move to the center of your lane before the curve and stay there until you exit (p.35).
• With no traffic, start at the outside of the curve to widen your sight line, move to the inside, then exit to the outside (p.35).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel, and no portion — including the center — needs to be avoided if conditions permit (p.28). Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route. The manual recommends a four-second following distance, opening to five seconds or more in poor conditions or heavy traffic (p.29).

• 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 (path 2) when vehicles are on both sides (p.28).
• Unless the road is wet, the oily center strip (about two feet wide) still gives adequate traction (p.29).
• Get a tailgater in front of you: change lanes and let them pass, or slow down and open extra space ahead (p.30).

Experienced riders use SIPDE — Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute — a five-step process for spotting hazards and acting early (p.25). Scan aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind; identify hazards such as other vehicles, people walking or rolling, animals and fixed objects; predict, decide, then execute by communicating, adjusting speed and adjusting position (p.25-26).

• When several hazards appear at once, adjust speed to let them separate, then handle them one at a time (p.26).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (p.26).
• Always plan an escape route; if you have none, increase your space cushion (p.32).

Intersections hold the greatest potential for multi-vehicle collisions, and the most common cause is a driver entering your right of way — most often a car turning left in front of you (p.26). Keep your headlight on (Oregon requires it at all times), choose a lane position that makes you visible, and wear bright, retro-reflective gear (p.23, 33).

• At a blind intersection, stop at the line, then edge forward and stop again to look around obstructions (p.27).
• If a vehicle-detection signal won't turn green after one complete cycle, you may proceed with caution after yielding to pedestrians (p.27).
• Flash your brake light before slowing where others may not expect it; a motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's (p.34).

Two skills save you in a tight spot: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply controlled pressure to both brakes at the same time without locking a wheel, squeezing the front lever and increasing pressure as weight shifts forward, with your knees against the tank and your eyes up (p.36). A swerve is two consecutive countersteers — press the grip toward your escape, then press the other to recover (p.37).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it smoothly; a front-wheel skid means immediate loss of steering and balance (p.36-37).
• If the rear wheel skids from too much rear brake, release the rear brake and reapply it smoothly (p.37).
• Separate braking from swerving — brake before or after, never while swerving; with ABS, apply full pressure to both brakes and hold (p.36-37).

Wet pavement, gravel, metal plates, tracks, lane markings and leaves all cut traction. Slow before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently — the front brake still works, so squeeze it gradually (p.38). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars; the left track is often best (p.38).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane; for seams that run parallel to your path, move over to cross at 45 to 90 degrees (p.39).
• At night, ride slower, increase your distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car — but only your low beam in fog (p.43).
• In cold weather, reduce speed and increase your following distance to make up for slower reaction time (p.8).

A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so do a pre-ride check before every ride: tire pressure, controls, lights and mirrors, and make sure the motorcycle fits you with your feet reaching the ground (p.14). Knowing what to do when something fails keeps a problem from becoming a crash.

• Tire failure: a front flat makes the steering feel heavy, a rear flat makes the back jerk or sway — hold the grips, ease off the throttle, keep straight, then brake the good tire (p.42).
• 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 (p.42).
• Wobble: grip firmly, close the throttle gradually, do not brake or accelerate, and pull off the road (p.42-43).

Only skilled, experienced riders should carry passengers or heavy loads or ride in groups (p.45). Adjust tire pressure and suspension for the extra weight; the motorcycle must have a permanent seat and footrests for the passenger, who sits directly behind you. Ride a little slower, start slowing earlier, and leave a larger space cushion (p.45).

• Tell your passenger to keep both feet on the footrests even when stopped, hold your waist, hips or belt, and lean with you in turns (p.46).
• Keep cargo low and forward, over or in front of the rear axle, distribute it evenly in saddlebags, and secure it well (p.46).
• Ride in a small group (3-5) in staggered formation, move to single file for curves, and keep four seconds or more between riders above 30 mph (p.47).

Alcohol is a major contributor to fatal motorcycle crashes — Oregon reports that 63% of riders killed in 2022 had been drinking (p.6). As little as one drink affects your judgment, vision and reaction time, and the only proven way to remove alcohol is time: your body clears about one drink an hour (p.6-7). In Oregon a driver is under the influence at 0.08% blood alcohol, and riders under 21 face zero tolerance under state law.

• Coffee, a cold shower and exercise will not sober you up — only time does (p.7).
• Marijuana and other cannabis products slow your reaction time and impair concentration; never mix alcohol with other drugs (p.7).
• Fatigue degrades control — experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day and take frequent breaks (p.8).