South Dakota Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and work the throttle, clutch lever, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gearshift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch and engine cut-off switch without looking. The front brake is the lever at the right grip and supplies 70% or more of your stopping power; the rear brake is the right-foot pedal (SD manual).

• Sit with your arms slightly bent, knees against the tank, feet firmly on the footrests, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid too much throttle.
• Always use both brakes to slow or stop; squeeze the front lever firmly and progressively — never grab it.
• Stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly, and adjust both mirrors before you ride.

South Dakota requires a DOT helmet only for operators and passengers under 18 (SDCL 32-20-4), but the manual recommends one for every rider — helmeted riders are far more likely to survive head injuries. Separately, every rider of any age must use eye protection — glasses or goggles — unless the motorcycle has a windshield (SDCL 32-20-4.1).

• Choose a helmet that meets US DOT standards; a Snell label adds assurance. It should fit snugly with no cracks or frayed straps.
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only the eyes. A windshield is not a substitute for either, and don't wear tinted protection after dark.
• Wear a jacket and long pants (leather or sturdy synthetic), over-the-ankle boots, and full-fingered gloves, even in warm weather.

The friction zone is the range of clutch-lever travel where the engine begins to drive the rear wheel — controlling it is the key to smooth starts and slow maneuvers. A typical gear pattern is 1-N-2-3-4-5 (SD manual).

• Upshift by rolling off the throttle as you squeeze the clutch, lifting the lever, then easing the clutch out.
• Shift down through the gears as you slow; downshifting too fast can make the rear wheel skid.
• Change gears before a turn whenever possible — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid.

Take every turn with 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 bike (SD manual). Running wide in a curve is a top cause of single-vehicle crashes.

• Press the left grip to lean and go left; press the right grip to lean and go right (countersteering).
• In slow, tight turns lean the motorcycle only and keep your body upright; in normal turns lean with the bike.
• To swerve, press the grip toward your escape path; brake before or after the swerve, never during it.

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel, and no part of the lane — including the center — must always be avoided. Pick the position that helps you see and be seen and keeps a space cushion. Keep at least a two-second following distance, and three seconds or more in poor conditions (SD manual).

• Ride where hazards are on one side only; when traffic is on both sides, the center of the lane is usually best.
• Riding in the center portion behind a car places you in the driver's inside rearview mirror.
• The center strip collects oil and grease, so ride to the left or right of the grease strip within the center third.

Use the SEE strategy — Search, Evaluate, Execute — to spot hazards early and act. Search the road about 12 seconds ahead, treat anything within 4 seconds as immediate, and never rely on eye contact: if a car can enter your path, assume it will (SD manual).

• Intersections carry the greatest crash risk, usually from a car turning left across your path.
• Cover the clutch and both brakes in high-risk areas to cut your reaction time.
• Handle two hazards by adjusting speed so they separate, then deal with each one at a time.

Pavement is most slippery just after rain starts. Slow before a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently. At night, slow down, open a three-second-or-more following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (SD manual).

• When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip.
• Cross railroad tracks by riding straight within your lane; cross parallel seams at an angle of 45 degrees or more.
• Patches of ice form on bridges and in shaded areas — ride the least slippery part of the lane.

Only experienced riders should carry a passenger or large load, because the added weight changes how the motorcycle speeds up, slows, and turns. In South Dakota, carrying a passenger requires the motorcycle passenger endorsement (SD manual; dps.sd.gov).

• Brief your passenger to hold your waist, hips or belt, keep both feet on the pegs even when stopped, and lean with you.
• Have the passenger mount only after the engine is started and the bike is in neutral, with both your feet down.
• Carry cargo low and over or ahead of the rear axle, with equal weight in each saddlebag, fastened securely.

Alcohol and other drugs degrade riding more than any other factor, and impairment begins well below the legal limit. An adult is legally intoxicated at 0.08% BAC; riders under 21 face a 0.00–0.02% limit. Alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (SD manual).

• Nearly a third of fatally injured riders were over the legal limit; impaired motorcyclists are more likely to be killed or hurt than drivers.
• Cannabis distorts your sense of time, space and speed — do not ride impaired by it.
• Step in to keep a drinking friend from riding: arrange a ride, slow the pace, or take the key.

Know when to stop and when to swerve. To stop quickly, apply both brakes firmly without locking; if the front wheel locks, release and reapply it. Most crash-involved riders underbrake the front and overbrake the rear (SD manual).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch.
• If a tire goes flat, hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle, brake gradually on the good tire, and edge off the road.
• If the bike wobbles, ease off the throttle gradually and move your weight forward — do not brake or accelerate.

A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car because a minor failure can cause a crash. Use the T-CLOCS checklist before every ride: Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil and fluids, Chassis, and Stands (SD manual).

• Tires: check inflation and tread, and test each brake lever one at a time.
• Controls: the throttle should snap back to closed when released; test the horn.
• Lights: confirm both beams work and that each brake control turns on the brake light; look underneath for oil or fuel leaks.

To earn a South Dakota motorcycle endorsement you generally pass a knowledge test and an on-cycle skill test, or have both waived by a state-approved Basic Rider Course taken within a year. The motorcycle instruction permit is available at 14, valid one year, and limits you to riding 6 a.m.–8 p.m. under supervision (dps.sd.gov).

• Passing the written test at 80% (20 of 25) and a vision screening earns the instruction permit; the fee is $28.
• A permit rider must be supervised by a licensed motorcyclist 18+ with a year of experience, on a separate motorcycle.
• Carrying a passenger needs the passenger endorsement; a sidecar or three-wheeler needs the sidecar/trike endorsement.