Tennessee Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before every ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear shift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch, and engine cut-off switch without looking for them. The manual stresses that a motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so a complete T-CLOCS check (Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, Stands) should be done before every ride (MSF p.8-9).

• Pre-ride: tire pressure, tread and sidewalls; oil and fluid levels; headlight and taillight on both beams; turn signals; brake light from both controls (MSF p.8).
• After mounting: the clutch and throttle should work smoothly — the throttle must snap back when released; test each brake one at a time; clean and adjust both mirrors (MSF p.8).
• Remain in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly, and keep your feet on the footrests (MSF p.10-11).

Tennessee has a universal helmet law — every operator and passenger must wear a crash helmet meeting federal standard 49 CFR 571.218, at every age (TN equipment law). A rider 21 or older may use a helmet that meets standard 218 but carries an ASTM, CSPM, or Snell label instead. Helmeted riders are three times more likely to survive head injuries (MSF p.4).

• Eye protection: your motorcycle must have a USDOT windshield, or you must wear impact-resistant goggles/glasses or a helmet face shield (TN equipment law).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is no substitute for either (MSF p.5).
• Wear a jacket and pants that cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots, and durable gloves; never wear tinted eye protection at night (MSF p.5-6).

Sit so your arms steer the motorcycle rather than hold you up, keep your knees against the tank and your feet firmly on the pegs, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid using too much throttle (MSF p.10). Your motorcycle has two brakes — always use both at the same time. The front brake supplies 70% or more of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, never grab, the lever (MSF p.11).

• Shift down through the gears as you slow, and change gears before a turn — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (MSF p.11).
• Maximum straight-line braking is applying both brakes fully without locking either wheel (MSF p.11).
• Grabbing the front or jamming the rear locks the brakes and causes a skid — squeeze the front and press the rear (MSF p.11).

Riders crash by taking curves too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL (MSF p.13). Slow before the turn, look through the turn to where you want to go, press the handgrip in the direction of the turn to lean — press left, lean left, go left — and roll on the throttle through the turn to stabilize the motorcycle.

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns lean only the motorcycle and keep your body upright (MSF p.13).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted limit (MSF p.28).
• To enter a curve, a good choice is to start at the outside to widen your line of sight, adjusting for traffic and conditions (MSF p.28).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel — left, center, and right. There is no single best position, and no part of the lane, including the center, needs to be avoided (MSF p.13-14). Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route. Keep at least a two-second following distance, opening it to three seconds or more in heavy traffic, on slippery roads, or when you cannot see ahead (MSF p.14).

• 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 (MSF p.14).
• Riding in the center portion places your image in the driver's mirror and discourages lane sharing (MSF p.15).
• Tennessee gives a motorcycle full use of the lane; two riders may ride abreast, but lane splitting is illegal (Tenn. Code Ann. 55-8-182).

Experienced riders use SEE — Search, Evaluate, Execute — a three-step process for spotting hazards and acting early (MSF p.17). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides, and behind before hazards arise. Evaluate how stationary objects, traffic control devices, and other road users could create risk. Execute your decision by communicating with lights or horn, adjusting your speed, and adjusting your position.

• Scan your path of travel about 12 seconds ahead, and keep at least a 2-second following gap and a 4-second immediate path (MSF p.18).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate, then deal with each (MSF p.18-19).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school or construction zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (MSF p.18).

Intersections are the most likely place for a crash, usually when a driver turns left or pulls out in front of a rider — over half of motorcycle/car crashes come from drivers violating a rider's right-of-way (MSF p.19). Drivers often say they never saw the motorcycle. Tennessee requires your headlight on at all times, and a motorcycle with its light on by day is twice as likely to be noticed (MSF p.22).

• Making eye contact does not guarantee a driver will yield — slow down and be ready to react (MSF p.19).
• Wear bright or reflective clothing and cancel your signal after every turn so drivers do not think you plan to turn again (MSF p.22-23).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (MSF p.23).

When you find yourself in a tight spot, two skills save you: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time, squeezing the front lever firmly and progressively — never grabbing it (MSF p.26). 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 (MSF p.26).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it (MSF p.26).
• Keep a locked rear wheel locked until you have completely stopped, as long as you are upright and going straight (MSF p.26).
• Never brake while swerving — brake before or after, but separate braking from swerving (MSF p.27).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, lane markings, and metal plates all reduce traction. Slow down before you reach a slippery surface, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently (MSF p.29). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip until surface oil washes away (MSF p.29).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane — turning to take them head-on is more dangerous (MSF p.30).
• For pavement seams that run parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (MSF p.30).
• At night, slow down, open a three-second-or-more following distance, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (MSF p.25).

Checking your motorcycle before every ride catches trouble before you reach traffic (MSF p.8). If a problem happens on the road, stay calm and 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 (MSF p.31).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and squeeze the clutch at the same time (MSF p.30-31).
• Wobble: do not accelerate out of it — close the throttle gradually, do not brake, move your weight forward, and pull off the road (MSF p.32).
• If the engine seizes from low oil, squeeze the clutch to disengage the rear wheel and pull off the road (MSF p.32).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances, and stops (MSF p.33). Tennessee requires a passenger to ride on a permanent seat with footrests; a child whose feet cannot reach the footpegs may not be carried (TN equipment law). Keep cargo low, forward, evenly distributed, and securely fastened (MSF p.35-36).

• Tell your passenger to mount after the engine is on, hold your waist, hips, or belt, keep feet on the pegs, and lean with you (MSF p.34).
• With a passenger, ride a little slower, start slowing earlier, and open up a larger space cushion (MSF p.35).
• Ride in staggered formation with inexperienced riders just behind the leader, and move to single file for curves, turns, and freeway ramps (MSF 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 (MSF p.40-41). In Tennessee a rider with a BAC of 0.08% or higher is legally intoxicated, a rider 16 to 20 is impaired at just 0.02%, and alcohol leaves the body at only about one drink per hour (TN DUI law).

• Tennessee's implied consent law means refusing a chemical test suspends your license for 12 months (TN implied consent law).
• DUI penalties cover any intoxicant — including prescription and over-the-counter drugs — and the combined effects of alcohol and drugs are worse than either alone (TN DUI section).
• Coffee, a cold shower, or exercise cannot sober you up; only time can. If you have been drinking, don't ride (MSF p.42).