Vermont Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before every 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 clutch and gearshift are on the left; the front brake lever and rear brake pedal are on the right. A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so the manual recommends the T-CLOCS inspection before every ride (VT manual p.14; MSF manual p.7-9).

• T-CLOCS = Tires and wheels, Controls, Lights and electrics, Oil and fluids, Chassis, Stands (MSF manual p.9, T-CLOCS checklist).
• The throttle should move freely and snap closed when released; check both brakes light up the brake light, and adjust mirrors before you start (MSF manual p.9).
• Check engine oil and transmission fluid before rides, and brake hydraulic fluid and coolant weekly (MSF manual p.9).

Vermont has a universal helmet law: every operator and passenger must wear DOT-compliant headgear (FMVSS 218) at every age (23 V.S.A. §1256). Eye protection — glasses, goggles or a face shield — is required unless the motorcycle has a windshield (23 V.S.A. §1257), and after dark the lenses must be colorless. One in five motorcycle crashes involves head or neck injuries, so a quality helmet matters most (VT manual p.16-17; MSF manual p.5).

• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is not a substitute for either (MSF manual p.6).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs — leather offers the most protection — plus over-the-ankle boots and durable gloves (MSF manual p.6-7).
• Bright and reflective gear should be worn day and night; most crashes happen in daylight (MSF manual p.24).

Sit so your arms steer the motorcycle rather than hold you up, keep your knees against the tank and your feet on the pegs, and start with your right wrist flat to avoid too much throttle. Your motorcycle has two brakes — always use both together. The front brake supplies at least 70% of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, never grab, the lever (MSF manual p.11-13).

• Shift down through the gears as you slow, and stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (MSF manual p.12).
• Squeeze the front brake and press down on the rear; grabbing or jamming makes the brakes lock and causes a skid (MSF manual p.13).
• Change gears before you enter a turn — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (MSF manual p.12).

Riders crash by taking curves too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL. Slow before the turn, look through it, 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 stay stable (MSF manual p.14).

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow tight turns lean only the motorcycle and keep your body straight (MSF manual p.14).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted limit (MSF manual p.29).
• With no traffic, start a curve at the outside, move to the inside, then back to the outside to exit (MSF manual p.29).

Each lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel — left, center and right — and no part of the lane always needs to be avoided. Choose the position that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and keeps an escape route. Keep at least a two-second following distance, and open it to three seconds or more in poor conditions or at night (MSF manual p.15-16). In Vermont you have full use of the lane, but two motorcycles may not ride side by side in it (VT manual p.13).

• 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 (MSF manual p.15).
• Riding in the center portion places your image in the driver's mirror and discourages lane sharing (MSF manual p.17).
• The center strip collects oil and is most slippery when wet — but usually gives adequate traction when dry (MSF manual p.16).

Experienced riders manage risk with SEE: Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind; Evaluate how road features, signals and other road users could create risk; and Execute by communicating with lights or horn, adjusting speed, and adjusting position (MSF manual p.20-21). Scan your path about 12 seconds ahead so a hazard never becomes a surprise.

• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate, then deal with each (MSF manual p.21).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school or work zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (MSF manual p.21).
• Search about 12 seconds ahead, with 2-second and 4-second lead times for closer hazards (MSF manual p.10, 20).

Over half of car/motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way, and the intersection is the most likely place for a crash. Cars turning left in front of you are the biggest danger. Never count on eye contact — a driver can look right at you and not see you. Keep your headlight on, choose a lane position with the best view, and be ready to brake (MSF manual p.21-22).

• A motorcycle with its headlight on by day is twice as likely to be noticed; keep it on at all times (MSF manual p.24).
• Cancel your turn signal after each turn so drivers do not think you plan to turn again (MSF manual p.25).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (MSF manual 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 firmly and progressively — never grabbing. When there is no room to stop, swerve: press the handgrip on the side of your escape, then press the opposite grip to recover. Never brake while swerving — separate the two (MSF manual p.27-29).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately, then reapply it smoothly (MSF manual p.29).
• If the rear wheel locks while you are straight and upright, keep it locked until you have stopped (MSF manual p.27).
• Most crash-involved riders underbrake the front and overbrake the rear — practice using both correctly (MSF manual p.27).

Wet pavement, gravel, mud, snow, ice, painted lines and metal plates all cut traction. Pavement is most slippery just after it starts to rain; slow down, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently. When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip (MSF manual p.31-32).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane; for parallel seams move over to cross at 45 degrees or more (MSF manual p.33).
• 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 manual p.27).
• In Vermont, watch for deer and moose at dawn, dusk and night — moose are especially hard to see because their eyes don't reflect headlights (VT manual p.17).

Checking your motorcycle before every ride catches trouble before traffic does. 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, brake the good tire if needed, and edge off the road (MSF manual p.33).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, use the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch (MSF manual p.33).
• Wobble: don't accelerate or brake — grip firmly, close the throttle gradually, and pull off the road (MSF manual p.34).
• If the engine seizes from low oil, squeeze the clutch to disengage the rear wheel and pull off (MSF manual p.34).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops. A passenger may ride only on a motorcycle with a proper seat and footrests; in Vermont a learner-permit holder may not carry any passenger. Keep cargo low, forward and securely fastened (MSF manual p.35-37; VT manual p.9, 23 V.S.A. §1114).

• A passenger should sit forward, hold your waist, hips or the handholds, keep feet on the pegs, and lean as you lean (MSF manual p.36).
• With a passenger, ride a little slower, start slowing earlier, and keep a larger space cushion (MSF manual p.37).
• Ride in a staggered formation, and move to single file for curves, turns, and entering or leaving a highway (MSF manual p.38-40).

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. 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 (MSF manual p.42-44).

• Coffee, food and a cold shower don't sober you up — only time does, at roughly one drink per hour (MSF manual p.43).
• Riding while impaired by marijuana is unsafe and illegal even where its use is legal, and carries the same kind of penalties (MSF manual p.45).
• Riding is more tiring than driving — take a rest break at least every two hours and never ride when fatigued (MSF manual p.46).