Virginia Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before you ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear shift, turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel valve and engine cut-off switch without looking for them (VA Manual p.6). Sit so your arms steer the motorcycle rather than hold you up, keep your knees against the gas tank and your feet firmly on the footpegs, and start with your right wrist down to avoid using too much throttle (VA Manual p.7).

• Your motorcycle has two brakes — use both every time you slow or stop. The front brake supplies about three-quarters of your total stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, not grab, the lever (VA Manual p.7).
• Adjust the handlebars so your hands are even with or below your elbows, for the proper muscles to steer precisely (VA Manual p.7).
• Stay in first gear while you are stopped so you can move out quickly if you need to (VA Manual p.8).

A Virginia motorcycle operator and passenger must wear an approved helmet, and the operator must wear a face shield, safety glasses or goggles, or have an approved windshield (VA Manual p.4-5). One of every five motorcycle crashes results in head or neck injuries, and un-helmeted riders are three times more likely to die from head injuries than helmeted riders (VA Manual p.4-5).

• Choose a three-quarter or full-face helmet that meets U.S. DOT and state standards, fits snugly, and has no cracks, loose padding or frayed straps; ANSI or Snell labels add assurance of quality (VA Manual p.5).
• A face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only your eyes, and a windshield is no substitute for either (VA Manual p.5).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots, and leather or heavy gloves; never wear tinted eye protection at night (VA Manual p.5).

There is more to shifting than picking up speed smoothly — crashes can happen if you shift wrong when downshifting, turning, or starting on a hill (VA Manual p.8). Shift down through the gears as you slow down or stop, and make sure you are slow enough before you shift into a lower gear, or the motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid (VA Manual p.8).

• It is best to change gears before entering a turn; if you must shift in a turn, do it smoothly, because a sudden change in power can cause a skid (VA Manual p.8).
• When checking the controls, the throttle should snap back when you let go and the clutch should work smoothly (VA Manual p.6).
• On an unfamiliar motorcycle, find the controls and work the throttle, clutch and brakes first, then ride cautiously until you are used to how it handles (VA Manual p.6).

New riders often take curves too fast, then run wide or brake too hard and skid. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, ROLL. Slow before the turn, look through it with your head (not your shoulders), lean by pushing the handgrip in the direction of the turn — push left, lean left, go left — and roll on the throttle through the turn (VA Manual p.7).

• In normal turns the rider and motorcycle lean together; in slow, tight turns lean only the motorcycle and keep your body straight up (VA Manual p.7).
• Higher speeds and tighter turns require more lean; avoid decelerating once you are in the turn (VA Manual p.7).
• The key to a quick turn is getting the motorcycle to lean quickly — the sharper the turn, the more it must lean (VA Manual p.17).

Each marked lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel, each mini-lane about four feet wide. There is no single best position, and no part of the lane — including the center — needs to be avoided; ride where you are most likely to be seen (VA Manual p.9). Riding in the center portion places your image in the middle of the driver's rearview mirror and discourages lane sharing (VA Manual p.10, 14).

• When you are being passed, stay in the center portion of your lane; riding near the edge invites the other driver to cut back in too early (VA Manual p.13).
• Stay toward the left of your lane when passing parked cars, to avoid opening doors and cars pulling out (VA Manual p.13).
• Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane; do not ride between rows of stopped cars (VA Manual p.14).

Experienced riders use SIPDE — Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute — to make judgments and act early in traffic (VA Manual p.10). Scan aggressively for hazards, identify them and their potential conflicts, predict how they may affect you, decide how to reduce the risk, and execute your decision. To decide, you can do three things: communicate your presence, adjust your speed, or adjust your position (VA Manual p.10-11).

• Hazards fall into three groups — other vehicles, pedestrians and animals, and stationary objects (VA Manual p.10-11).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections, cover both brakes and the clutch and be ready with escape routes to cut your reaction time (VA Manual p.11).
• Check your mirrors every few seconds, but remember motorcycles have blind spots — make a head check before you change lanes (VA Manual p.11).

The most dangerous place for any rider is an intersection, and the most common cause of crashes there is an oncoming car turning left into the rider's path (VA Manual p.10, 13). Keep your headlight on, use your turn signals every time, and choose a lane position that gives you the best view and the best chance of being seen (VA Manual p.8-10).

• Keep a minimum three-second following distance, and open it to four seconds in rain or when you cannot see past the vehicle ahead (VA Manual p.12).
• If a car can enter your path at an intersection, assume that it will, and never count on eye contact as a sign a driver will yield (VA Manual p.10, 13).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow where others may not expect it (VA Manual p.9).

When you are in a tight spot, two skills save you: stopping quickly and swerving. To stop quickly, apply both brakes, squeezing the front lever steadily and firmly without locking the front wheel (VA Manual p.17). When there is no room to stop, make an evasive maneuver — press the inside handgrip to lean the motorcycle quickly and turn around the obstacle, staying in your own lane (VA Manual p.17).

• If you must stop while turning, reduce your lean angle as you add brake pressure; the motorcycle should be straight up at a full stop (VA Manual p.17).
• Separate braking and swerving — do not brake while you are swerving (VA Manual p.17).
• Change lanes during a swerve only if you have time to be sure the next lane is clear (VA Manual p.17).

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 — the front brake is still more effective, but apply it gradually (VA Manual p.14-15). Pavement is most slippery just after it starts to rain; move out of the center and ride in the tire tracks left by cars (VA Manual p.14-15).

• Cross railroad tracks by riding straight within your lane — a motorcycle can cross them at an angle as sharp as 45 degrees without difficulty (VA Manual p.16).
• For tracks or pavement seams that run parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (VA Manual p.16).
• At night, ride slower, open up a three-second following distance, use the car ahead's lights, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (VA Manual p.16-17).

Checking your motorcycle before every ride catches trouble before you reach traffic (VA Manual p.6). If a tire suddenly goes flat, hold the grips firmly, keep a straight course, and stay off the brakes; if you know which tire is flat, gradually apply the other brake, then edge to the side of the road (VA Manual p.18).

• A flat front tire makes the steering feel heavy; a flat rear tire makes the back jerk from side to side (VA Manual p.18).
• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch (VA Manual p.18).
• Wobble: do not accelerate out of it — grip firmly, close the throttle gradually, do not brake, and pull off the road (VA Manual p.18).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances and stops (VA Manual p.19). The motorcycle needs a seat large enough for two and a separate set of footpegs for the passenger; keep cargo low and forward, distribute it evenly, and secure it with elastic cords — never rope (VA Manual p.20-21).

• Tell the passenger to get on only after you start the engine, hold your waist, hips or belt, keep both feet on the pegs, and lean as you lean (VA Manual p.20).
• With a passenger, ride slower, start slowing earlier, and open up a larger cushion of space (VA Manual p.20).
• Ride in groups of no more than four or five, in a staggered formation, and move to single file for curves, turns and highway ramps (VA Manual p.21).

Alcohol and other drugs degrade your ability to think clearly and ride safely more than any other factor — with as little as one drink (VA Manual p.22). Statistics show 31 percent of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes had been drinking, and only time — not coffee, a cold shower, or fresh air — can sober you up (VA Manual p.22-23).

• In Virginia, a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or above is considered intoxicated; refusing the chemical test can suspend your license for one year (VA Manual p.23).
• If you refuse the test or your BAC is 0.08 or above, your license is immediately suspended for seven days from the date of arrest (VA Manual p.23).
• Riding is more tiring than driving a car — protect yourself from the elements, limit your distance, and take frequent rest breaks (VA Manual p.24).