Wisconsin Motorcycle Test Study Guide

Before every ride, be able to find and operate the throttle, clutch, front brake lever, rear brake pedal, gear-change lever, turn signals, horn, headlight switch, and engine cut-off switch without looking for them. A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so make a complete check before every ride (WI Handbook p.17-18).

• Before mounting, check tire air pressure, wear and tread; oil and fluid levels; the headlight on both beams and the taillight; turn signals; and the brake light from both controls (WI Handbook p.18).
• After mounting, confirm the clutch and throttle work smoothly — the throttle should snap back when released and the clutch should feel tight and smooth — then test the front and rear brakes one at a time (WI Handbook p.18).
• Check hydraulic fluids and coolant at least once a week; the owner's manual is your primary source for how to maintain your motorcycle (WI Handbook p.16, 18).

Wisconsin requires a helmet for operators and passengers under 18 and for any rider on a motorcycle instruction permit; a required helmet must meet the U.S. DOT standard with the chin strap fastened (WI Handbook p.10, 14). Research shows head and neck injuries are reduced by the proper wearing of an approved helmet, so it is strongly encouraged for every rider (WI Handbook p.14).

• Eye protection is required for all operators of any age unless the motorcycle has a windshield rising at least 15 inches above the handlebars; lenses worn after dark must be clear, not tinted (WI Handbook p.10, 14).
• A plastic shatter-resistant face shield protects your whole face; goggles protect only the eyes, and a windshield is not a substitute for either (WI Handbook p.14).
• Wear a jacket and pants that fully cover your arms and legs, over-the-ankle boots with sturdy soles, and leather or other durable gloves — leather offers the most protection (WI Handbook p.15).

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 using too much throttle (WI Handbook p.21). Your motorcycle has two brakes — use both at the same time every time you slow or stop. The front brake supplies at least three-quarters of your stopping power and is safe when you squeeze, not grab, the lever (WI Handbook p.22).

• Shift down through the gears with the clutch as you slow, and stay in first gear while stopped so you can move out quickly (WI Handbook p.22).
• Squeeze the front brake and press down on the rear; grabbing the front or jamming the rear can lock a wheel and cause a skid (WI Handbook p.22).
• Change gears before you enter a turn whenever possible — a sudden change of power to the rear wheel can cause a skid (WI Handbook p.22).

Riders often crash by taking curves too fast, then running wide or braking too hard. Use four steps: SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, ROLL. Slow before the turn, look through it to where you want to go, lean by pressing the handgrip in the direction of the turn — press left, lean left, go left — and roll on the throttle to keep the motorcycle stable (WI Handbook p.23).

• In a normal turn the rider and motorcycle lean together; in a slow, tight turn counterbalance by leaning only the motorcycle and keeping your body straight (WI Handbook p.23).
• Running wide in a curve is a primary cause of single-vehicle crashes — ride within your skill level and the posted speed limit (WI Handbook p.37).
• With no traffic, start at the outside of a curve to widen your line of sight, move to the inside as you turn, then back to the outside to exit (WI Handbook p.37).

Each traffic 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, always needs to be avoided. Choose the path that helps you see and be seen, avoids blind spots and surface hazards, and leaves an escape route (WI Handbook p.24). Keep a minimum four-second following distance under ideal conditions, and open it up further in poor conditions (WI Handbook p.25).

• 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 (WI Handbook p.24).
• The oily center strip is usually no more than two feet wide, so unless the road is wet you can ride beside it and still be in the center portion (WI Handbook p.24).
• Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane, so lane sharing is usually prohibited; two motorcycles may ride side by side only if both riders agree (WI Handbook p.10, 27).

Experienced riders use S.E.E. — Search, Evaluate, Execute — a three-step process for spotting hazards and acting early (WI Handbook p.28-29). Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind before hazards arise. Evaluate how road conditions, traffic-control devices and other vehicles could create risk. Execute by communicating with lights or horn, adjusting your speed, and adjusting your position.

• Scan your path of travel about 12 seconds ahead (WI Handbook p.21).
• Handle two or more hazards one at a time — adjust speed so they separate, then deal with each (WI Handbook p.29).
• In high-risk areas such as intersections and school or construction zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time (WI Handbook p.29).

Intersections hold the greatest potential for conflict, most often when a driver turns left in front of you — including a car turning left from the lane to your right (WI Handbook p.30). Drivers often say they never saw the motorcycle. Keep your headlight on, wear bright or reflective clothing, and signal every lane change or turn — then cancel the signal afterward (WI Handbook p.32-33).

• Never count on eye contact — a driver can look right at you and still not see you, so slow down and be ready to react (WI Handbook p.30, 32).
• At a blind intersection, move to the part of your lane that brings you into the other driver's view at the earliest possible moment (WI Handbook p.31).
• A motorcycle's brake light is less noticeable than a car's — flash it before you slow suddenly or where others may not expect it (WI Handbook p.34).

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 (WI Handbook p.36). When there is no room to stop, swerve: press the handgrip on the side of your escape to lean the motorcycle quickly, then press the opposite grip to recover (WI Handbook p.36-37).

• If the front wheel locks, release the front brake, then reapply it firmly; if you lock the rear wheel on a good surface, keep it locked until you stop, as long as you are upright and going straight (WI Handbook p.36).
• If you must stop quickly while leaned over in a curve, straighten the motorcycle upright first, then brake (WI Handbook p.36).
• Never brake while swerving — brake before or after, but always separate braking from swerving (WI Handbook p.37).

Wet pavement, gravel, sand, 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 (WI Handbook p.39). When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars and avoid the oily center strip until the surface oil washes away (WI Handbook p.39).

• Cross railroad and trolley tracks by riding straight within your lane — turning to take them head-on can carry you into another lane (WI Handbook p.40).
• For tracks or seams that run parallel to your path, move far enough away to cross them at an angle of at least 45 degrees (WI Handbook p.40).
• At night, slow down, open a greater following distance than during the day, and use your high beam when not following or meeting a car (WI Handbook p.35).

A complete check before every ride catches trouble before you reach traffic (WI Handbook p.18). 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, and edge to the side of the road — and if braking is needed, gradually brake the tire that is not flat (WI Handbook p.41).

• Stuck throttle: twist it back and forth; if it stays stuck, operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time (WI Handbook p.42).
• Wobble: do not accelerate out of it — grip the bars firmly, close the throttle gradually, do not brake, move your weight forward, and pull off the road (WI Handbook p.42).
• If the chain breaks you lose power to the rear wheel — close the throttle and brake to a stop; if the engine seizes from low oil, squeeze the clutch and pull off (WI Handbook p.43).

Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads, because the extra weight changes how the motorcycle handles, balances, turns and stops (WI Handbook p.43). Equip the motorcycle with a seat large enough for two and footpegs for the passenger; keep cargo low, forward and evenly balanced, and fasten it securely (WI Handbook p.44-45).

• Tell the passenger to get on only after you start the engine, hold your waist, hips or belt, keep both feet on the pegs even when stopped, and lean as you lean (WI Handbook p.44).
• With a passenger, ride slower, start slowing earlier, and open up a larger space cushion (WI Handbook p.45).
• Ride in groups of no more than four or five, in a staggered formation with beginners just behind the leader, and move to single file for curves, turns and highway ramps (WI Handbook p.46-47).

If you drink alcohol or use other drugs, even a little, your chances of a crash are much greater than if you ride sober — alcohol affects the parts of the brain that control judgment and skill (WI Handbook p.18). Wisconsin treats impaired riding harshly: people who ride after drinking risk arrest, heavy fines, higher insurance rates, loss of their license, and jail (WI Handbook p.18-19).

• Under Wisconsin's "Not A Drop" absolute-sobriety law, a rider under 21 can be arrested for riding with any amount of alcohol in their body; the adult Prohibited Alcohol Concentration is 0.08% (WI Handbook p.19; Wis. Stat.).
• A first OWI conviction brings a fine and a license revocation of at least six months; refusing a requested alcohol test under the Implied Consent Law costs you your driving privileges for at least one year (WI Handbook p.19).
• Riding is more tiring than driving a car — experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day and stop to rest at least every two hours (WI Handbook p.20).