Arizona MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 4

Before each ride, you should check the air pressure, tread, and general wear of your tires.

Before shifting into a lower gear, make sure you are riding slowly enough to shift safely. Downshifting while going too fast may cause the motorcycle to lurch and the rear wheel to skid. When riding downhill or shifting into first gear, you may need to use the brakes to slow to a safe speed before downshifting.

Reflective material on a vest or on the sides of your helmet can make you more visible to other drivers and should be used both day and night.

The minimum number of drinks left in a person's system can be estimated by subtracting the number of hours since the last drink from the total number of drinks consumed. In this case, the alcohol content of about four drinks would remain.

Warning signs are yellow with black lettering or symbols and provide important information to motorists about upcoming road conditions.

Most wobbles can be traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure. Do not try to accelerate out of a wobble.

While a staggered formation is usually best under normal riding conditions, a group of riders should switch to a single-file formation when taking curves, turning, or entering or exiting a highway.

For maximum straight-line braking, you should apply the brakes smoothly and firmly. As more weight transfers forward, more will be more traction available at the front wheel, allowing you to apply the front brake with progressively increasing force while reducing the pressure being used on the rear brake. Keep your knees against the gas tank and your eyes up to help keep yourself moving in a straight line.

Riding next to parked cars presents a number of potential dangers. A driver might pull out of parking space and into your path without looking. Car doors may be opened into your lane and pedestrians may step out from between cars.

Exposure to engine and wind noise can damage your hearing, even if you are wearing a helmet. Hearing protection can guard against this while still allowing you to hear essential sounds like horns and sirens.

When riding, it is safest for a motorcyclist to wear a helmet, eye protection, a jacket, long pants, sturdy boots, and gloves.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful than the rear one, providing at least 70 percent of the total stopping power. Always use both brakes any time you slow or stop.

Both brakes should be used at the same time whenever you slow or stop.

While riding in a staggered formation is generally the best option when traveling in a group, riders should move into a single-file line through curves, through turns, and when entering or exiting a highway.

Distances are difficult to judge in the dark because visual cues (like shadows and light contrasts) can be missing or distorted. You should allow a longer following distance when riding at night than you do when riding during the day.

A person who is of legal drinking age with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher is considered legally intoxicated. It is both illegal and unsafe to ride a motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol.

Face shields and goggles, being made of plastic, will develop scratches and become brittle as they age. Replace them regularly to ensure maximum protection and comfort.

Crossing rain grooves or bridge gratings may cause your motorcycle to move in a weaving motion. This is usually not dangerous, so simply relax and proceed across the surface at a steady speed. Trying to ride at an angle to compensate for the weave is dangerous because it forces you to zigzag to stay in your lane.

Successful motorcyclists know that they are safest when they are clearly seen by other road users. Use your headlight, brake light, signals, and lane position to maximize your visibility.

Because adding a load to a motorcycle increases its weight, the vehicle's inertia may increase, causing its stopping distance to increase. Begin slowing and stopping earlier when riding a motorcycle with a load or passenger in its sidecar.

Some motorcycles are equipped with an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). ABS is designed to prevent skidding and wheel lock-up when motorcyclists are stopping in straight-line, panic situations. ABS operates when maximum pressure is applied to both the front and rear brake controls. If electronic sensors detect the possibility of a wheel lock, brake hydraulic pressure is released then re-applied to maintain maximum braking effectiveness.

Never rely on eye contact as an assurance that a driver will properly yield to you. It is common for drivers to look directly at motorcyclists and still fail to notice them.

Under normal conditions, you should maintain a following distance of at least two seconds. Increase your following distance any time conditions are less than perfect.

Adjust your mirrors so you can see the lane behind you and as much as possible of the lane next to you. When properly adjusted, a mirror may show the edge of your arm or shoulder, but it’s the road behind you and to the side of you that is most important.

Replace any helmet that has been worn during a crash.

Trying to accelerate out of a wobble is dangerous and will only make your motorcycle more unstable. Instead, grip the handlebars firmly (without trying to fight the wobble), gradually close the throttle to slow down, and move your weight as far forward and downward as possible. Pull off the road as soon as you can.

Instead of mechanical turn signals, operators may use hand signals to indicate turns or stops. If an operator's left arm is bent at the elbow and pointing upward, it means the operator plans to turn right or change lanes to the right.

On average, a person's body can eliminate the alcohol content of about one drink per hour. However, it is still possible for alcohol to accumulate in a person's system even if they consume only one drink per hour. This accumulation can still affect their ability to ride safely.

Loads carried in a sidecar should be secured so that they do not shift and affect the motorcycle's handling. Loads should be distributed toward the rear of the sidecar to reduce tipping of the nose of the sidecar in the event of a sudden left turn.

To reduce the risk of a collision when riding at night, be sure to reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Use the headlights of vehicles ahead of you to see farther down the road. You should always be flexible about your lane position, especially when riding at night.