To protect yourself against injury, you should wear a DOT-compliant helmet; face or eye protection; a jacket and long pants made of sturdy material; boots or shoes that are high and sturdy enough to cover and support your ankles; and gloves made of durable material.

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.

While a staggered formation is generally recommended, riders in a group should move into a single-file formation when taking curves, taking turns, entering a highway, or leaving a highway.

Most drivers do not look at their side mirrors as often as they look at their rearview mirror. Therefore, when following a car, it is generally best to ride in the center portion of the lane where you are most likely to be visible in the driver's rearview mirror.

Moving into the portion of your lane farthest from a passing vehicle is potentially dangerous because it could encourage the driver to return to your lane before it is safe to do so. It is safest to stay in the center of a lane when being passed.

To reduce your risk of being involved in a crash, you must ensure that you are visible to others on the road and that other drivers understand what you're planning to do. Clearly communicate your intentions through proper signaling and lane positioning. Maintain an adequate space cushion and scan your path of travel, identifying upcoming hazards and being prepared to react.

When traveling faster than a walking pace, your motorcycle will need to lean to turn. Pressing the grip in the direction you want to turn will cause you to lean in the appropriate direction

On average, the body can eliminate the alcohol content of about one drink per hour. However, some alcohol may accumulate in the body even if a person consumes only one drink per hour. Their abilities and judgment can still be impaired.

Brightly-colored and/or reflective clothing will increase your chances of being seen under any conditions. Remember that most motorcycle crashes happen in broad daylight so it is still best to wear bright clothing during the day.

An increased following distance is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead of you, or if traffic is heavy and another driver may try to squeeze in front of you, open up to a minimum three-second following distance.

When approaching a blind intersection that is controlled by a stop line or stop sign, you must first stop where indicated. You may then edge forward and stop again just short of where the cross traffic lane meets your lane. From that position, lean your body forward and look around buildings, parked cars, or bushes to see if anything is approaching. Make sure your front wheel stays out of the crossroad while you are looking.

Wearing a helmet while riding greatly improves your chances of avoiding serious injury to your head or neck in the case of a crash. A DOT-approved helmet will not restrict your vision to the sides.

If the front tire of a motorcycle fails, it will cause the steering to feel heavy. If your steering feels heavy, immediately exit the road and inspect your tires.

Before setting off on any ride, you should do a thorough check of your motorcycle. Inspect the tires, oil and fluid levels, headlight, tail light, turn signals, brake light, clutch and throttle, mirrors, brakes, and horn.

To prevent any dangerous situations caused by technical issues, you should perform a thorough inspection of your motorcycle before every ride. Compared to a car, small technical problems can have more serious consequences on a motorcycle.

Riding with a sidecar increases the weight of a motorcycle and increases the braking force needed to stop the motorcycle. Slowing and stopping take longer when riding a vehicle downhill than when riding on a flat surface.

Avoid riding down the center of a lane under wet conditions. Instead, ride in the tire tracks left by the cars ahead of you. The left tire track will often be best, but this can vary depending on traffic and other conditions.

Goggles can protect your eyes, but only a face shield can protect your entire face in a crash.

Motorcycle riders will rarely actually hear a tire going flat. Tire failure is more often indicated by a change in how the motorcycle handles.

Crashes are the most likely to occur for untrained, beginning riders who are unfamiliar with their motorcycle.

By riding in the center portion of your lane, you will ensure that there is not a large space on either side of your motorcycle. Minimizing those spaces can help deter drivers from trying to share the lane with you.

Passengers should lean as the operator leans. A passenger should sit as far forward as they can without crowding the operator and hold firmly onto the operator's waist, hips, or belt.

During normal turns, the motorcycle and the rider should be leaning together at the same angle. In slow, tight turns, only the motorcycle should lean while the rider keeps their body straight up.

A windshield is not an adequate substitute for either a face shield or goggles. Most windshields will not protect your eyes from the wind.

Oily drippings from cars collect in a strip in the center of a traffic lane. Unless the road is wet, this area will generally still provide enough traction for motorcyclists to ride safely. Because the strip is usually no more than two feet wide, it is often possible to ride to one side of the strip and still be in the center portion of the lane.