In addition to protecting your face from injury in a crash, a face shield protects you from wind, dust, dirt, rain, insects, and pebbles thrown up from surrounding vehicles.

To maximize your ability to be seen at an intersection, ride with your headlight on and select a lane position that provides oncoming traffic with the best view of your motorcycle. Maintain a space cushion that allows you enough space to take evasive action if a hazard arises. You should never assume that making eye contact with a driver will be enough to make them consciously register your presence.

If one member of a group wants to ride faster than the others, it is best to let them go ahead of the group and meet at a designated spot later.

On a two-lane highway, a group of riders should pass another vehicle one at a time. The second rider should not begin to pass until the first rider has safely re-entered the original lane. Riders should continue in this pattern until they have all safely passed the vehicle.

A sudden change in handling may indicate that a tire on your motorcycle has failed. If you feel a change in the way your motorcycle handles, pull over safely and check your tires.

Wearing a helmet is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce the risk of head or neck injuries in the event of a crash.

If you cannot avoid hitting an obstacle in the roadway, you should try to hit it at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Slow down as much as you can before contact, keep your motorcycle upright, rise slightly off of your seat, and roll the throttle slightly to lighten the front end just before impact.

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.

Riders in a group should overtake another vehicle one at a time. Each rider should complete their pass and resume their position in the group formation before the next rider begins to pass.

High-quality rain suits designed for motorcycle riding will resist tearing and ballooning when a rider travels at high speeds.

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.

You should not ride alongside another motorcyclist because doing so will limit both of your possible routes of escape if you encounter a hazard.

Most riders involved in crashes under-brake the front tire and over-brake the rear.

Appropriate protective gear for motorcycling includes a jacket and pants made of leather or another sturdy material; footwear that covers and supports your ankles; and hearing protection, even if you wear a helmet.

Choose a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards. It should fit you snugly all the way around and be free of obvious defects.

A properly chosen lane position should provide a number of benefits, including an increased ability to see others and to be seen. It should help you avoid wind blasts, other drivers' blind spots, and surface hazards. Your lane position should discourage other drivers from trying to share your lane and provide you with an escape route, should a hazard arise.

Most drugs taken to ease headaches, colds, hay fever, allergies, or nerves can make the consumer drowsy and may impair their ability to ride safely. When taking a medication, it is important for a rider to know how the drug affects their body before riding.

A sidecar is essentially an unpowered mass attached to the side of your motorcycle. Due to its inertia, it will feel like it is lagging behind when you accelerate.

To reduce the risk of fatigue on a long trip, dress to protect yourself from tiring elements, such as wind, cold, and rain. Limit yourself to no more than six hours of riding per day and take rest brakes at least every two hours. Avoid using artificial stimulants, as these only result in extreme fatigue when they wear off.

No matter the speed, riders who are not wearing helmets are three times more likely to die from head injuries than riders who are wearing helmets at the time of a crash.

Passengers should sit directly behind the operator and lean as the operator leans. They should sit as far forward as they can without crowding the operator, holding onto the operator's waist, hips, or belt.

Do not try to accelerate out of a wobble because doing so will only make the motorcycle more unstable. Instead, grip the handlebars firmly, slow down by gradually closing the throttle, move your weight as far forward and downward as possible, and pull off the road as soon as you can. Avoid applying the brakes, as this may also worsen the wobble.

Your following distance should be larger than usual when you are traveling under imperfect conditions. Increase your following distance if pavement is slippery, you can't see through the vehicle in front of you, or traffic is heavy.

To ensure that a helmet will provide you with as much protection as possible, check to see if it meets U.S. DOT and state standards; fits snugly all the way around your head; and has no obvious defects, such as cracks, loose padding, or frayed straps.

To ride safely on a slippery surface, you should use both brakes when braking is necessary, reduce your speed, and avoid making sudden moves. Be especially alert to oily areas, shaded areas, dirt, gravel, and bridges, as these surfaces may provide less traction than others.