When riding at night, use your high beam (unless you are following or meeting another car), take advantage of the headlights of other vehicles, and wear reflective materials to increase your visibility. You should always be flexible about your lane position, selecting whichever position will help you to see, be seen, and have an adequate space cushion.

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.

If your front wheel locks while braking, you should release the brake lever until the tire regains traction and re-apply the brake.

When turning, look through the turn to where you want to go by turning only your head. Keep your knees against the gas tank to help maintain your balance while turning. Your arms should be slightly bent any time you are holding the handgrips.

A motorcycle passenger needs to understand how to ensure a safe ride ride for both themselves and the operator. An operator should never assume the passenger already knows what to do. Give a passenger complete instructions before every ride.

At any speed, wearing a helmet will make you three times more likely to survive head injuries in the event of a crash than you would if not wearing a helmet.

Shift down through the gears with the clutch as you slow or stop. Remain in first gear while you are stopped so you can move quickly if needed.

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.

Motorcycles generally have one brake for each wheel. The front brake carries more braking power than the rear brake.

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.

Most motorcycle crashes happen in broad daylight. You should always wear brightly-colored clothing when riding to maximize your chances of being seen, even during the day.

If either of your tires go flat while you are riding, hold the handgrips firmly, ease off the throttle, and maintain a straight course. If you need to brake, gradually apply the brake to the tire that is not flat. As you slow down, edge to the side of the road, squeeze the clutch, and stop.

Wearing reflective and brightly-colored clothing is always a good idea when riding a motorcycle. Crashes occur in broad daylight and at night, so it is best to wear highly visible clothing at any time of day.

A properly chosen lane position should help you to see others and be seen by them. Avoid riding in another driver's blind spot for a long period of time.

There are several major factors that can affect a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A BAC is determined in part by the amount of alcohol someone has consumed, how fast they consumed the alcohol, and their body weight.

Pre-ride motorcycle inspections are an important part of ensuring safe riding. Hydraulic fluids and coolants should be checked at least once a week.

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.

If either of your tires go flat and you must brake, gradually apply the brake of the tire that is not flat (if you are certain of which tire that is).

To provide adequate protection when riding, jackets and pants should cover your arms and legs completely. Your clothing should fit snugly but be loose enough to let you move freely. Leather or newer kinds of synthetic materials provide the best protection in the case of an accident.

While a staggered group formation is usually best, it is better to switch to a single-file formation when turning, taking curves, or entering or exiting a highway.

Motorcycles often seem to attract dogs. If you are being chased by a dog, downshift and approach it slowly. Then, as you approach the dog, accelerate and leave it behind.

The accelerator of a motorcycle is located by the right handgrip and is controlled with the right hand.

The added weight of a passenger will affect the handling of your motorcycle. Expect your motorcycle to accelerate more slowly than usual, turn more slowly than usual, and require extra space to come to a complete stop. Ride more slowly, start slowing sooner when approaching a stop, open up a larger space cushion, and wait for larger gaps when crossing, entering, or merging into traffic.

Never let someone ride if they have had too much to drink. Do whatever you can to prevent them from riding. It can be helpful to recruit a group of friends to intervene and apply peer pressure to the person.

When shifting into a lower gear, shift down one gear at a time and ease out the clutch through the friction zone between each downshift.