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

Check your clutch and throttle before riding your motorcycle. The throttle should snap back when you let go and the clutch should feel tight and smooth.

Many drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, can impair your ability to ride safely. Some medications become even more dangerous when combined with alcohol.

The potential for conflict between a motorcycle and other vehicles is greatest at intersections.

You should use both brakes every time you slow or stop, not just in emergency situations.

If steering suddenly feels heavy, it is possible that your front tire has gone flat. Stop riding and check your tires as soon as possible.

Before mounting, you should ask your passenger to look over your shoulder in the direction of any turn or curve that you may take. Doing so will help you and your bike to lean in the appropriate direction.

It is a good idea to get into the habit of using both the front and rear brakes every time you slow or stop.

Traction may be poor on surfaces such as wet, snowy, icy, or muddy pavement; gravel roads; lane markings; and steel plates and utility hole covers.

The greatest potential for conflict between motorcycles and other traffic is at intersections. Oncoming cars turning left in front of motorcyclists is the biggest danger.

The best way to stop quickly is to apply controlled pressure to both the rear and front brakes at the same time. Be careful not to lock the brakes in the process.

Maintaining an adequate space cushion ensures that you will have time to respond if another driver makes a mistake. A cushion of space also allows you the space you need to safely maneuver your motorcycle.

This sign is displayed on the rear of slow-moving vehicles that may be moving more slowly than 25 mph, such as construction equipment, farm machinery, or horse-drawn vehicles.

If the front wheel locks up while you are braking, release the pressure from the front brake. Immediately re-apply pressure to the brake with controlled gradual pressure.

The key to making an evasive maneuver is to get your motorcycle to quickly lean in the direction you wish to turn. The sharper the turn, the more it must lean.

A helmet will provide a rider with the best protection if it meets U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards; fits snugly all the way around; and has no obvious defects, such as cracks, loose padding, or frayed straps.

When being passed, it is generally safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. Riding on the side nearest the passing driver increases the danger of colliding with them, and riding on the side farthest from the driver may tempt them to return to your lane too soon.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful that the rear brake and can provide at least 70 percent of the bike's total stopping power.

To have proper riding posture, position yourself so that you are using your arms to steer rather than to hold yourself up. Sit so that your elbows are slightly bent when you hold the handgrips.

As you approach an intersection, select a lane position that will make you the most visible to other drivers and cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce your reaction time. Reduce your speed when approaching an intersection. Avoid changing your speed or position radically as doing so may cause surrounding drivers to misinterpret your intentions.

The best way to deal with a tailgater is to allow them to pass you. Speeding up may only result in them continuing to tailgate you at the higher speed, which is even more dangerous.

When being passed, it is generally safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. Riding on the side of the lane nearest the passing driver increases the danger of colliding with them, and riding on the side farthest from the driver may tempt them to return to your lane too soon.

Keep your feet firmly on the footrests for balance. The motorcycle should be equipped with passenger footrests. Firm footing prevents your passenger from falling off and pulling you off, too.

The faster you drink, the faster the alcohol will accumulate in your body. Alcohol leaves a person's system at an average of one drink per hour. If you consume more than one drink in an hour, you will still have alcohol in your body after one hour has passed.

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.