To increase your chances of being seen, wear brightly-colored clothing, use your headlight at all times, and use your turn signals.

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

Motorcycle headlights are generally smaller and less powerful than those of cars.

Scan the road ahead to remain alert to changing traffic conditions, hazardous road conditions, and escape routes. Be prepared to react to any changing conditions.

If you must stop quickly while in a curve, you should first straighten and square the handlebars, then stop. If straightening your motorcycle is not possible, you should apply the brakes smoothly and gradually, reduce your lean angle, then increase the brake pressure as you slow down.

When being passed, the center portion of the lane is generally the safest lane position for a motorcyclist. Riding on the side nearest the passing vehicle increases the risk of colliding with it. Riding on the side farthest from the passing vehicle can also be dangerous because it may prompt the driver to return to your lane before it is safe to do so.

If you can’t avoid a dangerously slippery surface, you should keep your motorcycle upright and proceed over the surface as slowly as possible.

You should never take eye contact as a guarantee that a driver will properly yield to you. It is not uncommon for drivers to look directly at a motorcyclist but fail to register that they are there.

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.

The clothes you wear when riding a motorcycle should protect you from sunburn, windburn, rain, dehydration, cold, and parts of the motorcycle. Your clothing should provide you with additional protection in the case of a crash.

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.

You should avoid riding if you are tired. When making a long trip, take rest breaks at least every two hours to reduce the risk of becoming fatigued.

Before riding with a heavy load, you should make sure your tire pressure, spring pre-load, air shocks, and dampers are at the settings recommended for the relevant weight.

Most crashes happen on trips that are shorter than five miles, just a few minutes after the rider starts out.

The cornering characteristics of a three-wheeled motorcycle or a motorcycle with a sidecar differ from those of a two-wheeled motorcycle. The best path for a three-wheeler to take through a curve may not actually follow the curve. For example, you may need to move from the outside of the curve to the inside of the curve before straightening out your path.

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

Lengthen your following distance when traveling on a slippery surface. If it will take longer than usual for your motorcycle to stop, open up to a longer following distance.

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.

Instead of mechanical turn signals, operators may use hand signals to indicate turns or stops. If an operator's left arm is extended straight out to the left, it means the operator plans to turn left or change lanes to the left.

Before beginning a ride, you should ask your passenger to mount the motorcycle only after the engine has been started. They should sit as far forward as they can without crowding you and hold onto the motorcycle's passenger handholds or onto your waist, hips, or belt. They should keep their legs away from the muffler, chains, and other moving parts.

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.

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.

Small vehicles, like motorcycles, can visually seem to be farther away and moving more slowly than they actually are. This phenomenon can make it difficult for others on the road to accurately judge the location and speed of a smaller vehicle.

To reduce the risk of being involved in a crash, you should always ensure that you are visible to others. Communicate your intentions through proper use of your signals, brake light, and lane position. Maintain a space cushion around your motorcycle and consistently scan the road ahead of, behind, and next to your vehicle.

Jackets and pants made of leather offer the greatest degree of protection to those riding motorcycles.