The owner's manual should be your primary source of information about your specific type of motorcycle. Be sure to read the manual before operating your motorcycle for the first time.

The engine cut-off switch is generally located next to the right handgrip. It is important to know where all of your motorcycle's controls are located before starting out.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Motorcycles have blind spots just like any other vehicle. Always turn your head and look over your shoulder to check for traffic in your blind spot before changing lanes.

It is dangerous to ride directly alongside a vehicle in another lane because you may be in the vehicle's blind spot and the driver will have no way of knowing you are there. It can also be dangerous because the vehicle may block your path of escape if another hazard arises.

When riding, it is safest for a motorcyclist to wear a helmet, eye protection, a jacket, long pants, sturdy boots, and gloves.

Your motorcycle will sit lower than normal under the additional weight of a passenger. To accommodate, you should ride a bit more slowly than usual, particularly when riding through curves, through corners, or over bumps. The extra weight also means that your motorcycle will take longer than usual to speed up, slow down, or stop, so you should maintain a larger space cushion when carrying a passenger.

For your safety, it is important to be aware of what's behind you. Frequent mirror checks should be a part of your normal searching routine.

Most motorcycle crashes happen on trips that are shorter than five miles in length at speeds slower than 30 mph.

Replace any helmet that has been worn during a crash.

More than half of all motorcycle crashes involve riders who have been using their motorcycle for less than six months. Most crashes take place in broad daylight when the riders are traveling at low speeds.

When passing parked vehicles, use caution. You may encounter vehicles pulling away from the curb or leaving parking spaces.

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.

A number of surfaces can provide poor traction for tires. Wet pavement; roads covered in loose gravel or sand; muddy, snowy, or icy areas; painted lane markings; oily areas; and metal covers and plates in the road can be more hazardous for a motorcyclist than dry pavement.

There is no single lane position that is always best and no single lane position that should always be avoided. Vary your lane position based on changing road and traffic conditions.

Oregon law applies severe mandatory penalties for drinking and riding. It is both illegal and dangerous to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

When making a turn, look through the turn to where you want to go. Turn only your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.

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.

While a staggered formation is usually best under normal riding conditions, a group of riders should switch to a single-file formation when taking curves, turning, or entering or exiting a highway.

Open up your following distance if your motorcycle will require a longer distance than normal to stop. Additionally, if you are riding in heavy traffic or if you cannot see through the vehicle in front of you, you should also increase your following distance.

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.

If one of your tires fails, hold the handgrips firmly and begin to slow down by easing off the throttle while maintaining a straight course. If you must brake, gradually apply the brake of the tire that is still good, if you are sure of which tire that is. Edge toward the side of the road as you slow down, squeeze the clutch, and stop.