California Motorcycle Handbook - Antevia

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CONSTANT CURVESMULTIPLE CURVESDECREASING CURVESWIDENING CURVESCorneringA primary cause of single-vehiclecrashes is motorcyclists runningwide in a curve or turn andcolliding with the roadway or afixed object.Every curve is different. Be alertto whether a curve remainsconstant, gradually widens, getstighter, or involves multipleturns.Ride within your skill level andposted speed limits. Your bestpath may not always follow thecurve of the road.Change your lane position basedon traffic, road conditions, andcurve of the road. If there is notraffic, start at the outside of acurve to increase your line ofsight and the effective radius ofthe turn. As you turn, movetoward the inside of the curve,and as you pass the center, moveto the outside to exit.25
Another choice is to move to thecenter of your lane beforeentering a curve and stay thereuntil you exit. This allows you tosee approaching traffic as soonas possible. You can also adjustfor traffic “crowding” the centerline or debris blocking part ofyour lane.HANDLING DANGEROUSSURFACESYour chance of falling or beinginvolved in a crash increaseswhenever you ride across:• Uneven surfaces or obstacles.• Slippery surfaces.• Railroad tracks or pavementseams.• Grooves and gratings.Uneven Surfaces andObstaclesWatch for uneven surfaces suchas bumps, broken pavement,potholes, or small pieces ofhighway trash.Avoid obstacles by slowing orgoing around them. However, ifyou must go over the obstacle,first determine if it’s possible.Approach it at as close to a 90°angle as possible. Look whereyou want to go to control yourpath of travel. If you have to rideover the obstacle, you should:• Slow down as much as possiblebefore contact.• Make sure the motorcycle isstraight.• Rise slightly off the seat withyour weight on the footpegs toabsorb the shock with yourknees and elbows and avoidbeing thrown off themotorcycle.• Just before contact, roll on thethrottle slightly to lighten thefront end.If you ride over an object, pulloff the road and check your tiresand rims for damage before ridingany farther.Slippery Surfaces<strong>Motorcycle</strong>s handle better onsurfaces with good traction.Surfaces with poor tractioninclude:• Wet pavement, particularly justafter it starts to rain and beforesurface oil washes to the sideof the road.• Gravel roads or where sand andgravel collect.• Mud, snow, and ice.• Lane markings, steel plates,and manhole covers especiallywhen wet.To ride safely on slipperysurfaces:• Reduce Speed. Slow downbefore you get to a slipperysurface to reduce your chancesof skidding. When slippery,your motorcycle needs moredistance to stop. It is especiallyimportant to reduce speedbefore entering wet curves.• Avoid Sudden Moves. Any26
Page 2 and 3: DISCLAIMER ........................
Page 4 and 5: DMV INFORMATIONDMV field offices ar
Page 6 and 7: MOTOR-DRIVEN CYCLESA motor-driven c
Page 8 and 9: MINORS’ M1/M2 PERMITREQUIREMENTST
Page 10 and 11: Unsafe Helmet InteriorSafe Helmet I
Page 12 and 13: and knows how to ride beforeyou all
Page 14 and 15: without having to stretch.• Hands
Page 16 and 17: • Communicate your intentions.•
Page 18 and 19: of your lane. Riding any closercoul
Page 20 and 21: • Vehicles and other traffic maym
Page 22 and 23: PARKED CARSyou with no place to go.
Page 24 and 25: When you enter a freeway,drivers ap
Page 26 and 27: it is coming. These contrastsare mi
Page 30 and 31: sudden change in speed ordirection
Page 32 and 33: several times. If the throttle cabl
Page 34 and 35: CARRYING PASSENGERS ANDCARGOOnly ex
Page 36 and 37: lane changes early to permiteveryon
Page 38 and 39: an hour, at the end of that hour,at
Page 40: Use Your PhoneDMV Self Service Anyt

California Motorcycle Handbook - Antevia

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