Colorado Motorcycle Control and Crash Avoidance Practice Test

What the Colorado Motorcycle Operator's Handbook says about control and crash avoidance

• Braking

  On a two-wheel motorcycle and a sidecar rig the front brake gives the most stopping power, but on a trike the rear brake does; some sidecar rigs also have a brake on the sidecar wheel. p. 6

• Turning

  On a sidecar outfit, yaw is veering left or right: when accelerating, compensate by steering toward the left; when slowing, compensate by steering to the right. p. 6

• Turning

  Colorado's handbook teaches four turning steps, SLOW, LOOK, LEAN, ROLL: slow before the turn by closing the throttle and, if needed, using both brakes. p. 6

• Quick Stops

  If you must stop quickly while turning or in a curve and can't straighten up first, apply the brakes and start slowing. p. 11

• Swerving or Turning Quickly

  When swerving, try to stay in your own lane, since you can squeeze by most obstacles without leaving it; change lanes only if you have time to make sure the other lane is clear. On a three-wheeler, keep leaning your body into corners, which helps avoid a rollover when swerving with an empty sidecar. p. 11

• Cornering

  Since a sidecar usually sits on the right, left turns are easier because the sidecar wheel bears the extra cornering forces; a right turn taken too fast or while braking may lift the sidecar wheel off the ground ("fly"), which is best avoided by slowing before the turn. p. 12

Where it is in the Colorado Motorcycle Operator's Handbook

• p. 5–6Chapter 3 · Body position, turning, braking and shifting
• p. 11–12Chapter 10 · Quick stops, swerving, curves and cornering

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