Washington Motorcycle Control, Cornering and Braking Practice Test

What the Washington Motorcycle Operator Manual says about control, cornering and braking

• Clutch Control and Shifting Gears

  Practice shifting up and down until it's smooth and you can shift without looking down, keeping your eyes on the road. Most motorcycles have a wet clutch, bathed in cooling fluid to cut wear, which helps meter power to the rear wheel for smooth starts and low-speed control. p. 3-3

• Cornering Steps

  Next in a corner, countersteer to lean (press harder and lean more if you're going wide), and after entering the corner roll on the throttle gently and smoothly to hold or slightly raise speed, which stabilizes the motorcycle. p. 3-5

• Braking in a Straight Line

  After coming to a stop, stay in first gear and check your mirrors, so you can move if you need to avoid being rear-ended. p. 3-8

• Braking in a Corner

  The way to avoid braking in a corner is to slow down and set your entry speed before it, based on its radius, surface and line of sight; the manual sums up cornering as SLOW, LOOK, PRESS and ROLL. p. 3-9

• Quick Stops

  Use both brakes even for normal stops, building the habit and muscle memory you'll need to brake well in an emergency. p. 3-9

• Carrying Passengers and Cargo

  In Washington a motorcycle passenger, on two or three wheels, must be at least five years old, have a passenger seat and footboards or pegs, and wear a DOT-compliant helmet. p. 3-11

Where it is in the Washington Motorcycle Operator Manual

• p. 3-1–3-7Chapter 3 · Posture, controls, shifting, steering and cornering
• p. 3-8–3-11Chapter 3 · Braking, quick stops, swerves, passengers and cargo

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