Basic Rider Course MSF Complete
Study Guide 2024
Three (3) types of motorcycles, primary use for each, and distinguishing characteristics
(Q. 1, 2) - CORRECT ANSWER-Street, dual-purpose and off-road. Street motorcycles
are designed for use on public streets and highways. They have all the equipment for
safe and enjoyable street operation. Dual-purpose motorcycles are equipped for use on
the street and off-road trails. Off-road motorcycles are not street-legal, and are typically
used for recreational or competitive use.
Two primary differences between cars/trucks and motorcycles (Q. 4 - bold) - CORRECT
ANSWER-Stability, vulnerability (and not readily seen).
What are the problems caused by the differences between cars/trucks and
motorcycles? (Q. 5 - bold) - CORRECT ANSWER-Motorcycles do not have the stability
of cars because they must be balanced, and motorcycles leave you more vulnerable in
a crash because there is less protection. Motorcycles are not as readily seen as cars,
trucks, or other motor vehicles because of their size.
Part of being responsible means to give a lot of thought to what? (Q. 11 - bold) -
CORRECT ANSWER-the consequences of your riding behavior in traffic; the result of
your decisions and actions; developing good skills and judgment
What is the primary cause of motorcycle crashes? (Q. 12 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-there is rarely a single cause; possible factors: speeding, inattention,
distraction, drinking, or carelessness.
How does a rider reduce factors that lead to crashes? (Q. 16 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-by applying a strategy
What does it mean to have a margin of safety? (Q. 17 - BOLD) - CORRECT ANSWER-
consideration for the "margin for error," or how much extra time and space you need
given your skill level
What is SEE, and what does each letter stand for? (Q. 18 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-a powerful strategy - Search, Evaluate, Execute
Name several purposes of protective riding gear. (Q. 19 - bold) - CORRECT ANSWER-
providing comfort, increasing visibility, and offering protection
What's the difference between a full-face and three-quarter-coverage helmet? (Q. 24 -
BOLD) - CORRECT ANSWER-A full-face helmet gives the most protection since it
, covers lall lof lthe lhead land lface. lA lthree-quarter lhelmet ldoesn't loffer lthe lface land lchin
lprotection lof lthe lfull-face lhelmets.
Why laren't lordinary lglasses lor lsunglasses lsufficient leye lprotection? l(Q. l25 l- lBOLD) l-
lCORRECT lANSWER-because lthey lcan lshatter lor lfly loff, land lthey lallow lwind land
lairborne lobjects lto lreach lthe leyes.
What lstickers lare llikely lto lindicate la lwell-made lhelmet? l(Q. l26 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT
lANSWER-the lDOT lsticker, lSnell lMemorial lFoundation lsticker
What ltype lof linjury laccounts lfor lthe lmajority lof lmotorcycle ldeaths? l(Q. l27 l- lBOLD) l-
lCORRECT lANSWER-head linjuries
What lis lthe lvalue lof lappropriate lfootwear? l(Q. l29 l- lBold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-Sturdy
lover-the-ankle lboots lhelp lprotect lriders lfrom lriding lhazards, lthey lprevent lburns lfrom lhot
lexhaust lpipes, lprovide la lstrong lgrip lon lthe lpavement, lhelp lkeep lfeet lon lthe lfootrests,
land lcan lprovide lsome lprotection lagainst lfoot land lankle linjuries.
What lis lthe lvalue lof lmotorcycle lspecific lclothing? l(Q. l31 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-
they lprovide lthe lbest lcombination lof lfit land lprotection
Define l"hypothermia" land lprovide lan lexample. l(Q. l33 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-a
lcondition lof lsubnormal lbody ltemperature; la lchilling leffect lexperienced lby la
lmotorcyclist lon la lchilly lday l(50 ldegrees) lriding lat la lspeed lof l30 lmph
What lis lthe lvalue lof ldressing lin llayers? l(Q. l34 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-so lthat
llayers lcan lbe lremoved las ldesired, lto lhelp lbody lheat lform la lwarm linsulation, lto lprevent
lcold lair lfrom lreaching lthe lskin
What lis lT-CLOCS land lwhat ldoes leach lletter lstand lfor? l(Q. l38 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT
lANSWER-a lconvenient lreminder lfor la lquick land leasy lcheck lof lcritical lcomponents; lT-
Tires land lWheels, lC-Controls, lL-Lights land lElectrics, lO-Oil land lOther lFluids, lC-
Chassis, lS-Stands
What lare lthe lprimary lmotorcycle lcontrols? l(Q. l41 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-
Throttle, lclutch llever, lgearshift llever, lfront lbrake llever, land lrear lbrake lpedal
What lis lthe lmost lcommon lway lto linitiate land lcontrol lmotorcycle llean l(for lturns)? l(Q. l42
- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-The lhandlebars
What lis lmeant lby l"shift lpattern"? l(Q. l46 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-order lof lgears; la
ltypical lgear lpattern lis l1-N-2-3-4-5
Where lare lthe lbrake lcontrols lfound? l(Q. l47 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-The lfront
lbrake llever lis lfound lin lthe lfront lof lthe lright lhand lgrip. lThe lrear lbrake lpedal lis lfound lin
lfront lof lthe lright lfootrest.
Study Guide 2024
Three (3) types of motorcycles, primary use for each, and distinguishing characteristics
(Q. 1, 2) - CORRECT ANSWER-Street, dual-purpose and off-road. Street motorcycles
are designed for use on public streets and highways. They have all the equipment for
safe and enjoyable street operation. Dual-purpose motorcycles are equipped for use on
the street and off-road trails. Off-road motorcycles are not street-legal, and are typically
used for recreational or competitive use.
Two primary differences between cars/trucks and motorcycles (Q. 4 - bold) - CORRECT
ANSWER-Stability, vulnerability (and not readily seen).
What are the problems caused by the differences between cars/trucks and
motorcycles? (Q. 5 - bold) - CORRECT ANSWER-Motorcycles do not have the stability
of cars because they must be balanced, and motorcycles leave you more vulnerable in
a crash because there is less protection. Motorcycles are not as readily seen as cars,
trucks, or other motor vehicles because of their size.
Part of being responsible means to give a lot of thought to what? (Q. 11 - bold) -
CORRECT ANSWER-the consequences of your riding behavior in traffic; the result of
your decisions and actions; developing good skills and judgment
What is the primary cause of motorcycle crashes? (Q. 12 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-there is rarely a single cause; possible factors: speeding, inattention,
distraction, drinking, or carelessness.
How does a rider reduce factors that lead to crashes? (Q. 16 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-by applying a strategy
What does it mean to have a margin of safety? (Q. 17 - BOLD) - CORRECT ANSWER-
consideration for the "margin for error," or how much extra time and space you need
given your skill level
What is SEE, and what does each letter stand for? (Q. 18 - BOLD) - CORRECT
ANSWER-a powerful strategy - Search, Evaluate, Execute
Name several purposes of protective riding gear. (Q. 19 - bold) - CORRECT ANSWER-
providing comfort, increasing visibility, and offering protection
What's the difference between a full-face and three-quarter-coverage helmet? (Q. 24 -
BOLD) - CORRECT ANSWER-A full-face helmet gives the most protection since it
, covers lall lof lthe lhead land lface. lA lthree-quarter lhelmet ldoesn't loffer lthe lface land lchin
lprotection lof lthe lfull-face lhelmets.
Why laren't lordinary lglasses lor lsunglasses lsufficient leye lprotection? l(Q. l25 l- lBOLD) l-
lCORRECT lANSWER-because lthey lcan lshatter lor lfly loff, land lthey lallow lwind land
lairborne lobjects lto lreach lthe leyes.
What lstickers lare llikely lto lindicate la lwell-made lhelmet? l(Q. l26 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT
lANSWER-the lDOT lsticker, lSnell lMemorial lFoundation lsticker
What ltype lof linjury laccounts lfor lthe lmajority lof lmotorcycle ldeaths? l(Q. l27 l- lBOLD) l-
lCORRECT lANSWER-head linjuries
What lis lthe lvalue lof lappropriate lfootwear? l(Q. l29 l- lBold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-Sturdy
lover-the-ankle lboots lhelp lprotect lriders lfrom lriding lhazards, lthey lprevent lburns lfrom lhot
lexhaust lpipes, lprovide la lstrong lgrip lon lthe lpavement, lhelp lkeep lfeet lon lthe lfootrests,
land lcan lprovide lsome lprotection lagainst lfoot land lankle linjuries.
What lis lthe lvalue lof lmotorcycle lspecific lclothing? l(Q. l31 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-
they lprovide lthe lbest lcombination lof lfit land lprotection
Define l"hypothermia" land lprovide lan lexample. l(Q. l33 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-a
lcondition lof lsubnormal lbody ltemperature; la lchilling leffect lexperienced lby la
lmotorcyclist lon la lchilly lday l(50 ldegrees) lriding lat la lspeed lof l30 lmph
What lis lthe lvalue lof ldressing lin llayers? l(Q. l34 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-so lthat
llayers lcan lbe lremoved las ldesired, lto lhelp lbody lheat lform la lwarm linsulation, lto lprevent
lcold lair lfrom lreaching lthe lskin
What lis lT-CLOCS land lwhat ldoes leach lletter lstand lfor? l(Q. l38 l- lBOLD) l- lCORRECT
lANSWER-a lconvenient lreminder lfor la lquick land leasy lcheck lof lcritical lcomponents; lT-
Tires land lWheels, lC-Controls, lL-Lights land lElectrics, lO-Oil land lOther lFluids, lC-
Chassis, lS-Stands
What lare lthe lprimary lmotorcycle lcontrols? l(Q. l41 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-
Throttle, lclutch llever, lgearshift llever, lfront lbrake llever, land lrear lbrake lpedal
What lis lthe lmost lcommon lway lto linitiate land lcontrol lmotorcycle llean l(for lturns)? l(Q. l42
- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-The lhandlebars
What lis lmeant lby l"shift lpattern"? l(Q. l46 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-order lof lgears; la
ltypical lgear lpattern lis l1-N-2-3-4-5
Where lare lthe lbrake lcontrols lfound? l(Q. l47 l- lbold) l- lCORRECT lANSWER-The lfront
lbrake llever lis lfound lin lthe lfront lof lthe lright lhand lgrip. lThe lrear lbrake lpedal lis lfound lin
lfront lof lthe lright lfootrest.
