MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Emergency Maneuvers Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: While riding through a curve, a deer suddenly jumps into your path, leaving no time to stop. According to MSF, what is the best immediate action to take for an emergency swerve?
- Apply firm, steady pressure to the handlebar in the direction you want to go.
- Brake hard and lean your body away from the obstacle.
- Turn the handlebars quickly in the opposite direction of the desired turn.
- Keep your body upright and press the handlebar on the side you wish to turn, leaning the motorcycle into the swerve. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Keep your body upright and press the handlebar on the side you wish to turn, leaning the motorcycle into the swerve.
The correct technique for an emergency swerve is to use counter-steering. By pressing the handlebar on the side you want the motorcycle to go (press right to go right), you initiate a lean in that direction. Keeping your own body upright relative to the motorcycle allows the bike to lean quickly underneath you, executing the swerve efficiently. Braking during a swerve can cause a loss of traction and should be avoided until the motorcycle is upright again.
Question 2: You are in a steady lean through a corner when you encounter unexpected gravel on the road surface, requiring an immediate, hard stop. What is the proper MSF-recommended procedure?
- Apply both brakes smoothly and progressively while maintaining your lean angle.
- Quickly straighten the motorcycle to a vertical position, then apply maximum straight-line braking. (Correct answer)
- Apply only the rear brake to avoid washing out the front tire.
- Increase throttle slightly to lighten the front end before applying the brakes.
Correct answer: Quickly straighten the motorcycle to a vertical position, then apply maximum straight-line braking.
When leaned over, a motorcycle has limited traction available for braking. Applying hard braking force while in a lean can easily overwhelm the tires and cause a crash. The safest procedure for an emergency stop in a curve is to first straighten the bike to an upright position. This maximizes the tire's contact patch for braking, allowing you to apply both brakes firmly and safely in a straight line.
Question 3: Which of the following describes the correct and immediate sequence of actions if your motorcycle's throttle becomes stuck in the open position while riding?
- Continue to ride while attempting to jiggle the throttle grip free.
- Immediately apply both brakes as hard as possible to overcome the engine power.
- Pull in the clutch lever completely and simultaneously use the engine cut-off switch. (Correct answer)
- Shift to the highest gear to reduce engine RPM and then pull over.
Correct answer: Pull in the clutch lever completely and simultaneously use the engine cut-off switch.
If the throttle sticks, the immediate priority is to disengage power from the rear wheel. The MSF procedure is to squeeze the clutch lever fully, which disconnects the engine from the transmission, and simultaneously use the red engine cut-off switch to shut down the engine. Once the engine is off and no longer driving the wheel, you can safely apply the brakes to come to a stop.
Question 4: A rider experiences a sudden rear-tire blowout while traveling at highway speed. What is the recommended initial response to maintain control?
- Immediately apply the front brake to shift weight forward and stabilize the motorcycle.
- Grip the handlebars firmly, avoid braking, and gradually roll off the throttle. (Correct answer)
- Quickly counter-steer to the side of the blown tire to correct the wobble.
- Pull in the clutch and apply the rear brake to slow the damaged wheel.
Correct answer: Grip the handlebars firmly, avoid braking, and gradually roll off the throttle.
In the event of a rear-tire failure, the motorcycle will tend to wobble or fishtail. The correct response is to hold the handlebars firmly to maintain a straight course, gently roll off the throttle to slow down gradually, and avoid any abrupt inputs, including braking. Hard braking can lock the damaged wheel or otherwise destabilize the motorcycle further.
Question 5: You are riding straight and an obstacle suddenly appears in your path that is too large to ride over. There is not enough distance to stop. The MSF teaches a swerving technique which involves two consecutive turns. This maneuver is initiated by:
- Shifting your body weight quickly to one side.
- Turning the handlebars in the direction you want to go.
- Leaning the motorcycle and turning the handlebars simultaneously.
- Applying a firm, quick press to the handgrip in the intended direction of the swerve. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Applying a firm, quick press to the handgrip in the intended direction of the swerve.
A swerve is an emergency maneuver that relies on the principle of counter-steering. To initiate a quick lean and change of direction, the rider must press forward on the handgrip on the side they wish to go. For example, to swerve right, the rider presses the right handgrip. This action causes the motorcycle to lean right quickly. The swerve consists of this initial press, followed by a second press on the opposite grip to straighten the motorcycle.
Question 6: When executing an emergency swerve to the left to avoid a hazard, what is the proper follow-up action to straighten the motorcycle?
- Shift your body weight to the right.
- Apply the rear brake gently.
- Press the right handgrip forward. (Correct answer)
- Pull back on the left handgrip.
Correct answer: Press the right handgrip forward.
A swerve is composed of two counter-steering inputs. After pressing the left handgrip to initiate the swerve to the left, the rider must then press the right handgrip forward to bring the motorcycle back upright and in a straight line. This second press counteracts the initial lean and completes the avoidance maneuver.
MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Emergency Maneuvers Questions and Answers
While riding through a curve, a deer suddenly jumps into your path, leaving no time to stop.
According to MSF, what is the best immediate action to take for an emergency swerve?