MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Emergency Maneuvers 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?

Accepted Answer

Keep your body upright and press the handlebar on the side you wish to turn, leaning the motorcycle into the swerve.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Quickly straighten the motorcycle to a vertical position, then apply maximum straight-line braking.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Pull in the clutch lever completely and simultaneously use the engine cut-off switch.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Grip the handlebars firmly, avoid braking, and gradually roll off the throttle.

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

Applying a firm, quick press to the handgrip in the intended direction of the swerve.

Answer

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.

MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Practice Test

MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Practice Test

MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation Emergency Maneuvers Questions and Answers