Practice question

What should a rider do to reduce speed before making a turn?

  1. Close the throttle and apply both brakes
  2. Stay in gear and accelerate
  3. Shift weight forward and lean back
  4. Rev the engine to prepare for acceleration

Answer: A — Close the throttle and apply both brakes

To reduce speed effectively before making a turn, the rider should close the throttle and apply both brakes. This approach allows the motorcycle to decelerate smoothly, ensuring greater control and stability as the rider enters the turn. By closing the throttle, the rider decreases the engine power, which helps in slowing down the bike. Applying both brakes, typically the front and rear brakes, provides balanced stopping power and reduces the risk of skidding or losing traction. Maintaining proper speed before a turn is crucial for handling the bike safely and effectively; too high a speed can result in poor cornering performance or even a crash. Additionally, this method allows the rider to assess the road conditions and navigate through the turn more safely. The other options wouldn't effectively address the need to reduce speed before turning. Staying in gear and accelerating, for instance, would increase speed and could lead to losing control in the turn. Shifting weight forward and leaning back may not directly help with speed reduction. Revving the engine focuses on preparing for acceleration rather than naturally slowing down, which is counterproductive before a turn.

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