In which of the following situations will the motorcycle rider need to shift his/her weight to the rear end?
- When the rear tire blows
- When the motorcycle loses its balance
- When the front tire blows ✓
- When s/he takes a turn
Answer: C. When the front tire blows
The rider needs to shift weight to the rear when the front tire blows.
Why this is the answer
The handbook's blowout steps separate the two tires. For a front-tire blowout, it says to move your weight as far back as you can. For a rear-tire blowout, it says to stay where you are. That matches the situation in the correct choice. The handbook also says to hold the handgrips, keep a straight course, stay off the brake, close the throttle gradually and coast, but the weight-shift question is answered by the front-versus-rear distinction.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. When the rear tire blows — If the rear tire blows, the handbook says to stay where you are rather than shift your weight to the rear.
- B. When the motorcycle loses its balance — The passages say to react quickly to keep your balance after a blowout, but they do not describe shifting weight to the rear just because the motorcycle loses balance.
- D. When s/he takes a turn — The passages do not say to shift weight to the rear when taking a turn; the weight-shift instruction is given for a front-tire blowout.
Remember it
Front tire gone: slide back. Rear tire gone: stay put.