Which of the following is most useful to the motorcycle rider to help him/her maintain balance?
- Wearing a helmet
- Regular body movements while riding
- Correct use of lower gears
- Keeping the feet steady on the footpegs ✓
Answer: D. Keeping the feet steady on the footpegs
Keeping your feet steady on the footpegs is the most useful of these for maintaining balance.
Why this is the answer
The motorcycle handbook's driving-along section tells riders to keep their feet firmly on the footrests to maintain balance, and not to drag a foot along the ground. That directly supports keeping the feet steady on the footpegs. The same section talks about posture and gripping the handgrips, but the balance instruction it gives is about foot placement.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Wearing a helmet — A helmet is protective gear; the passages do not say that wearing one helps a rider hold balance.
- B. Regular body movements while riding — The handbook advises avoiding unnecessary motions and does not present regular body movements as the way to maintain balance.
- C. Correct use of lower gears — Correct use of lower gears is not mentioned in the passages as a balance aid, so it has no support here.
Remember it
Think 'feet planted, balance set' while you ride.