New York City Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

While riding, which body parts are important to move when turning?

1. Hands and feet

2. Head and eyes

3. Shoulders and arms

4. Hips and knees

The correct answer is: Head and eyes

When turning while riding a motorcycle, the movement of the head and eyes is crucial for maintaining balance and ensuring safety. By turning your head and directing your gaze in the direction you wish to go, you effectively communicate your intended path of travel to your body, allowing for better control of the motorcycle. This action also helps in scanning the environment for potential hazards, ensuring that you are aware of other vehicles, obstacles, and road conditions. The head and eyes work together to provide a clear line of sight, which is vital during turns since your peripheral vision alone may not be sufficient to detect oncoming traffic or obstacles. Moreover, looking through the turn rather than just leaning into it helps establish balance, enabling smoother navigation through the curve. In contrast, while hands and feet are important for operating the controls, it is the head and eyes that guide your motion and promote situational awareness. Shoulders and arms play a role in controlling the motorcycle, but they are not as critical in terms of signaling direction to your body as the head and eyes are. Similarly, hips and knees may help with body positioning but do not directly influence the turning process in the same way that head and eye movement does.