The very first drink already begins to slow reactions and cloud judgment and coordination. For that reason, the safest choice is not to drink at all before you ride.
Three things mainly determine BAC: the quantity of alcohol, the pace of drinking, and body weight. A person's usual drinking frequency plays no part in the level reached on a given occasion.
Roughly the same amount of alcohol is found in 5 ounces of wine, a 12-ounce beer, or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor, and each of these servings counts as one standard drink. A single ounce of wine contains only a fraction of that amount.
Tiredness grows the longer you ride, so set a limit on how far you go each day and stop to rest at least every two hours. Coffee and loud music only cover up drowsiness for a short while, and stimulants can leave you even more worn out when they wear off.
On average, the body clears about one standard drink each hour, and coffee or a cold shower cannot speed that up. Only time brings a person's blood alcohol level back down.
Each drink raises the amount of alcohol in the blood and further dulls the judgment, balance, and quick reactions that riding demands. The impairment keeps growing with every drink instead of leveling off.
For riders 21 and older, 0.08% is the legal limit in nearly every state, and a BAC at or above it is enough for a DUI charge. Lower cutoffs, such as 0.04% for commercial drivers and 0.02% for under-21 drivers in many states, apply to other groups.
The liver breaks alcohol down at a fairly steady pace, roughly one standard drink per hour, and nothing speeds that process up. Coffee, exercise, or a cold shower may make someone feel more alert, but the alcohol stays in the blood until enough time has passed.
Nearly every state treats an adult whose BAC reaches 0.08% as legally intoxicated (Utah sets a stricter 0.05% limit), while lower cutoffs apply to commercial drivers and to anyone under 21. Judgment and balance start to slip well before 0.08%, so the safest plan is not to ride after drinking.
An adult's liver works through roughly one standard drink an hour, and nothing can make it go faster. If drinks come faster than that, the extra alcohol builds up in the blood, raising BAC and further dulling the judgment and coordination a rider needs.
Stepping in alone is hard, and one person is easy to brush off. With several friends backing you up, it is easier to stay firm and keep the person from riding; telling them to go slowly or giving them coffee does not make riding after drinking safe.
Hypothermia sets in when the body loses heat faster than it can make it and its core temperature sinks below normal, bringing shivering, poor concentration and slow reactions. On a motorcycle the risk is higher because moving air carries body heat away quickly, so wear warm layers and windproof gear in cold weather.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
