Motorcycle Permit Test: Vehicle control questions and answers

1. A10%
2. B30%
3. C70% or more
4. D100%

Answer: C. The front brake is the more powerful one — 70% or more of stopping power. Use both brakes every time.

1. AOnly the rear brake
2. BOnly the front brake
3. CThe engine only
4. DBoth front and rear brakes

Answer: D. Use both brakes every time you slow or stop.

1. AYour wrists are flat and hands are at or below elbow height
2. BYour elbows are locked straight
3. CYour wrists are bent up
4. DOnly your fingertips touch the grips

Answer: A. Flat wrists help you avoid accidentally using too much throttle.

1. ABrake, lean, shift, accelerate
2. BSlow, look, press, roll
3. CSignal, stop, turn, go
4. DLook, brake, steer, stop

Answer: B. Slow before the turn, look through it, press the handgrip in the direction of the turn, and roll on the throttle.

1. APress the right handgrip
2. BPull the left handgrip toward you
3. CPress the left handgrip
4. DShift your weight back

Answer: C. Press left — lean left — go left (countersteering).

1. AClose it completely
2. BBrake with the engine
3. CRev the engine loudly
4. DMaintain or slightly increase speed

Answer: D. Rolling on the throttle through the turn helps keep the motorcycle stable.

1. ABefore or after the swerve, never during it
2. BHard during the swerve
3. COnly with the front brake during the swerve
4. DNever at all

Answer: A. Separate braking and swerving: brake before or after, never while swerving aggressively.

1. AKeep holding the brake
2. BRelease the front brake, then reapply it more gently
3. CUse only the rear brake from then on
4. DTurn the handlebars quickly

Answer: B. Release and immediately reapply the front brake with less pressure.

1. ABrake hard while leaning
2. BUse only the rear brake
3. CStraighten the motorcycle first, then brake
4. DSpeed up out of the curve

Answer: C. Get the motorcycle as upright as possible, then brake; if you cannot, brake gently while reducing lean.

1. AUsed too much front brake
2. BNever used the horn
3. CRode too slowly
4. DUnderbraked the front tire and overbraked the rear

Answer: D. Many riders underuse the powerful front brake and lock the rear.

1. AYou can reach the ground only by leaning the motorcycle
2. BYour feet reach the ground while seated and the controls are easy to operate
3. CYour arms are fully extended to reach the controls
4. DYour feet touch the ground only when you stand up

Answer: B. Your feet should reach the ground while you are seated, and the controls should be easy to operate.

1. ALarger motorcycles
2. BThe most powerful motorcycles
3. CSmaller motorcycles
4. DMotorcycles with the tallest seats

Answer: C. Smaller motorcycles are usually easier for beginners to operate.

1. AThe tire pressure valve
2. BThe chain oiler
3. CThe seat release
4. DThe engine cut-off switch

Answer: D. On an unfamiliar motorcycle you should find and operate the turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel-supply valve and engine cut-off switch without looking.

1. AFuel reserve level
2. BRedline
3. CFriction zone
4. DStand release

Answer: C. For manual transmissions you should be very familiar with the friction zone before riding an unfamiliar motorcycle.

1. AFollow closely to learn how it responds
2. BBrake harder than usual
3. CStay in the center of the lane
4. DLeave extra room for stopping

Answer: D. On an unfamiliar motorcycle, accelerate gently, take turns more slowly and leave extra room for stopping.

1. ARiding a borrowed motorcycle
2. BRiding in light traffic
3. CRiding on a short trip
4. DRiding at night

Answer: A. Be sure to review the owner's manual, especially if you are riding a borrowed motorcycle.

1. AFar enough back that your arms are fully straight on the handgrips
2. BFar enough forward that your arms are slightly bent when holding the handgrips
3. CFar enough back that you have to reach for the handgrips
4. DFar enough forward that your elbows are locked straight

Answer: B. Sitting forward with slightly bent arms lets you press on the handlebars without reaching too far.

1. AIt lets you squeeze the front brake harder
2. BIt reduces the vibration coming from the engine
3. CIt keeps your arms fully straight for steering
4. DIt helps keep you from accidentally using too much throttle

Answer: D. A flat right wrist makes it less likely that you will roll on too much throttle by accident.

1. ASoon enough to avoid overrevving, but not so soon that the engine lugs
2. BOnly when the engine reaches its maximum recommended RPM
3. CAs early as possible, to keep engine speed as low as it can be
4. DOnly after the motorcycle has reached a steady cruising speed

Answer: A. Shifting too late overrevs the engine, and shifting too early makes it lug.

1. ARoll off the throttle and squeeze the clutch, lift the shift lever and release, then ease out the clutch and adjust the throttle
2. BSqueeze the clutch and roll on the throttle, lift the shift lever and release, then release the clutch quickly
3. CClose the throttle and brake, press the shift lever down and release, then ease out the clutch
4. DRoll on the throttle, lift the shift lever while holding the clutch out, then squeeze the clutch

Answer: A. Upshifting: roll off the throttle while squeezing the clutch, lift the lever, then ease out the clutch and adjust the throttle.

1. ARolling on the throttle slightly while smoothly easing out the clutch lever
2. BClosing the throttle completely while quickly releasing the clutch lever
3. CApplying the front brake while releasing the clutch lever
4. DHolding the clutch lever in until the motorcycle stops

Answer: A. Blipping the throttle slightly as the clutch is eased out matches engine speed to the lower gear.

1. AShift down through several gears at once and release the clutch lever immediately
2. BClose the throttle and shift into neutral
3. CShift down and release the clutch lever fully before the engine speed stabilizes
4. DShift down one gear at a time, easing out the clutch lever through the friction zone between each downshift

Answer: D. Shifting to a lower gear has an effect similar to using the brakes, so do it gradually and smoothly.

1. AThe engine will stall immediately and the headlight will go out
2. BThe motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid
3. CThe front wheel will lift off the ground
4. DThe clutch lever will lock in place

Answer: B. Make sure you are slow enough before downshifting, or the rear wheel can skid.

1. ABefore entering the turn
2. BHalfway through the turn
3. CAt the exit of the turn
4. DWhile leaning at the maximum angle

Answer: A. Changing gears before the turn avoids a sudden change in power to the rear wheel while leaned over.

1. AApply only the front brake as hard as possible
2. BApply only the rear brake and downshift quickly
3. CFully apply both the front and rear brakes without locking either wheel
4. DLock the rear wheel to keep the motorcycle straight

Answer: C. Both brakes together, firmly but without locking a wheel, give the shortest straight-line stop.

1. AGrab it as hard and fast as you can
2. BTap it quickly several times
3. CSqueeze it smoothly and firmly, with progressively more force
4. DPress it lightly and never increase the force

Answer: C. Grabbing the lever or using abrupt pressure can lock the wheel.

1. AWeight transfers backward, so more traction becomes available at the rear wheel
2. BThe brake pads warm up as braking begins, so they grip the rotor better
3. CThe engine speed drops as you slow, so the front brake needs less force
4. DWeight transfers forward, so more traction becomes available at the front wheel

Answer: D. As weight shifts toward the front, the front tire can handle more braking force.

1. AWith increasingly heavy pressure, because the rear wheel gains traction
2. BWith light-to-lighter pressure, because less traction is available at the rear
3. CWith full pressure first, then release it
4. DNot at all during normal stops

Answer: B. As weight moves forward, the rear wheel loses traction and can skid if the pedal is pressed hard.

1. AIt is increased
2. BIt stays exactly the same
3. CIt is reduced
4. DIt is available only at the rear wheel

Answer: C. The greater the lean angle, the greater the chance of the tires losing traction.

1. AIt applies the front brake only, regardless of whether you use the lever or the pedal
2. BIt applies braking pressure to both brakes when either the front lever or rear pedal is used
3. CIt releases the rear brake whenever the front lever is applied, so only one brake works at a time
4. DIt prevents the front and rear brakes from being used at the same time by either control

Answer: B. Check the owner’s manual for how the system works on your motorcycle.

1. AAbout once per second
2. BAbout 3 times per second
3. COnly once per stop
4. DMore than 15 times per second

Answer: D. ABS cycles pressure very rapidly to keep the wheel from locking.

1. AThey gain extra traction from the higher speed
2. BThey lean less and the motorcycle straightens itself
3. CThey cross into another lane of traffic or go off the road
4. DThey simply slow down on their own

Answer: C. Approach turns and curves with caution.

1. ATurn your head and shoulders together toward the inside of the turn
2. BLook down at the road just in front of the front tire
3. CTilt your head to match the motorcycle’s lean
4. DTurn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon

Answer: D. Look where you want to go through the turn.

1. AThe lower the speed, the greater the lean angle in every case
2. BThe lean angle is the same for every turn
3. CThe higher the speed or the sharper the turn, the greater the lean angle
4. DOnly the width of the lane

Answer: C. To lean the motorcycle, press on the handgrip in the direction of the turn.

1. ALean your body together with the motorcycle at the same angle
2. BCounterbalance by leaning the motorcycle only and keeping your body upright
3. CLean your body away from the motorcycle and keep the motorcycle upright
4. DKeep both the motorcycle and your body upright

Answer: B. In regular turns, the rider and the motorcycle lean together at the same angle.

1. ARelease it at once and reapply it firmly
2. BKeep it locked until you have completely stopped
3. CRelease it and use only the front brake
4. DPump it rapidly while you downshift

Answer: B. On a good traction surface, you can keep a locked rear brake locked until you have completely stopped, as long as the motorcycle is upright and in a straight line.

1. AThe front brake does not work while the motorcycle leans
2. BThe rear brake loses power when the handlebars are turned
3. CThe tires always grip less on curves because they are cooler
4. DSome traction is already used for cornering, so less is left for stopping

Answer: D. When leaning, some of the traction is used for cornering, so less traction is available for stopping and a skid can occur if you brake too hard.

1. AGrab the front brake as hard as you can to stop in the shortest possible distance
2. BUse only the rear brake and keep the same lean angle until the motorcycle stops
3. CRoll on the throttle to straighten the motorcycle first, then brake hard in a straight line
4. DBrake smoothly and gradually, reducing lean angle and adding pressure as you slow

Answer: D. As you slow, you can reduce your lean angle and apply more brake pressure until the motorcycle is straight and maximum braking can be used.

1. AApplying the rear brake fully and the front brake lightly
2. BFully applying front and rear brakes without locking either wheel
3. CApplying only the front brake as hard as you can
4. DLocking the rear wheel so the motorcycle slows sooner

Answer: B. Maximum straight-line braking means fully applying the front and rear brakes without locking either wheel.

1. AOn the side of your intended direction of escape
2. BOpposite your intended direction of escape
3. COn the side that has the brake lever
4. DOn both handlegrips at the same time

Answer: A. To swerve, apply a small amount of hand pressure to the handlegrip on the side of your intended direction of escape; this makes the motorcycle lean quickly.

1. ALean your body hard in the direction of the turn
2. BLift your knees off the tank for better balance
3. CKeep your body upright and let the motorcycle lean beneath you
4. DShift your weight toward the back of the seat

Answer: C. In a swerve, keep your body upright and let the motorcycle lean, with knees against the tank and feet solidly on the footrests.

1. AThe obstacle you are trying to avoid
2. BThe pavement just in front of your front tire
3. CThe escape path you have chosen
4. DThe traffic behind you in your mirrors

Answer: C. In a swerve, make your escape path the target of your vision, not the obstacle.

1. AImmediate loss of steering control and balance
2. BLoss of braking power but no effect on steering
3. CLoss of power to the rear wheel only
4. DExtra stability as weight moves to the front tire

Answer: A. Front-wheel skids result in immediate loss of steering control and balance, so you must release the front brake lever immediately.

1. AThe front wheel locks as well
2. BThe motorcycle stops faster and stays stable
3. CThe engine stalls and the motorcycle straightens
4. DYour ability to change direction is lost

Answer: D. Too much rear brake pressure locks the rear wheel, and as soon as it locks your ability to change direction is lost.

1. AThe front wheel locks while the motorcycle is upright
2. BThe wheels are out of alignment and a locked rear wheel is released
3. CBoth wheels lock at the same time in a straight line
4. DThe rear brake is applied while the wheels are aligned

Answer: B. A high-side occurs when the wheels are out of alignment and a locked rear wheel is released, which can snap the motorcycle upright and throw the rider.

1. AThe left edge of your lane and stay there until you exit
2. BThe center of your lane and stay there until you exit
3. CThe right edge of your lane until you see the curve's end
4. DThe outside of the curve, returning to center at the middle

Answer: B. A good choice is to move to the center of your lane before entering a curve and stay there until you exit; this lets you spot approaching traffic early.

1. ACountersteer by pushing the handgrip in the direction of the turn
2. BLean your body sharply away from the turn
3. CPress the handgrip opposite the direction of the turn
4. DPoint the front wheel in the direction you want to go

Answer: D. Because it cannot lean, it cannot countersteer; the front wheel is simply pointed where you want to go.

1. AOutside the tip-over lines
2. BInside the tip-over lines
3. CAs far to one side as possible
4. DAs high as possible

Answer: B. Careful load and passenger positioning inside the tip-over lines helps maintain stability.

1. AAccelerate gently, take turns slowly and leave extra room for stopping
2. BTest its limits right away by accelerating hard and cornering fast
3. CTake turns quickly with the throttle open to feel how it handles
4. DUse less stopping room than usual, since three wheels stop better

Answer: A. Start out slowly and carefully; leave extra room for stopping.

1. AThe sidecar will always gain traction
2. BThe motorcycle will straighten itself
3. CThe sidecar wheel may lift off the ground
4. DNothing, since three wheels cannot lose traction

Answer: C. Braking in a sharp turn may lift the sidecar wheel off the ground.

1. ASidecar tires have unlimited traction, so braking hard in a turn is always safe
2. BSome tire traction is already used for cornering, so less is available for stopping
3. CBraking in a turn adds traction to the tires but it also overheats them quickly
4. DTurning shifts all of the traction to the sidecar tire, leaving none for the others

Answer: B. During turning, some traction is used for cornering, leaving less for stopping.

1. AIn a left turn, especially if the sidecar is fully loaded with heavy cargo
2. BWhen driving straight at a low speed, especially over rough pavement or gravel
3. COnly during hard acceleration, especially if the sidecar is heavily loaded
4. DIn a right turn, especially if the sidecar is empty or lightly loaded

Answer: D. In a right turn the sidecar wheel tends to lift, more so when the sidecar is empty or lightly loaded.

1. AIs certain to lift off the ground, so you must always slow down before turning left
2. BPulls the motorcycle sharply to the right so the sidecar wheel loses grip
3. CActs as a stabilizer, so its wheel stays on the ground
4. DHas no effect on handling, so the turn feels the same as on a solo motorcycle

Answer: C. In a left turn the sidecar acts as a stabilizer and its wheel stays down.

1. AMakes the front lighter and reduces front-tire traction
2. BMakes the front heavier and improves steering
3. CHas no effect on the front tire
4. DIncreases braking force needed

Answer: A. Weight shifts rearward, so the front becomes lighter and loses traction for steering and grip.

1. AWait until the last moment to brake
2. BBrake only after the corner
3. CRelease both brakes completely
4. DBegin slowing earlier for cornering and stopping

Answer: D. Gravity increases the braking force needed, so begin slowing earlier.

1. AAlways at the far right edge
2. BToward the center of the lane
3. CAlways at the left lane line
4. DAlternating between the left and right edges

Answer: B. Keep toward the center so the dual wheels do not cross the painted lines into opposing traffic.

1. AOnly while you are swerving, never before or after it
2. BEither before or after the swerve, never while swerving
3. COnly at the very peak of the swerve, never before or after it
4. DHard in the middle of the swerve to shorten the distance

Answer: B. Brake before or after the swerve, never during it.

1. AToward the inside of your lane
2. BAlong the center line
3. CToward the outside of your lane
4. DAlong the curb

Answer: C. Entering toward the outside increases your line of sight and reduces the effective radius of the curve.