Motorcycle Permit Test: Riding strategy questions and answers

1. ASteer, Exit, Enter
2. BSignal, Engage, Escape
3. CSearch, Evaluate, Execute
4. DSee, Expect, Examine

Answer: C. SEE: Search for hazards, Evaluate options, Execute your decision.

1. A2 seconds
2. B4 seconds
3. C6 seconds
4. D12 seconds

Answer: D. Look about 12 seconds ahead; anything within 4 seconds is an immediate hazard.

1. ACover the clutch and both brakes
2. BRide with your feet down
3. CSpeed up to clear the area
4. DKeep your hands off the brakes

Answer: A. Covering the controls cuts your reaction time.

1. AWhile riding in heavy traffic
2. BAway from traffic
3. COn the first stretch of freeway you reach
4. DBy following another rider closely

Answer: B. If you borrow a motorcycle, get familiar with it away from traffic.

1. AIs licensed and knows how to ride
2. BHas borrowed a motorcycle before
3. CPromises to ride only in daylight
4. DOwns the same model

Answer: A. Before lending your motorcycle, make sure your friends are licensed and know how to ride before they go out into traffic.

1. ARiders who regularly travel faster than 35 mph on open roads
2. BRiders with less than five months of experience on their motorcycle
3. CRiders who mostly ride at night or in poor lighting
4. DRiders whose tires are worn below the legal tread limit

Answer: B. More than half of all crashes involve riders with less than five months of experience on their motorcycle.

1. ATo go at once because you have the right of way
2. BTo sound your horn and then proceed
3. CTo look for traffic before moving out into the intersection
4. DTo assume the other driver will stop

Answer: C. It was the other driver's responsibility to stop, and it was your responsibility to look before moving out.

1. ASignal before they change lanes
2. BObey the posted speed limit
3. CStay inside their own lane
4. DSee you or yield the right of way

Answer: D. As a rider you can't be sure other operators will see you or yield the right of way.

1. ARiding in a driver's blind spot beside the car
2. BFollowing closely behind trucks to stay out of sight
3. CUsing your headlight and riding in the best lane position
4. DWearing dark clothing and keeping the headlight off

Answer: C. To be visible, wear proper clothing, use your headlight and ride in the best lane position to see and be seen.

1. AThe engine size and power of the motorcycle
2. BThe type and brand of helmet being worn
3. CThe condition of the road surface and weather
4. DThe physical skill of maneuvering the machine

Answer: D. Safe riding depends as much on awareness and judgment as on the physical skill of maneuvering the machine.

1. ABecause of its narrower profile
2. BBecause it travels faster
3. CBecause it has no taillight
4. DBecause it rides closer to the curb

Answer: A. A motorcycle is less visible than a car because of its narrower profile.

1. ARiding only on short trips
2. BTaking a formal hands-on training course
3. CBuying a more powerful motorcycle
4. DPracticing only in heavy traffic

Answer: B. You might consider a formal hands-on training course even if your state doesn't require one.

1. AHeat from their engines and exhausts can quickly overheat your motorcycle's engine
2. BDrivers in the next lane are required by law to give you extra room beside them
3. CIt is illegal in every state to ride in a lane that is next to another vehicle
4. DVehicles in the next lane block your escape if you come upon danger in your own lane

Answer: D. You might also be in the blind spot and a vehicle could switch into your lane without warning.

1. ATo detect police speed traps ahead of you with a radar detector mounted on your handlebars
2. BTo aggressively scan the environment ahead, to the sides and behind so you can avoid hazards even before they arise
3. CTo measure the exact speed of the vehicles ahead and match it as closely as possible
4. DTo check only the condition of the road surface directly in front of your front tire

Answer: B. It is one way to search as part of the SEE strategy.

1. AAnything within 12 seconds of your path
2. BOnly the area within 1 second of your path
3. CAnything within 4 seconds of your path
4. DOnly the area directly beside your motorcycle

Answer: C. Four seconds provides enough time and space to swerve and/or brake.

1. AIncreasing your speed to get past the hazards before they combine
2. BThinking about how hazards can interact to create risks for you
3. CWaiting by the roadside for the hazards to go away on their own
4. DCounting the number of vehicles and pedestrians around you

Answer: B. Anticipate potential problems and have a plan to reduce risks.

1. ASpeed up and pass both of them at the same time before they separate
2. BAdjust your speed to let them separate, then deal with them one at a time
3. CStop immediately in the middle of the lane and wait for them to clear
4. DIgnore the smaller hazard and concentrate only on the larger hazard

Answer: B. This is the old adage “one step at a time.”

1. AFocus only on the hazard closest to you and ignore the rest
2. BSpeed up so the hazards pass quickly
3. CMove as close as possible to the largest hazard
4. DEvaluate the consequences of each and give equal distance to the hazards

Answer: D. Decisionmaking becomes more complex with three or more hazards.

1. AAs quickly and abruptly as possible
2. BWith smoothness and precision
3. COnly by using the horn
4. DOnly by braking hard

Answer: B. Execute by communicating, adjusting speed or adjusting position.

1. AWhenever you are not following or meeting a car
2. BOnly on roads that have no streetlights
3. COnly when you are riding faster than traffic
4. DOnly when the road ahead is wet or curved

Answer: A. Use your high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car to get all the light you can.

1. AYou should never switch from high beam to low beam, even for oncoming traffic
2. BYour headlight should always be aimed higher than the headlights of other vehicles
3. CYour total stopping distance should not exceed the distance your beam lights up
4. DYou should ride only on roads that are lit by streetlights along their entire length

Answer: C. Do not let your total stopping distance exceed the distance your light beam illuminates; slow down so you can stop within the distance you can see.

1. ARide it directly in traffic to learn it quickly
2. BRide it only on the highway
3. CGet familiar with it in a controlled area
4. DAssume it handles like your own motorcycle

Answer: C. Such motorcycles operate very differently, so get familiar with them in a controlled area first.

1. AIs licensed and knows how to ride
2. BHas ridden a two-wheel motorcycle once
3. CHas a helmet of the same size
4. DLives nearby

Answer: A. Lend it only to friends who are licensed and know how to ride before they operate in traffic.

1. AAt a 90° angle with the rear wheel touching the curb
2. BFacing the curb with the front wheel against it
3. CAt any angle, without the parking brake
4. DParallel to the curb, with the parking brake set

Answer: D. Park parallel to the curb and set the parking brake.