Motorcycle permit practice test

Official handbook

Key numbers from the handbook

Questions about the motorcycle test

All 48 questions and answers

Read the bank before a mock test. Each answer names the handbook section and the printed page.

1. 1.How many questions are on the Virginia motorcycle knowledge exam?

   Licensing

   • 25

   The knowledge exam consists of 25 questions based on the manual, and you must complete it before the skills test. Handbook: Motorcycle Knowledge Exam, page 26.

2. 2.A motorcycle learner's permit lets you ride:

   Licensing

   • After 4 a.m. and before midnight

   A motorcycle learner's permit allows you to operate a motorcycle after 4 a.m. and before midnight. Handbook: Licensing, page 3.

3. 3.Who may supervise you while you ride on a motorcycle learner's permit?

   Licensing

   • A licensed motorcycle operator aged 21 or older who is alert and gives immediate supervision

   The supervising person must be licensed to operate a motorcycle, at least 21, alert and able to assist, and providing immediate supervision. Handbook: Licensing, page 3.

4. 4.You are 17 and want a motorcycle licence in Virginia. How long must you hold the learner's permit?

   Licensing

   • At least nine months

   If you are under 18 you must hold a motorcycle learner's permit for at least nine months. Handbook: Section 2: Preparing to Ride, page 4.

5. 5.What protective gear must a Virginia motorcycle operator wear?

   Protective Gear

   • An approved helmet plus a face shield, safety glasses or goggles, or an approved windshield

   The operator must wear a protective helmet and also a face shield or safety glasses/goggles, or have an approved windshield; passengers must wear an approved helmet too. Handbook: Section 2: Preparing to Ride, page 4.

6. 6.At what speed were most riders travelling when they were hurt in the studies the manual cites?

   Protective Gear

   • Slower than 30 mph

   Most riders were going slower than 30 mph when they got hurt, and at those speeds helmets can cut both the number and the severity of head injuries by half. Handbook: Helmet Use, page 5.

7. 7.How much more likely are unhelmeted riders to die from head injuries?

   Protective Gear

   • Three times more likely

   No matter the speed, unhelmeted riders are three times more likely to die from head injuries. Handbook: Helmet Use, page 5.

8. 8.Why is a windscreen not a substitute for a faceshield or goggles?

   Protective Gear

   • Most windscreens will not protect your eyes from wind

   Most windscreens will not protect your eyes from wind, and neither eyeglasses nor sunglasses keep your eyes from watering or stop them blowing off. Handbook: Eye and Face Protection, page 5.

9. 9.What three things must effective eye or face protection do?

   Protective Gear

   • Be free of scratches, not shatter, and give a clear view to either side

   Eye or face protection must be free of scratches, made of material that does not shatter, and give a clear view to either side. Handbook: Eye and Face Protection, page 5.

10. 10.What following distance does the manual measure for motorcycle riding?

    Following Distance

    • Three seconds

    Pick a marker and count from when the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes it; reaching your marker before one-second-three means you are too close. Handbook: Keeping Your Distance, page 13.

11. 11.When should you open your following distance to four seconds?

    Following Distance

    • When riding beside or passing another vehicle, and in other situations needing extra space

    A three-second distance gives you room to stop or swerve and a better view of potholes, but a four-second cushion is needed in some situations. Handbook: Keeping Your Distance, page 13.

12. 12.Someone is tailgating you on your motorcycle. What does the manual advise?

    Following Distance

    • Change lanes to let them pass, or slow down and open up extra space

    The only safe way to handle a tailgater is to get them in front of you: change lanes and let them pass, or slow down and open extra space. Handbook: Distance Behind, page 14.

13. 13.Why is judging distance harder at night than during the day?

    Following Distance

    • Your eyes rely on shadows and light contrast, which are missing or distorted under artificial light

    Allow extra distance at night, open up a three-second following distance and give yourself more room to pass. Handbook: Night Riding, page 17.

14. 14.What are the four steps the manual gives for taking a turn?

    Control and Braking

    • Slow, Look, Lean, Roll

    Slow before the turn, look through the turn with your head and eyes level with the horizon, lean in the direction of the turn, and roll on the throttle through it. Handbook: Turning, page 7.

15. 15.You need to stop quickly. How should you use the front brake?

    Control and Braking

    • Squeeze the lever steadily and firmly, as fully as you can without locking the front wheel

    Do not grab the front brake; squeeze steadily and firmly, and at the same time apply the rear brake hard without locking it. Handbook: Quick Stops, page 17.

16. 16.How should you use the rear brake in a quick stop?

    Control and Braking

    • Apply it hard without locking it

    Apply the rear brake hard without locking it while squeezing the front brake. Handbook: Quick Stops, page 17.

17. 17.Which statement about the front brake is correct?

    Control and Braking

    • It supplies most of the stopping power and the sooner you apply it the sooner you slow down

    Applying both brakes at the same time works best; the rear brake should not be applied first, and using both in a turn is possible with care. Handbook: Braking, page 8.

18. 18.What is the correct technique to lean a motorcycle into a turn?

    Control and Braking

    • Push the opposite handgrip: push left, lean left, go left

    Push on the handgrip in the direction of the turn, and remember that higher speeds and tighter turns require more lean. Handbook: Turning, page 7.

19. 19.In normal turns, how should rider and motorcycle be positioned?

    Control and Braking

    • The rider and motorcycle should lean together

    In normal turns the rider and motorcycle should lean together; in slow tight turns lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight. Handbook: Turning, page 7.

20. 20.Where should you sit on the motorcycle so your arms are slightly bent when you hold the handlegrips?

    Body Position

    • Far enough forward

    Sit far enough forward that your arms are slightly bent, because bent arms let you turn the handlebars without stretching. Handbook: Body Position, page 7.

21. 21.Why should you not let your toes drop toward the ground while riding?

    Body Position

    • They can get caught between the road and the footpeg

    Keep your toes up and your controls ready, because dropped toes can get caught between the road and the footpeg. Handbook: Body Position, page 7.

22. 22.At low speed, by how much can a helmet cut both the number and the severity of head injuries?

    Protective Gear

    • By half

    Most riders are hurt going slower than 30 mph, and at those speeds helmets can cut both the number and the severity of head injuries by half. Handbook: Helmet Use, page 5.

23. 23.The manual notes that most crashes happen on short trips. How long does it say most are?

    Protective Gear

    • Less than five miles long

    Most crashes happen on short trips, less than five miles long and only a few minutes after starting out, which is why the helmet advice matters most on short trips. Handbook: Helmet Use, page 5.

24. 24.What does the SIPDE system stand for?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute

    SIPDE is the process riders use to make judgements and take action in traffic: Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute. Handbook: See and Be Seen, page 10.

25. 25.Why are most motorcycle and car collisions at intersections caused by one type of driver?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • An oncoming vehicle turning left into your path

    Most motorcycle and automobile collisions occur at intersections, and most of those are caused by an oncoming vehicle turning left into the path of the motorcycle. Handbook: See and Be Seen, page 11.

26. 26.What should you do before changing lanes on a motorcycle?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • Make a head check by turning your head and looking at the side traffic

    Mirrors cannot cover every blind spot, so turn your head and look to the side; on a road with several lanes, check the far lane as well. Handbook: Head Checks, page 12.

27. 27.Where should you ride when following a car so that its driver is most likely to see you?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • In the center portion of the lane, so you appear in the middle of their rearview mirror

    Riding in the center portion puts your image in the middle of the rearview mirror, where it is most likely to be seen. Handbook: Let the Driver Ahead See You, page 10.

28. 28.Which two dangers does the manual name as the biggest facing a rider?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • Oncoming cars turning left, and cars on side streets pulling into your lane

    The two biggest dangers facing a rider are oncoming cars that turn left in front of you and cars on side streets that pull out into your lane. Handbook: See and Be Seen, page 10.

29. 29.Why is using your turn signal on a motorcycle especially important?

    Seeing and Being Seen

    • It tells others your plan and makes you easier to spot than your taillight alone

    Signal whenever you plan to change lanes, even when nobody seems to be around, because drivers behind are more likely to see your signal than your taillight. Handbook: Turn Signals, page 9.

30. 30.How steep an angle is it safe to cross railroad tracks on a motorcycle?

    Hazardous Surfaces

    • Up to about 45 degrees

    It is usually safer to ride straight within your lane and take the tracks as they come; a motorcycle can cross at an angle as sharp as 45 degrees. Handbook: Railroad Tracks, page 16.

31. 31.What should you do when riding over rain grooves or metal bridge gratings?

    Hazardous Surfaces

    • Cross them at an angle to reduce the shake

    The wandering feeling is generally not dangerous, and zigzagging across the grate to counter it is far more dangerous. Handbook: Grooves and Gratings, page 16.

32. 32.You hit a very slippery patch. What do the manual tell you to do with the clutch and brakes?

    Hazardous Surfaces

    • Squeeze the clutch and coast, keeping off the brakes, with your feet skimming the surface

    Keep the bike straight and proceed as slowly as possible, let your feet skim so you can catch the bike, stay off the brakes, and squeeze the clutch and coast. Handbook: Very Slippery Surfaces, page 15.

33. 33.What are the three things the manual says to do on a slippery surface?

    Hazardous Surfaces

    • Reduce speed, avoid sudden moves and use both brakes

    Slow down before the surface, be smooth with any change of speed or direction, and use both brakes, remembering the front brake is still more effective. Handbook: Handling Slippery Surfaces, page 15.

34. 34.Why should a rider avoid riding between two rows of stopped cars in the same lane?

    Sharing the Lane

    • A hand or door can open, or a car can turn suddenly

    Anything can happen in that space, so as a rider you can stop lane sharing by never riding between rows of stopped cars. Handbook: Lane Sharers, page 14.

35. 35.What is the best way a rider discourages drivers from squeezing past in your lane?

    Sharing the Lane

    • Keep a center-portion position whenever drivers might be tempted

    Drivers are most tempted to squeeze by in heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic or when they want to pass you. Handbook: Lane Sharers, page 14.

36. 36.What is the first sign that a motorcycle engine may be low on oil?

    Emergencies

    • A loss of engine power, and possibly a change in the engine's sound

    Engines seize when they are low on oil, and the first sign is often a loss of engine power or a change in the engine's sound. Handbook: Engine Seizure, page 19.

37. 37.Your drive chain breaks while you are riding. What should you do first?

    Emergencies

    • Close the throttle and brake to a stop

    You will notice an instant loss of power to the rear wheel; close the throttle and brake to a stop, then get the chain fixed properly. Handbook: Breakage, page 19.

38. 38.What is a wobble on a motorcycle?

    Emergencies

    • The front wheel and handlebars suddenly shaking from side to side

    A wobble can occur at low as well as high speeds, and most are traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories or incorrect tires. Handbook: Wobble, page 18.

39. 39.Your throttle sticks. What should you do?

    Emergencies

    • Twist the throttle closed and squeeze the clutch at the same time, then pull over and check the cable

    Squeezing the clutch removes power from the rear wheel; once the motorcycle is under control, pull over, stop and check the cable before riding again. Handbook: Stuck Throttle, page 18.

40. 40.How long can Virginia's court revoke your licence for a first, second and third alcohol offence?

    Alcohol and Drugs

    • One year, three years and indefinitely

    Court action can revoke your licence for one year for a first offence, three years for a second and indefinitely for a third. Handbook: Alcohol and the Law, page 23.

41. 41.What else can an alcohol conviction in Virginia include besides losing your licence?

    Alcohol and Drugs

    • Assignment to an Alcohol Safety Action Program, fines up to $1,000 and jail time

    Court action may include assignment to ASAP, fines of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence, on top of the licence revocation. Handbook: Alcohol and the Law, page 23.

42. 42.Which of these is listed as a way to step in and keep a friend from wrecking their bike?

    Alcohol and Drugs

    • Arrange a safe ride home

    Arrange a safe ride, slow the pace of drinking, and keep them there so they do not get on the bike if they have had too much. Handbook: Minimizing the Risks, page 23.

43. 43.What must you bring to the Virginia motorcycle skills test?

    Taking the Test

    • An approved helmet with a face shield and eye protection, and a plated and inspected motorcycle

    You must have an approved helmet with a face shield and safety glasses or goggles, and your motorcycle with a valid plate and current inspection sticker. Handbook: Skills Test, page 26.

44. 44.What protective clothing does the manual tell you to wear for the skills test?

    Taking the Test

    • Long pants, long-sleeved shirt or jacket, ankle-covering boots or shoes and riding gloves

    The examiner conducts an equipment inspection before the riding maneuvers, so wear proper protective clothing. Handbook: Skills Test, page 26.

45. 45.What must happen before you can take the motorcycle skills test?

    Taking the Test

    • You must pass the knowledge exam

    You must successfully complete the 25-question knowledge exam before taking the skills test. Handbook: Motorcycle Knowledge Exam, page 26.

46. 46.Which checks does the manual say you should make at least once a week?

    Machine Care

    • Tires, brakes, chain, hydraulic fluids and coolant

    A motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, so besides the pre-ride checks, look at tires, chain, brakes, fluids and coolant weekly. Handbook: Motorcycle Care, page 25.

47. 47.Why does a motorcycle need more frequent attention than a car?

    Machine Care

    • A minor mechanical failure that causes only inconvenience in a car can cause a crash on a motorcycle

    Something going wrong in a car seldom leads to more than inconvenience; on a motorcycle the same fault may cause a crash. Handbook: Motorcycle Care, page 25.

48. 48.When a staggered group of riders passes another vehicle, how should they do it?

    Group Riding

    • One at a time, each returning to the original position and opening up room for the next

    The lead rider pulls out and passes when it is safe, returns to the left position and continues at passing speed until there is room for the next rider. Handbook: Group Riding, page 22.

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