Motorcycle Permit Knowledge Test (U.S., Class M)
Basic vehicle control: practice questions
Our Motorcycle Permit bank has 29 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
How should you hold your head and eyes in a turn?
- Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon
- Tilt your head with the motorcycle so that your eyes stay lined up with the handlebars
- Look down at the inside footpeg
- Keep your head still and look straight ahead
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A. Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon — Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.
Question 2
During a tight U-turn, which brake helps control speed?
- Firmly squeezing the front brake
- Both brakes locked
- No brake at all
- Lightly dragging the rear brake
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D. Lightly dragging the rear brake — Drag the rear brake to control speed in a U-turn; the front brake could make the bike tip over.
Question 3
During a turn, where should you look?
- At the road surface just in front of your front wheel
- Through the turn to where you want to go
- At the centre line
- At the speedometer
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B. Through the turn to where you want to go — LOOK through the turn to where you want to go, turning your head, not your shoulders.
Question 4
Why roll on the throttle through a turn?
- To go through the turn faster than the traffic around you and get ahead of it
- To warn drivers behind with engine noise
- To let the rear wheel slide around
- To maintain or slightly increase speed, which stabilizes the motorcycle
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D. To maintain or slightly increase speed, which stabilizes the motorcycle — ROLL: roll on the throttle to maintain or slightly increase speed; this helps stabilize the motorcycle.
Question 5
What can happen if you downshift while going too fast for the lower gear?
- The front brake locks automatically and the headlight switches to low beam
- The engine will switch off to protect itself
- The motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid
- The headlight will dim
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C. The motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid — Make sure you are slow enough when you shift down, or the motorcycle will lurch and the rear wheel may skid.