District of Columbia DC DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 9
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. What must a motorcycle be equipped with before it can safely carry a passenger?
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Answer B: A seat large enough for two people and a set of passenger footrests
A passenger needs a seat with room for both people without crowding and firm footrests to brace against.
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2. Why should baggage be kept as low as possible on a motorcycle?
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Answer C: A high load raises the center of gravity and makes the machine unstable
Weight carried high changes the balance of the motorcycle and makes it feel top heavy in turns and in crosswinds.
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3. You are overtaking a large tractor trailer on the highway. What should you expect as you ride alongside and then past it?
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Answer D: Changing pushes and pulls as you pass the front, the side and the rear
The air around a large truck moves in different directions along its length, so expect the buffeting to change as you go by. Keep a firm but relaxed grip and a steady throttle.
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4. Why do many crashes happen on routes the driver knows very well?
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Answer D: Familiar roads let attention slip into routine
When a route is automatic the mind wanders and hazards get missed, which is why a well known road deserves the same attention as a strange one.
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5. During the tire check you find a nail driven into the rear tire. What should you do?
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Answer D: Have the tire repaired or replaced before the motorcycle is ridden
A punctured motorcycle tire can lose air suddenly, and a motorcycle has no second tire on that end to hold the machine up.
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6. A pedestrian steps off the curb in the middle of a block where there is no crosswalk at all. What is the legal position?
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Answer A: They must yield to you, but you must still avoid a crash
A pedestrian crossing away from a crosswalk yields to vehicles, yet every driver still has a duty to use care and avoid hitting a person.
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7. You are entering a marked work zone. What should you expect?
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Answer B: A reduced posted speed, narrowed or shifted lanes, and traffic that may stop suddenly
Work zones change the geometry of the road and can bring traffic to a halt without warning, so the posted work zone speed and increased following distance both apply.
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8. You enter a corner faster than the turn can be taken. What is the most likely result?
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Answer A: The vehicle runs wide and may cross into another lane
Excess speed uses up the available grip, so the vehicle follows a wider arc than intended and drifts out of its lane.
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9. The light ahead is green, but traffic beyond the intersection is backed up so far that you could not clear it. What is the correct action?
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Answer D: Wait behind the stop line until there is room on the far side
Entering an intersection you cannot clear blocks cross traffic and pedestrians, so you should hold your position until space opens on the other side.
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10. Your phone is in a mount on the dashboard rather than in your hand. What is true?
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Answer B: It still takes your eyes and mind off the road
A mount solves the hand problem but not the eye or the mind problem, and reading or tapping a mounted screen costs the same seconds of attention.
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11. Besides a chemical test, what else supports an impaired driving charge?
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Answer B: The officer's observations of the driving and the driver
Weaving, slow responses, speech and balance observed by the officer are evidence in their own right, which is why a driver can be charged on behavior alone.
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12. What is the main source of the noise that damages a rider's hearing?
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Answer A: Wind turbulence around the helmet, which rises sharply with speed
Wind noise around a helmet is loud enough at highway speed to cause permanent hearing loss over time, which is why earplugs are recommended even on quiet machines.
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13. It is hot and a rider wants to ride without gloves. Why is that a poor idea?
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Answer D: Sweating hands slip on the grips, and bare skin has no protection
Hands go out first in a fall and are hard to repair, and sweaty palms lose their grip on the controls, so wear ventilated summer gloves rather than none.
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14. The light turns yellow when your front wheels are already past the stop line inside the intersection. What should you do?
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Answer B: Keep going and clear the intersection without speeding up
Once you are legally in the intersection the safest and correct action is to continue through and clear it, without accelerating.
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15. You are approaching a blind right hand curve. Which starting lane position gives the best view through it?
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Answer C: The left portion of the lane, toward the outside of the curve
Starting at the outside of a curve opens up the line of sight through it, and the rider then moves toward the inside as the exit comes into view.
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16. What must you be sure of before you pull out to pass on a two-lane road?
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Answer A: That the road ahead is clear far enough for the whole pass
You need enough clear road to pull out, pass and return before any oncoming vehicle arrives, and you must judge that distance before you start.
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17. Which action makes a wobble worse instead of better?
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Answer A: Braking or accelerating to try to ride out of it
Braking or adding power during a wobble can amplify it. Close the throttle gradually, hold the bars firmly and let the speed fall until the machine settles.
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18. Which federal standard must a motorcycle helmet meet to be sold for on-road use in the United States?
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Answer B: FMVSS No. 218
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 sets the impact, penetration and retention requirements for motorcycle helmets sold in the United States.
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19. You are very angry after an argument and about to drive. What should you know?
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Answer A: Strong emotions can impair judgment and attention much like alcohol
Anger, grief and stress pull attention inward and encourage risk taking. Give yourself time to settle down before getting behind the wheel.
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20. On a two-lane road with a broken yellow center line, may you cross it to turn into a driveway on the left?
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Answer C: Yes, when it is safe and the oncoming lane is clear
A broken center line may be crossed for a pass or for a left turn into a road or a driveway, once the oncoming lane is clear.
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21. In the code that governs pavement markings, what does a double line stand for?
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Answer B: A maximum restriction
The marking code is consistent: a double line means the strongest restriction, a solid line discourages or forbids crossing, and a broken line is permissive.
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22. Which mobile telephone use does DC law expressly exempt from the hands-free requirement?
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Answer A: An emergency call to 911 or 311, a hospital, an ambulance service, a fire department or a law enforcement agency
DC law exempts emergency use of a mobile telephone, including calls to 911 or 311, a hospital, an ambulance service provider, a fire department, a law enforcement agency or a first-aid squad.
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23. How should a long trip be broken up to keep the driver alert?
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Answer D: Stop for a break every couple of hours and share out the driving
Regular breaks and a change of driver are the only reliable answers to fatigue; caffeine only postpones it.
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24. On dry pavement in good weather, what is the smallest following gap you should keep?
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Answer A: About three seconds behind the vehicle ahead
Three seconds is the accepted minimum on dry roads in good visibility, and the gap should be longer in poor conditions.
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25. The oil pressure warning light comes on while you are riding. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop as soon as it is safe and shut the engine off
That light warns that the engine may not be receiving oil, and every extra minute of running risks destroying it.