Minnesota MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 15

By riding in the center portion of your lane, you will ensure that there is not a large space on either side of your motorcycle. Minimizing those spaces can help deter drivers from trying to share the lane with you.

In Oregon, it is illegal for motorcycles and mopeds to pass between two moving vehicles on a multilane highway or one-way street.

The throttle of a motorcycle is usually located on the right handle grip. Be sure to know where all of your motorcycle's controls are located before riding.

It is recommended that you thoroughly check your motorcycle before every ride. Doing this can help you identify mechanical defects or equipment failures that could endanger you.

Do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal in the road. If you are in traffic, however, you should remain in your lane. Swerving into another lane of traffic to avoid hitting an animal can cause you to collide with another driver. Hitting something small is less dangerous than hitting something big.

When you are stopped at an intersection, use your mirrors to check for cars approaching you from behind. The drivers may not notice you until they are too close and you may need to react.

There is no one lane position that is always best, nor one that should always be avoided. Change your lane position as necessary based on changing road and traffic conditions.

As little as one drink can have a significant effect on the abilities that you need for safe riding. You can be impaired even if you are well below the legal blood alcohol limit. No amount of alcohol is safe to consume before riding.

A linked braking system connects the front and rear brakes on a motorcycle. This system applies braking pressure to both brakes when either the front or rear lever is used. Check your owner's manual for a detailed explanation of the braking system on your motorcycle.

Wearing brightly-colored clothing will help you to be seen by other road users. Wear clothes that increase your visibility both during the day and at night.

All passing maneuvers must be completed within the posted speed limits and only in areas where passing is safe and legal.

You should wear reflective materials when riding at night to make yourself more visible to other road users.

When riding, sit so you are able use your arms to control the motorcycle rather than to hold yourself up. Your arms should be slightly bent when you are holding the handle grips. To help maintain your balance, keep your knees against the gas tank and your feet firmly on the footrests.

You should not carry a passenger unless your motorcycle has a seat that is large enough for two riders. The motorcycle should be equipped with footrests for the passenger. Your passenger should wear the same kind of protective gear that is recommended to operators.

Loads should kept low, either fastened securely or in saddlebags. Piling loads against a sissy bar or frame on the back of a seat is dangerous because it can raise the motorcycle's center of gravity and change the balance of the motorcycle. Loads should be equally distributed on both sides of the motorcycle.

A properly chosen lane position should provide a number of benefits, including an increased ability to see others and to be seen. It should help you avoid wind blasts, other drivers' blind spots, and surface hazards. Your lane position should discourage other drivers from trying to share your lane and provide you with an escape route, should a hazard arise.

When making a turn, you should look through the turn to where you want to go. Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.

Check your brake levers individually before every ride. Make sure each one feels firm and holds the motorcycle when the brake is fully applied.

Before getting on a motorcycle, you should check the tread and air pressure of the tires, the oil and fluid levels, the lights, and the signals.

Motorcycle operators and passengers under the age of 18, and riders of any age who are operating on a motorcycle permit, must wear approved helmets while riding. It is recommended that all motorcycle riders wear helmets every time they ride.

Trying to accelerate out of a wobble is dangerous and will only make your motorcycle more unstable. Instead, grip the handlebars firmly (without trying to fight the wobble), gradually close the throttle to slow down, and move your weight as far forward and downward as possible. Pull off the road as soon as you can.

The accelerator of a motorcycle is located by the right handgrip and is controlled with the right hand.

Loads should be positioned forward with heavier items toward the front of the load. Loads should be over or in front of the rear axle. Lighter items should be packed behind you.

Reflective material on a vest or on the sides of your helmet can make you more visible to other drivers and should be used both day and night.

When riding behind a car, you should position yourself so you can be seen in the other driver's rearview mirror. Riding in the center portion of the lane will generally ensure that you will appear in the middle of their rearview mirror, where the driver is most likely to notice you.

Your motorcycle will sit lower than normal under the additional weight of a passenger. To accommodate, you should ride a bit more slowly than usual, particularly when riding through curves, through corners, or over bumps. The extra weight also means that your motorcycle will take longer than usual to speed up, slow down, or stop, so you should maintain a larger space cushion when carrying a passenger.

A properly chosen lane position should protect your lane from other drivers while communicating your intentions to them.

The added weight of a passenger will affect the handling of your motorcycle. Expect your motorcycle to accelerate more slowly than usual, turn more slowly than usual, and require extra space to come to a complete stop. Ride more slowly, start slowing sooner when approaching a stop, open up a larger space cushion, and wait for larger gaps when crossing, entering, or merging into traffic.

A windshield is not an adequate substitute for the protection offered by goggles or a face shield. Most windshields will not protect your eyes from the wind.

Before every ride, you should complete a thorough check of your motorcycle. Be sure to check the rims and spokes to make sure none are bent, loose, or damaged; the condition and tread of the tires; and all of the lights.

Signals are an important part of communication when riding in groups. When the lead rider's right leg is extended, it means there is a hazard in the roadway on their right side.

The three major factors that impact a person's blood alcohol content are the amount of alcohol they have consumed, how quickly they have consumed it, and their body weight. The person's sex, physical condition, and food intake may also have some effect.

Like any other vehicle, a motorcycle has blind spots that cannot be seen by a rider using their mirrors. A motorcyclist should always turn their head to check for vehicles or other hazards in their blind spot before changing lanes.

To lessen the chances of a crash occurring, you should make yourself visible, communicate your intentions to others, maintain adequate space cushions, search your path of travel at least 12 seconds ahead, identify and separate hazards, and be prepared to react to changing conditions.

If your front wheel locks as a result of braking, you should release the front brake immediately and re-apply the brake smoothly.

An increased following distance is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead of you, or if traffic is heavy and another driver may try to squeeze in front of you, open up to a minimum three-second following distance.

While a staggered formation is generally recommended, riders in a group should move into a single-file formation when taking curves, taking turns, entering a highway, or leaving a highway.

There is no single lane position that is always best and no single lane position that should always be avoided. You should vary your lane position in response to changes in riding conditions.

Shifting to a lower gear produces an effect similar to applying the brakes. This is known as engine braking.

When being passed, it is generally safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. Riding on the side nearest the passing vehicle increases the risk of colliding with them. Riding on the side farthest from the passing vehicle is also dangerous, as it could tempt the driver to re-enter your lane before it is safe to do so.