Minnesota MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 6

Your lane position affects a number of factors that are important to your safety on the road. Among other things, your position should help you increase your ability to see and be seen, avoid other drivers' blind spots, and set you up for any turns you plan to make.

Sturdy boots or shoes that are high enough to support the ankles can provide the best protection for motorcyclists. Laced up boots are best, but high-top boots or heavy shoes are fine. If a motorcyclist wears shoes that have long laces, they should be sure to securely tuck the laces away before riding.

All motorcycles are slightly different, so you should check the controls and make sure you know the gear pattern before riding an unfamiliar motorcycle. Work the throttle, clutch, and brakes a few times prior to riding.

Maintaining an adequate following distance ensures that you will have enough space to stop or swerve out of the way if the vehicle ahead of you stops suddenly. A space cushion also provides you with a better view of any hazards on the road surface, such as potholes.

Wearing reflective and brightly-colored clothing is always a good idea when riding a motorcycle. Crashes occur in broad daylight and at night, so it is best to wear highly visible clothing at any time of day.

Shifting to a lower gear causes an effect similar to using the brakes. For this reason, downshifting is also known as engine braking.

A following distance of at least four seconds is recommended for beginning riders. Increase your following distance any time conditions are less than perfect.

To ensure that you are getting as much protection as possible, choose a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards. Helmets should fit snugly all the way around.

If you must brake and swerve to avoid a hazard, you should perform both actions separately. Brake then swerve, or swerve then brake. Do not do both at the same time.

Develop the habit of using both brakes every time you slow or stop. If you need to stop quickly, it is best to apply both brakes. It will be easier to apply both brakes in a quick stop if you have already developed this habit.

A number of surfaces can provide poor traction for tires. Wet pavement; roads covered in loose gravel or sand; muddy, snowy, or icy areas; and painted lane markings can be more hazardous for a motorcyclist than dry pavement.

Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down and impairs bodily functions, both physical and mental.

Lengthen your following distance when traveling on a slippery surface. If it will take longer than usual for your motorcycle to stop, open up to a longer following distance.

Small vehicles, like motorcycles, can visually seem to be farther away and moving more slowly than they actually are. This phenomenon can make it difficult for others on the road to accurately judge the location and speed of a smaller vehicle.

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.

Passengers may not ride on a motorcycle unless they can reach the footrests on each side of the motorcycle with both feet while seated. A passenger should only ride on a motorcycle that is properly equipped to carry a passenger.

When riding, you should sit far enough forward that your arms will be slightly bent when holding the handle grips. This will permit you to easily and comfortably reach and operate the controls.

Any time a driver may be tempted to try to squeeze into your lane next to you, ride in the center portion of the lane to discourage them from doing so.

To minimize your chances of being in a crash, you should make yourself as visible as possible by wearing brightly-colored clothing when riding, even during the day.

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.

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.

You should never take eye contact as a guarantee that a driver will properly yield to you. It is not uncommon for drivers to look directly at a motorcyclist but fail to register that they are there.

You should always have your headlight on when riding, even during the day. This can make you twice as likely to be noticed by other drivers.

Most drugs taken to ease headaches, colds, hay fever, allergies, or nerves can make the consumer drowsy and may impair their ability to ride safely. When taking a medication, it is important for a rider to know how the drug affects their body before riding.

Passengers should lean as the operator leans. A passenger should sit as far forward as they can without crowding the operator and hold firmly onto the operator's waist, hips, or belt.

While a staggered formation is usually best under normal riding conditions, a group of riders should switch to a single-file formation when taking curves, turning, or entering or exiting a highway.

A well-chosen lane position should increase your ability to see and be seen and keep you out of other drivers' blind spots. It should help you avoid surface hazards, protect your lane from other drivers, communicate your intentions to others, help you avoid wind blasts from other vehicles, and offer you an escape route from any hazards that may arise.

If one of your tires fails, hold the handgrips firmly and begin to slow down by easing off the throttle while maintaining a straight course. If you must brake, gradually apply the brake of the tire that is still good, if you are sure of which tire that is. Edge toward the side of the road as you slow down, squeeze the clutch, and stop.

It is particularly important for a rider to check their mirrors when slowing down or stopping, when stopped at an intersection, when changing lanes, and when turning.

Most wobbles are caused by improper loading of the motorcycle, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure.

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 you must stop quickly while in a curve, you should first straighten and square the handlebars, then stop. If straightening your motorcycle is not possible, you should apply the brakes smoothly and gradually, reduce your lean angle, then increase the brake pressure as you slow down.

Always simultaneously use both brakes to stop. The brakes are most effective when used at the same time.

In addition to protecting your face from injury in a crash, a face shield protects you from wind, dust, dirt, rain, insects, and pebbles thrown up from surrounding vehicles.

Gloves should be made of leather or another durable material to provide proper protection for the wearer.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful than the rear brake. The front brake supplies at least 70 percent of a motorcycle's total stopping power.

Heavier items should be loaded in front of the tank bag. You should try to place the load over or in front of the rear axle. Putting the load behind the rear axle may affect your control.

Because you need adequate traction to swerve safely, you should not brake and swerve at the same time. Instead, if you approach a hazard that requires you to brake and swerve, you should perform one action and then the other.

More than half of all motorcycle crashes involve riders with less than six months of experience on the motorcycle being used.

When following a car, you should ride in a position that allows the driver to see you in their rearview mirror. Usually, that means riding in the center portion of the lane. Because most drivers check their rearview mirrors much more often than they check their side mirrors, being in this lane position increases the chance that they will see you.