North Carolina MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 13

The single most important thing you can do to help others see you at an intersection is to ride with your headlight on. Your headlight should be on whenever your motorcycle is running.

Maintaining a cushion of space on all sides of your motorcycle helps to ensure that you have time and space to react if another road user makes a mistake.

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.

A motorcycle has blind spots just like any other vehicle. A rider must always turn their head to check for traffic before changing lanes.

Do not try to accelerate out of a wobble because doing so will only make the motorcycle more unstable. Instead, grip the handlebars firmly, slow down by gradually closing the throttle, move your weight as far forward and downward as possible, and pull off the road as soon as you can. Avoid applying the brakes, as this may also worsen the wobble.

When riding, you should securely tuck in the laces of your footwear so that they will not catch on your motorcycle.

To be effective, an eye or face shield must be free of scratches; be resistant to penetration; allow clear views to both sides; fasten securely; permit air to pass through to prevent fogging; and allow room for eyeglasses or sunglasses, if needed.

Wet pavement is especially slippery when it first begins to rain. Deposits of oil left by cars will not yet have washed off the roadway. If it is raining, it is safest to ride in the tire tracks left by cars. The left tire track will often be your best choice, although this may vary.

You should use a turn signal every time you plan to turn or change lanes, even if you think no one else is around to see it.

It is a good idea to sound your horn before riding past a vehicle or pedestrian that may move into your lane. If you see a driver in an adjacent lane driving too closely to the vehicle ahead of them, you may assume that they want to pass and may cut in front of you to do so. If you see a person in the driver's seat of a parked car, or if you see a pedestrian or bicyclist in the street, it is a good idea to sound your horn as you pass.

Most motorcycle crashes involve riders with little experience on their motorcycle.

To maintain proper balance, your feet should be placed firmly on the footrests and not dragged on the ground. Do not point your toes downward, as this may cause them to catch on the road. Keep your feet near the controls so you can reach them quickly, if needed.

To protect yourself against injury, you should wear a DOT-compliant helmet; face or eye protection; a jacket and long pants made of sturdy material; boots or shoes that are high and sturdy enough to cover and support your ankles; and gloves made of durable material.

A motorcycle's single brake light is not as noticeable as the two larger brake lights of a car or truck. It can be a good idea to flash your brake light to help others notice it, especially when you need to slow down more quickly than surrounding drivers may expect.

Before riding with a heavy load, you should make sure your tire pressure, spring pre-load, air shocks, and dampers are at the settings recommended for the relevant weight.

Give plenty of room to vehicles merging onto a highway from an entrance ramp. Merge into a lane farther away from the entrance ramp, if necessary. If it is not possible to change lanes, adjust your speed to allow room for the vehicle to safely enter the highway.

Before transporting a passenger or heavy load in traffic for the first time, practice riding on a quiet road to get used to how your motorcycle handles differently with the additional weight.

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

It is safest to wear long pants and a jacket to fully cover your arms and legs while riding. Clothing made of leather can provide the highest level of protection.

The front brake lever is generally located on the right handgrip. Make sure that you are aware of the locations of all your motorcycle's controls before beginning to ride.

Before every ride, be sure to check your tires' inflation pressure, your tires' treadwear, and the general condition of the sidewalls and tread surface on the tires.

Inexperienced riders should ride near the front of a group, just behind the leader, so more experienced riders can keep an eye on them from behind.

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.

If you cannot avoid riding over an obstacle or uneven surface, you should approach it at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Slow down as much as you can, make sure that your motorcycle is upright, and rise slightly off your seat so your knees can absorb some of the force of impact. Just before contact, roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end.

When riding behind a passenger vehicle, it is usually best to ride in the center of the lane so you will be visible in the driver's rearview mirror. Most drivers check their rearview mirrors much more often than their side mirrors, so this lane position will increase your chances of being seen.