Pennsylvania MOTORCYCLE DMV Practice Test 13

The greatest potential for conflict between your motorcycle and other traffic is at intersections. Be extra alert when riding somewhere where another vehicle may cross in front of your path of travel.

A sidecar is essentially an unpowered mass attached to the side of your motorcycle. Due to its inertia, it will feel like it is lagging behind when you accelerate.

For your protection, you should always wear a long-sleeved jacket made of appropriate material when riding. This is true even in warm weather because wearing a jacket is important to help prevent dehydration. You should also always wear long pants, and tuck in the laces of your footwear to prevent them from catching on the motorcycle.

If someone is following you too closely, it is a good idea to flash your brake light before slowing down. A tailgater may be concentrating on you and not see upcoming hazards that require traffic to slow down.

To ride safely on a slippery surface, you should use both brakes when slowing or stopping, reduce your speed, and avoid making sudden moves. Be alert to oily areas, dirt, gravel, shaded areas, and bridges, as these surfaces are more likely to be slippery than others.

You should use a tire gauge to check the tire pressure before every ride. An under-inflated tire may still look okay, so a visual check is not enough.

Before setting off on any ride, you should do a thorough check of your motorcycle. Inspect the tires, oil and fluid levels, headlight, tail light, turn signals, brake light, clutch and throttle, mirrors, brakes, and horn.

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.

When being passed, it is generally safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. Riding on the side of the lane nearest the passing driver increases the danger of a collision, and riding on the side farthest from the passing driver may tempt them to return to your lane too soon.

To safely ride on a slippery surface, you should reduce your speed, avoid making sudden movements, and use both brakes if you need to brake.

The shortest and safest stops are achieved by using both the front and rear brakes in a smooth and progressive manner, without skidding either tire.

To maintain directional control through a turn, you should look through the turn by turning only your head. Slow down before turning and lean your motorcycle in the appropriate direction.

In warm weather, a riding jacket will help prevent dehydration in addition to serving the basic protective function that it provides at all times. Many jackets are designed to protect riders against overheating, even in warm weather.

When riding in a group, riders should maintain close ranks while also allowing adequate space cushions around each rider. Staying close together makes the group easier to see and reduces the risk that riders will become separated. Riders should not pair up because doing so does not allow adequate room for them to maneuver.

Because of a passenger's additional weight, a motorcycle will respond more slowly with a passenger on board than with just one occupant. With a passenger, you should travel a bit more slowly than you normally would, start slowing sooner than you normally would, and increase your following distance. Always warn your passenger of any special conditions ahead.

When being passed, you should not ride on the side of your lane that is farthest from the passing vehicle. Doing so may tempt the driver to return to your lane before there is actually room for them to do so safely.

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.

To reduce the risk of being involved in a crash, you should always ensure that you are visible to others. Communicate your intentions through proper use of your signals, brake light, and lane position. Maintain a space cushion around your motorcycle and consistently scan the road ahead of, behind, and next to your vehicle.

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

Most motorcycle crashes occur at speeds lower than 30 miles per hour. Even low-speed crashes can be fatal.