Michigan SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 12
- Questions20
- Correct to pass16
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. How long should a rider stay in the oncoming lane while passing?
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Answer D: Only as long as completing the pass safely requires
Every extra second in the oncoming lane is exposure with no benefit, so the rider passes decisively and returns as soon as the road behind is clear.
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2. The traffic signal is green, but the crossing lights on the tracks inside the intersection begin to flash. What must you do?
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Answer C: Stop clear of the tracks and wait, even though the signal is green
Active crossing warning devices outrank the green indication, so you stop short of the rails and wait until the warning stops.
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3. You are following another vehicle down a long, steep grade. What should you do about the gap?
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Answer D: Make it longer, because both of you need more room to stop
Everything takes longer to stop on a downgrade, including the vehicle ahead, so the gap that works on the flat is no longer enough.
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4. The vehicle ahead of you has pulled out to pass a truck. May you follow it out and pass as well?
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Answer B: No, wait until it is done and judge the road for yourself
You cannot see past the vehicle ahead of you, and if it has to abort the pass there is nowhere for either of you to go.
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5. Why is parking against the flow of traffic dangerous even when nobody complains?
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Answer D: Because you had to cross traffic to get there and must cross again to leave
Parking on the wrong side means driving against traffic at both ends of the stop, and your reflectors and lights face the wrong way while you are there.
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6. Where is ice most likely to form first on a cold day?
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Answer B: In shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses
Shaded spots stay cold longer and bridges and overpasses lose heat from below as well as above, so ice appears there before it appears elsewhere.
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7. How many points does a Michigan operating while intoxicated conviction add?
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Answer D: 6 points
Operating while intoxicated carries 6 points, the highest number Michigan assigns to any single traffic offense.
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8. Why do groups agree on a set of hand signals before setting off?
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Answer B: Because engine noise and helmets make speech useless between moving machines
Riders cannot talk to each other while moving, so agreed signals for hazards, stops, fuel and single file keep the whole group informed.
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9. What should a rider do if the front wheel locks during braking?
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Answer A: Release the front brake immediately, then reapply it firmly
A locked front wheel cannot steer or hold the motorcycle up, so the brake must be released to let the wheel roll again and then reapplied smoothly.
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10. What is the correct order of a pass on a two-lane road?
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Answer A: Check ahead and behind, signal left, move out, accelerate past, signal right and return
A pass begins with the decision that the road is clear and ends with a signaled return, and each step warns other drivers before the vehicle moves.
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11. A driver disregards this sign and turns so as to travel against the direction it establishes. What is the immediate danger?
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Answer D: The driver will face traffic head on, because every lane comes the other way
Turning against the established direction puts the vehicle nose to nose with all the traffic on that street, which is why the mistake has to be corrected at once.
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12. Your motorcycle starts to wander while you ride over rain grooves or a bridge grating. What should you do?
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Answer A: Relax, hold a steady speed and ride straight across
The wandering feeling on grooved surfaces and gratings is unsettling but generally not hazardous, while zigzagging to fight it is far more dangerous.
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13. The blue signs mounted before a freeway interchange that carry the logos of individual businesses are
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Answer C: specific service signs, which show the brands available at that exit
Specific service signs, often called logo signs, list eligible businesses for categories such as gas, food, lodging, camping, attractions and 24-hour pharmacies at the upcoming interchange.
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14. What is the correct way to think about protective gear?
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Answer D: It reduces injury in a crash but does nothing to prevent one
Gear is the last line of defense. Avoiding the crash depends on skill, speed choice, space and visibility, and gear only limits the damage when those fail.
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15. At a rural intersection a beacon flashes yellow toward the main road and red toward the side road. How is each approach treated?
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Answer A: The main road slows and proceeds, the side road stops
An intersection control beacon assigns flashing yellow to the road with priority and flashing red to the approach that must stop and yield.
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16. 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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17. Which feature matters most in clothing meant to keep a rider warm?
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Answer C: A windproof outer layer, since moving air strips body heat fast
Wind blowing through clothing carries away heat faster than anything else, so a windproof outer shell over insulating layers is what keeps a rider warm.
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18. How should a rider approach a curve whose radius keeps tightening the further you go into it?
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Answer A: Enter more slowly than the curve first appears to need, saving lean for the exit
In a decreasing radius curve the sharpest part comes last, so a slower entry leaves both speed and lean angle in reserve for where they are needed.
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19. 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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20. A rider chooses an open face helmet. What does that choice make necessary?
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Answer A: Separate goggles or a face shield, because the face is uncovered
An open face helmet gives no eye or face protection, so the rider must add goggles or a face shield that will not shatter and that seals against the wind.