Michigan SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 34

  • Questions20
  • Correct to pass16
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

20 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 16 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. Why is dusk one of the harder times of day to drive?

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    Answer B: The failing light blurs shapes into the background

    In fading light there is not enough contrast to pick objects out, yet it is not dark enough for headlights to do the work, so pedestrians and cyclists disappear.

  2. 2. Why must the handlebars be kept square during a hard straight line stop?

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    Answer B: Because a front wheel turned under heavy braking can put the machine down

    With the front tire loaded to its limit, any steering input asks it to do two jobs at once and the front end can wash out instantly.

  3. 3. You and a driver coming from the opposite direction reach a four-way stop at the same time and you are both going straight ahead. What happens next?

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    Answer D: Both of you may move off together, because your paths do not cross each other

    Opposing vehicles that are both going straight do not cross paths, so they can move off together once the intersection is clear.

  4. 4. A vehicle in front of you has already begun turning left into a driveway when the gap you were waiting for opens up. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Wait and let that driver finish the turn

    A vehicle that has lawfully started a maneuver keeps the right of way until it is finished.

  5. 5. You are in a minor collision on a busy road. No one is hurt and both vehicles can be driven. What is the recommended thing to do?

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    Answer C: Move the vehicles out of the travel lanes to a safe spot before exchanging information

    Vehicles left in traffic after a minor crash invite a second, often worse, collision. Clearing the lane protects everyone, and you still exchange details and report as required.

  6. 6. You are already leaned over in a curve when you see loose gravel spread across the road ahead. What is the best response?

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    Answer B: Slow gently, bring the bike more upright, and cross the gravel with steady throttle

    A leaned tire has little grip left for braking or for loose stones. Reduce speed smoothly, get the motorcycle as upright as the curve allows, and hold a steady throttle across the gravel.

  7. 7. How many motorcycle Temporary Instruction Permits may Michigan issue to one rider within a 10 year period?

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    Answer B: No more than two

    Michigan law allows no more than two motorcycle Temporary Instruction Permits in a 10 year period, after which the rider must pass a motorcycle safety course to get the endorsement.

  8. 8. Why is it harder to read the road surface at night once it has rained?

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    Answer B: The wet surface throws light away and hides holes and markings

    Light from your headlight bounces off wet pavement instead of coming back to you, and reflections of other lights mask the surface, so slow down and open up your following distance.

  9. 9. You are waiting to turn left at a solid green light with no green arrow. Oncoming traffic is approaching. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Yield to the oncoming traffic and turn only when there is a safe gap

    A solid green light permits the left turn but does not protect it, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to pedestrians before turning.

  10. 10. You are behind a slow vehicle on a two-lane road and a marked passing lane begins a mile ahead. What is the sensible choice?

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    Answer D: Wait for the passing lane rather than using the opposing lane

    A passing lane lets you overtake without ever entering the lane used by oncoming traffic, which is far safer than a pass a minute earlier.

  11. 11. At an intersection where turning right on red is permitted and no sign prohibits it, what must you do before turning?

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    Answer A: Come to a complete stop and yield to pedestrians and cross traffic

    A right turn on red is allowed only after a full stop, and the turning driver must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to traffic already using the intersection.

  12. 12. When should a rider use both brakes together?

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    Answer D: Every time the motorcycle slows or stops

    Using both brakes for every stop shortens stopping distance and builds the habit the rider will fall back on when a sudden stop is needed.

  13. 13. What is the main danger of grabbing the front brake lever abruptly?

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    Answer D: The front wheel can lock, and a locked wheel cannot steer or balance

    The front brake must be squeezed progressively so that weight transfers onto the front tire before full braking force is asked of it.

  14. 14. Some toll facilities use signs and markings with a purple background or a purple stripe. What do they identify?

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    Answer D: Lanes reserved for vehicles with an electronic toll account

    Purple is assigned to lanes and ramps restricted to vehicles with a registered electronic toll collection account, so drivers without one must stay out.

  15. 15. On a hot summer day you notice long black strips of crack sealant snaking across the pavement. What should a rider know about them?

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    Answer A: They soften in heat and can be slippery, especially under a leaned tire

    Crack sealant gets soft and greasy in the heat, so treat those strips as a low traction surface and avoid braking or hard cornering on them.

  16. 16. In most states, how far before a turn must your signal already be on in city traffic?

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    Answer B: At least 100 feet, roughly the length of six or seven cars

    Most states require the signal for at least 100 feet before a turn in city driving, which gives drivers behind you time to react before you slow; several require more at higher speeds.

  17. 17. What alcohol content makes a Michigan driver guilty of operating while intoxicated?

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    Answer D: 0.08 grams or more per 210 liters of breath

    Michigan defines operating while intoxicated to include an alcohol content of 0.08 grams or more per 210 liters of breath or per 100 milliliters of blood.

  18. 18. Why should a driver crossing several lanes change only one lane at a time?

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    Answer B: Each lane has its own traffic and its own blind spot to be checked

    Sweeping across two or three lanes means entering lanes you never checked, so each change gets its own signal, mirror check and head check.

  19. 19. A lane is marked with a large white bicycle symbol and chevrons, but there is no separate bicycle lane. What does it mean?

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    Answer A: Bicyclists may use the whole lane, so follow or pass with care

    A shared lane marking shows that bicyclists and drivers use the same lane and positions riders away from parked car doors, so passing means changing lanes.

  20. 20. You notice that the driver ahead of you is holding a phone to the ear. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Assume slower reactions and leave extra space, or else hold back

    A driver on the phone reacts late and misses things, so the safe response is distance rather than a lesson.