Michigan SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 35
- Questions20
- Correct to pass16
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. An overhead lane-use control signal shows a steady red X above your lane. What does it mean?
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Answer B: You may not use that lane and must move out of it
A steady red X means the lane below it is closed to you, while a steady yellow X is the warning to prepare to vacate the lane and a downward green arrow means the lane is open.
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2. What counts as a complete stop at a stop sign?
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Answer C: The wheels stop turning before the stop line
A legal stop means the vehicle is no longer moving, made at the stop line or before entering the crosswalk or intersection.
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3. Why are sign shapes and colors standardized across the whole country?
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Answer D: So a driver knows the kind of message before reading it
Uniform shapes and colors let a driver classify a sign as regulatory, warning or guide from a distance, before the legend can be read.
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4. You are riding a shaded back road in autumn and reach a mat of wet leaves covering the pavement. What should you expect?
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Answer D: Traction can be nearly as poor as ice, so slow down before you reach them
Wet leaves are slick and they hide whatever is underneath, so reduce speed before the patch and cross it upright without braking or turning.
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5. You are leaving a freeway on an exit ramp posted with an advisory speed of 25 mph. Where should you slow to that speed?
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Answer A: In the deceleration lane, before you reach the curve of the ramp
Slowing belongs in the deceleration lane so you arrive at the curve already at the advisory speed and do not hold up traffic still in the through lanes.
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6. What should a rider confirm about the transmission before starting the engine?
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Answer B: That it is in neutral, or that the clutch lever is squeezed all the way in
Starting in gear with the clutch engaged can make the motorcycle lurch forward, so the machine must be in neutral or the clutch held in.
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7. You are circulating in the inner lane of a two-lane roundabout, your exit is next, and a vehicle is beside you in the outer lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Keep circulating around the island and take that same exit on your next time around
You may not cut across a vehicle in the outer lane; if you cannot exit safely, continue around the circle and try again.
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8. After the leader of a staggered group completes a pass, what should the leader do?
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Answer A: Move to the left position and hold passing speed to open room for the next rider
Returning to the left position and keeping speed opens the gap the next rider needs to finish the pass and settle back into formation.
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9. A pedestrian signal changes to a flashing upraised hand. What does that indication mean?
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Answer C: Do not start crossing, but finish a crossing already begun
The flashing upraised hand is the pedestrian change interval: nobody may start to cross, but a pedestrian already in the crosswalk may continue to the far side or to a median.
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10. How should a driver respond to this sign?
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Answer C: Slow down before reaching the rough spot and cross it at a steady, low speed
Losing speed before a sharp rise in the pavement keeps the vehicle settled, while braking or accelerating on top of it unsettles the suspension and costs grip.
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11. On a clear day with light traffic, a driver stays far below the maximum this sign sets. What can that cause?
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Answer B: Obstruction of the normal flow of traffic, which is prohibited in itself
Driving so slowly that other traffic is impeded is an offense in its own right when nothing about safety, weather or the road calls for it.
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12. You are crossing a divided highway with a wide median. How should you treat the two roadways?
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Answer D: As two intersections, waiting in the median only when your vehicle fits
Each roadway of a divided highway is a separate intersection, and you should wait in the median only if it is long enough to hold your vehicle clear of both roadways.
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13. What is the main function of the guide sign series?
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Answer D: To identify routes and lead road users to their destinations
Guide signs identify routes, name destinations and give distances, so drivers can navigate without stopping to consult a map.
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14. How many points does Michigan assess for exceeding a work zone speed limit by more than 15 miles per hour?
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Answer A: 5 points
Speeding by more than 15 miles per hour in a work zone carries 5 points, one more than the same overspeed outside a work zone.
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15. Heavy rain has left water standing on the highway. What is the main risk to a rider?
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Answer D: The tires can ride up on the water and lose contact with the road surface
At higher speeds a tire can no longer push standing water aside and starts to hydroplane, so the rider slows and eases off rather than braking or turning hard.
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16. A piece of farm machinery ahead of you is wider than its own lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Hold back until you can see far enough to pass safely
Wide equipment leaves no gap inside the lane and may use part of the other side, so a pass needs a long clear view of the road ahead.
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17. You arrive at an intersection where the traffic signals are completely dark after a power failure. What should you do?
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Answer A: Treat the intersection as an all-way stop and take turns
When a signal is dark or out of order, drivers on every approach must stop and proceed in turn, exactly as at a four-way stop.
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18. Just before the front wheel reaches an obstacle, what should you do with the throttle?
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Answer C: Roll it on slightly to lighten the front end
A small amount of throttle shifts weight rearward and lightens the front wheel so it rides over the obstacle more easily.
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19. How can loose spokes be found on a spoked wheel?
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Answer B: By tapping each spoke and listening for a dull sound instead of a clear ring
A correctly tensioned spoke rings when tapped, while a loose one gives a flat, dull note that stands out from the rest of the wheel.
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20. Why can an oncoming vehicle that looks comfortably far away leave you far less room than you expect?
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Answer D: You and that vehicle close the gap at the sum of both your speeds
Two vehicles approaching at 55 mph each close the distance between them at about 110 mph, so the gap disappears in half the time you would expect.