Motorcycle knowledge test (Class M) · California DMV
Dangerous surfaces and mechanical problems
Questions and answers
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What is the first choice when you meet an obstacle on the road?
Avoid it by slowing or going around it
Go over an obstacle only if you must, and only after judging that it is possible.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
You must ride over an obstacle. At what angle do you approach it?
As close to 90 degrees as possible
Meet the obstacle as squarely as you can.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
What do you do with your speed before your wheel touches an obstacle you have to ride over?
Slow down as much as possible before contact
Get your speed down before contact.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
How do you position your body when riding over an obstacle?
Rise slightly off the seat with your weight on the footrests
Your knees and elbows then absorb the shock and you are less likely to be thrown off.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
Just before your front wheel meets an obstacle, what do you do with the throttle?
Roll on slightly to lighten the front end
A slight roll-on takes weight off the front wheel.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
Which of these is NOT part of riding over an obstacle correctly?
Leaning the motorcycle as you cross
The motorcycle should be straight, not leaning, when it crosses an obstacle.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
You have just ridden over an object in the road. What should you do next?
Pull off the road and check your tires and rims for damage
Check tires and rims before riding any farther, and make sure nothing is caught in the chain or belt.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles ↗ -
Why should you be careful of standing water and puddles?
You do not know how deep the water is
Standing water hides its depth and whatever lies beneath.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Handling Dangerous Surfaces ↗ -
When is wet pavement particularly slippery?
Just after it starts to rain, before surface oil washes to the side of the road
The first rain lifts oil onto the surface before it is washed away.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Which of these surfaces has poor traction, especially when wet?
Painted lane markings, steel plates, and manhole covers
Painted arrows and crosswalks, steel plates, brick paver crosswalks, and manhole covers get very slippery when wet.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
When should you reduce speed for a slippery surface?
Before you get to it
Slowing beforehand reduces the chance of a skid. It matters most before wet curves.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Where is it especially important to reduce speed in the wet?
Before entering wet curves
Slow down before a wet curve, not in it.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
What can any sudden change in speed or direction do on a slippery surface?
Cause a skid
Be as smooth as possible when you speed up, shift gears, turn, or brake.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Should you use the front brake on a slippery surface?
Yes, it is still effective, but squeeze the lever gradually
Use both brakes, squeezing the front gradually to avoid locking the wheel and pressing the rear gently.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
It starts to rain. Where in the lane should you ride?
In a vehicle’s tire tracks
The center of a lane can be hazardous when wet, so use the tire tracks.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
When it starts to rain, which tire track is often the best lane position?
The left tire track
Often the left tire track is best, depending on traffic and other road conditions.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Where do most oil, anti-freeze, and other vehicle fluids collect?
In the center portion of the lane
Ride on either side of the center strip and watch for oil spots.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Why should you be careful where you put your foot down when you stop or park?
You may slip and fall on the fluids in the center strip of the lane
Oil and other fluids collect in the center of the lane, right where a foot may land.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
What collects along the sides of the road, especially on curves and on ramps to and from highways?
Dirt and gravel
Be cautious near the edge of the road.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
Where do patches of ice tend to develop?
In low or shaded areas, on bridges, and on overpasses
Rain dries and snow melts faster on some sections of road than on others.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
How slippery are wet leaves?
Just as slippery as wet road surfaces
Treat wet leaves like any other slippery surface and reduce your speed.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
You cannot avoid an icy or snowy surface. How do you ride across it?
Keep the motorcycle straight up and proceed as slowly as possible
Cautious riders stay off ice and snow. If you cannot, stay upright and go very slowly.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
A large surface is so slippery that you must coast or move at walking pace. What may you consider doing with your feet?
Letting them skim along the surface so you can catch yourself
With your feet skimming the surface you can catch the motorcycle if it starts to fall. Do this only at the slowest speeds.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
While crossing a very slippery surface at walking pace, what do you do with the brakes and clutch?
Keep off the brakes and, if possible, squeeze the clutch and coast
Stay off the brakes and coast with the clutch squeezed if you can.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Slippery Surfaces ↗ -
What is usually the safer way to cross railroad or trolley tracks that cross your lane?
Ride straight within your lane
Staying straight in your lane is usually safer than turning to take the tracks head-on.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Railroad or Trolley Tracks and Pavement Seams ↗ -
Why can turning to cross tracks at a 90-degree angle be more dangerous?
Your path may carry you into another lane of traffic
Swinging out to take the tracks head-on can put you in another lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Railroad or Trolley Tracks and Pavement Seams ↗ -
Tracks or a pavement seam run parallel to your course and you need to cross them. At what angle?
At least 45 degrees
Move far enough away to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then make a quick, sharp turn.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Railroad or Trolley Tracks and Pavement Seams ↗ -
What can happen if you edge slowly across tracks or seams that run parallel to your path?
Your tires could catch and throw you off balance
Edging across at a shallow angle lets the tire catch in the track or seam.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Railroad or Trolley Tracks and Pavement Seams ↗ -
Your motorcycle weaves a little on rain grooves or a bridge grating. What should you do?
Relax, hold a steady speed, and ride straight across
The wandering feeling is generally not hazardous.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Grooves and Gratings ↗ -
On a bridge grating, which is more hazardous?
Zigzagging to cross the grating at an angle
Crossing at an angle forces you to zigzag to stay in the lane, which is far more hazardous.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Grooves and Gratings ↗ -
How will you usually know that a tire has gone flat?
By the way the motorcycle starts handling differently
You will seldom hear a tire go flat, so you must recognize it from how the motorcycle reacts.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
How does the steering feel when the front tire goes flat?
Heavy
A flat front tire makes the steering feel heavy.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
Why is a front-wheel flat particularly hazardous?
It affects your steering
You have to steer well to keep your balance, and a flat front tire interferes with that.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
What happens when the rear tire goes flat?
The back of the motorcycle may jerk or sway from side to side
A rear flat shows up as jerking or swaying at the back.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
A tire goes flat while you are riding. What do you do first?
Hold the handlegrips firmly, ease off the throttle, and keep a straight course
Stay straight and slow down gently before leaving the road.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
You have a flat tire and braking is required. Which brake do you use?
Gradually, the brake of the tire that is not flat, if you are sure which one it is
Brake only the good tire, and only if you know which one that is.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Tire Failure ↗ -
Your throttle is stuck. What do you try first?
Twist the throttle back and forth several times
If the throttle cable is stuck, twisting it back and forth may free it.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Stuck Throttle ↗ -
The throttle stays stuck after you twist it. What do you do immediately?
Operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time
This removes power from the rear wheel, though the engine noise may not drop right away.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Stuck Throttle ↗ -
After stopping because of a stuck throttle, what must you make certain of before riding again?
That the throttle works freely
Check the throttle cable carefully and ride on only when the throttle moves freely.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Stuck Throttle ↗ -
What is a wobble?
The front wheel and handlebars suddenly start to shake from side to side
A wobble can happen at any speed.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
What can most wobbles be traced to?
Improper loading, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure
Check the load, accessories, and tire pressure first.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
You carry a heavy load that cannot be lightened and the motorcycle tends to wobble. Where should the weight go?
Lower and farther forward on the motorcycle
If you cannot lighten a load, shift it lower and farther forward.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
What happens if you try to accelerate out of a wobble?
The motorcycle only becomes more unstable
Accelerating makes a wobble worse.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
How do you slow down during a wobble?
Roll off the throttle gradually and do not apply the brakes
Braking could make the wobble worse, so ease off the throttle instead.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
How should you hold the handlebars during a wobble?
Firmly, but without fighting the wobble
Grip firmly and let the wobble settle as you slow.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
Where do you move your weight during a wobble?
As far forward and down as possible
Weight forward and low helps calm the wobble. Then leave the road as soon as you can.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Wobble ↗ -
What could a drive chain or belt that slips or breaks do?
Lock the rear wheel and cause the motorcycle to skid
Proper maintenance prevents chain and belt slippage or breakage.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Chain Problems ↗ -
The chain slips when you try to speed up or ride uphill. What do you do?
Pull off the road and check the chain and sprockets
Tightening may help. Replace the chain, sprockets, or both before riding again if needed.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Chain Problems ↗ -
How do you notice that the chain or belt has broken, and what do you do?
There is an instant loss of power to the rear wheel, so roll off the throttle and brake to a stop
Power to the rear wheel disappears at once when the chain or belt breaks.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Chain Problems ↗ -
When an engine locks or freezes, what is usually the reason?
It is low on oil
Without enough oil the moving parts cannot move smoothly and the engine overheats.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Engine Seizure ↗ -
What may be the first sign that the engine is about to seize?
A loss of engine power or a change in the engine’s sound
Less power or a different engine sound can warn you of overheating.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Engine Seizure ↗ -
You notice signs of engine seizure. What do you do with the clutch?
Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine from the rear wheel
Squeeze the clutch, pull off the road, stop, and check the oil.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Engine Seizure ↗ -
What is the effect when an engine seizes?
The same as a locked rear wheel
A seized engine acts on the motorcycle like a locked rear wheel.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Engine Seizure ↗ -
After an overheated engine has been stopped and oil added, what should you do before restarting?
Let the engine cool
Give the engine time to cool before you start it again.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Engine Seizure ↗ -
An animal runs into the road while you are riding in traffic. What does the handbook say?
Do what you safely can to avoid hitting it, but remain in your lane
Avoid the animal if you can do so safely. In traffic, do not leave your lane.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Animals ↗ -
Something hits your face shield and smears it. What do you do?
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the handlebars, then pull off when safe
Whatever happens, keep control first and repair the damage after pulling off.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Flying Objects ↗ -
Which vehicles should you avoid following closely because of what may fall from them?
Dump trucks, livestock haulers, and any vehicle towing or hauling items
Hay, trash, tree limbs, and other loose items can fall and leave you no way out.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Flying Objects ↗ -
You need to leave the road and are not sure the roadside is firm. What do you do?
Slow way down before you turn onto it
On soft grass, leaves, loose sand, or an uncertain surface, slow right down first.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Getting Off the Road ↗ -
Why is a clear signal important before you pull off the road?
Drivers behind might not expect you to slow down
Signal that you will slow and change direction, and check your mirrors and over your shoulder first.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Getting Off the Road ↗ -
How far off the road should you pull?
As far off the road as you can
A motorcycle at the roadside is very hard to see, and someone else may leave the road at the same spot.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Getting Off the Road ↗ -
Why must you park carefully on a shoulder?
Loose or sloped shoulders and soft ground can make setting the kickstand difficult
The side or center stand may not hold on loose, sloped, or soft ground.
Ride Within Your Abilities · Getting Off the Road ↗