Virginia DMV Motorcycle Practice Test 48

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass20
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age15 years 6 months

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

  1. 1. Why must a rider pay attention to the turn signal after completing a turn or lane change?

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    Answer A: Many motorcycle signals do not cancel themselves and can mislead other drivers

    A signal left flashing tells other drivers the rider is about to turn again, and a driver may pull out in front of the motorcycle because of it.

  2. 2. A law enforcement officer is directing traffic and waves you forward while the signal facing you shows red. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Follow the officer's direction and proceed

    Directions given by an officer controlling traffic take priority over signals, signs and pavement markings.

  3. 3. Once a Virginia court orders an ignition interlock system for a second or subsequent DUI conviction, for how long must it remain installed without an alcohol related violation?

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    Answer B: Not less than 12 consecutive months

    Virginia requires an ignition interlock system to remain installed for not less than 12 consecutive months without an alcohol related violation of the interlock requirements, for a second or subsequent DUI conviction.

  4. 4. What is the first riding effect of becoming dehydrated on a hot day?

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    Answer D: Concentration and judgment fade before the rider feels very thirsty

    Thirst lags behind fluid loss, so a rider can lose concentration and coordination before feeling thirsty. Drink regularly on hot rides rather than waiting.

  5. 5. An officer directing traffic faces you and holds one hand up with the open palm toward your vehicle. What does the gesture mean?

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    Answer D: Stop before reaching the officer

    A raised open palm shown toward a driver is the standard signal to stop.

  6. 6. You want to turn right at a steady red light and no sign prohibits the turn. What is required?

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    Answer B: Come to a complete stop, then yield to traffic and pedestrians before turning

    A right turn on a steady red is permitted only after a complete stop and only after yielding to cross traffic and to pedestrians, and a posted sign can prohibit it entirely.

  7. 7. What should motorcycle footwear provide?

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    Answer B: Sturdy support above the ankle with hard, slip resistant soles

    Boots that cover the ankle support and protect it, while hard slip resistant soles keep the rider steady at stops, and laces should be tucked in so they cannot catch.

  8. 8. A yield sign is posted where an entrance ramp meets the highway. What must you do?

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    Answer C: Give way to the traffic already on the highway and merge into a gap

    The yield sign confirms that the merging driver is the one who must fit into the traffic stream rather than the other way round.

  9. 9. You have stopped at a stop sign, but a parked truck blocks your view along the cross street. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Creep forward slowly and stop again where you can see

    When something blocks the view, a second stop closer to the intersection is the only safe way to see, and it must come before your vehicle enters the traffic lane.

  10. 10. The front brake lever feels soft and travels almost to the handgrip. What should the rider do?

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    Answer D: Leave the motorcycle where it is until the brake system has been inspected

    A spongy lever usually means air or fluid loss in the system, and a brake in that condition can fail completely under hard use.

  11. 11. A person in a wheelchair is traveling in the roadway because the sidewalk is blocked by construction. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Pass slowly with plenty of room, or wait

    A blocked sidewalk leaves the person no choice but the road, and a chair cannot move aside quickly, so pass wide and slow or wait for room.

  12. 12. A pedestrian starts to cross against a Do Not Walk signal, right in front of you. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Slow or stop and let the person reach safety

    Even when a pedestrian is crossing unlawfully, a driver must take reasonable care to avoid hitting that person.

  13. 13. You are about to pass another vehicle at night with your high beams on. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Switch to low beams as you come up behind it and while you are alongside

    High beams shining into the mirrors of the vehicle ahead blind the very driver whose reaction you depend on during the pass.

  14. 14. In Virginia, at what speed can an officer charge a driver with reckless driving regardless of the posted speed limit?

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    Answer D: Over 85 miles per hour

    Virginia allows a reckless driving charge for driving 20 or more miles per hour above the limit, or for driving over 85 miles per hour regardless of the posted limit.

  15. 15. Which of the four blind spots around a tractor-trailer is the largest?

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    Answer A: The one on the right side of the truck

    A truck has no-zones on all four sides, and the right-side blind spot is the largest because it runs back along the trailer and reaches across more than one lane.

  16. 16. With the chin strap fastened, how can you check that a helmet is the right size?

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    Answer A: Try to roll it forward off your head, since a good fit will not come off

    The roll off test shows whether the helmet will stay on in a crash. If it can be rolled off the front of your head with the strap done up, it is too big.

  17. 17. A yellow diamond showing arrows arranged in a circle warns of

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    Answer B: a circular intersection such as a roundabout ahead

    The circular intersection warning sign announces a roundabout or traffic circle so drivers can slow down and prepare to yield to traffic already circulating.

  18. 18. The front tire suddenly loses air while you are riding. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Hold the bars firmly, ease off the throttle and slow using the rear brake

    A deflating front tire makes the steering feel heavy, so the rider keeps a straight line, avoids the affected wheel when braking and eases off the road.

  19. 19. What should a pre-ride check of a belt final drive look for?

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    Answer C: Correct tension, plus cracks, frayed edges and missing teeth

    A belt is inspected for tension and for damage such as cracks, missing teeth and worn edges, and unlike a chain it is never lubricated.

  20. 20. A pedestrian is waiting to cross ahead of you and you have slowed down. What helps most?

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    Answer D: Making eye contact, so that you both know you have seen each other

    Eye contact confirms that you have seen each other; waving someone across can send them into the path of another vehicle.

  21. 21. A SHOULDER DROP OFF sign warns that

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    Answer B: there is a step down from the pavement to the shoulder

    The sign is used where the edge of the pavement stands several inches above the shoulder, which can grab a wheel and pull the vehicle sideways.

  22. 22. The left-turn signal facing you shows a flashing yellow arrow. What does it mean?

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    Answer C: You may turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians

    A flashing yellow arrow permits a left turn but gives no protection, so you must yield to oncoming vehicles and to people in the crosswalk.

  23. 23. You are on a city street with two lanes in your direction, cars parked along the curb and driveways every few yards. Which lane is usually safer?

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    Answer B: The lane farther from the curb, away from opening doors and vehicles pulling out

    Most of the hazards on such a street come from the curb side, so the inside lane gives you more space and more time to react.

  24. 24. How many demerit points does Virginia assign to a conviction for speeding between ten and nineteen miles per hour above the posted limit?

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    Answer A: Four points

    Virginia assigns four demerit points to a conviction for speeding between ten and nineteen miles per hour above the posted limit, one tier above the lowest speeding band.

  25. 25. You are stopped facing uphill on a steep grade and need to pull away. What is the recommended technique?

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    Answer D: Hold with the rear brake, ease the clutch into the friction zone, then release

    The rear brake keeps the motorcycle from rolling backward while the clutch takes up the drive, and it is released as the throttle is opened.