Montana MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 27

  • Questions33
  • Correct to pass27
  • Passing score82%
  • Minimum age16 years

Minimum age: 16 years, or 15 years with an approved Montana traffic education course

33 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 27 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. On a regulatory sign, what does a red circle with a diagonal slash drawn over a symbol mean?

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    Answer D: The movement or action shown by the symbol is prohibited

    A red circle with a diagonal slash is the standard way of showing that the movement pictured inside it, such as a U-turn or a right turn, is not allowed.

  2. 2. Which warning sign keeps its yellow background even when it is used inside a work zone?

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    Answer D: The grade crossing advance warning sign

    The round grade crossing advance warning sign keeps its black legend on yellow inside temporary traffic control zones because the railroad hazard it describes is not temporary.

  3. 3. A stop line is painted across the pavement at this sign. Where must the vehicle come to rest?

    A red eight sided sign with a white border and white lettering
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    Answer A: Behind the stop line, with no part of the vehicle across it

    The vehicle must halt behind the stop line; where no line is painted the driver stops before the crosswalk, and where there is neither, before entering the intersection.

  4. 4. What should a rider look for in rain gear?

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    Answer A: A riding rain suit that fits close and will not balloon or tear at speed

    Rain gear designed for riding stays sealed and stays put in the airstream, while loose garments can flap, tear or interfere with the controls.

  5. 5. What should a group agree on before the ride begins?

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    Answer A: The route, the fuel and rest stops, and the hand signals to be used

    Settling the route, the stops and the signals before departure keeps the group together and avoids sudden, confusing decisions once it is moving.

  6. 6. What must you do before changing lanes, in addition to signaling and checking your mirrors?

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    Answer D: Glance over your shoulder to check the blind spot the mirrors do not cover

    Mirrors leave an area beside and behind the vehicle that they cannot show, so a quick head check is needed before the vehicle moves sideways.

  7. 7. When is it safe to return to your own lane after passing a vehicle?

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    Answer C: Once you can see the whole front of that vehicle in your mirror

    Seeing the entire front of the vehicle in the mirror proves there is a full vehicle length of clear road, which the rider cannot judge by feel alone.

  8. 8. Why should riding gloves fit snugly?

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    Answer C: So loose material does not dull your feel for the controls

    Bunched or baggy material gets between your hand and the grip, so a close fitting glove keeps the feel for the throttle, clutch and brake lever.

  9. 9. How is the yield sign shaped and colored?

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    Answer C: A downward-pointing triangle with a wide red border and a red legend on white

    The yield sign is a downward-pointing equilateral triangle with a wide red border and the legend in red on a white background, an outline used for no other message.

  10. 10. What does Montana's basic speed rule require, whatever the posted limit says?

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    Answer A: A careful and prudent speed, reduced to what conditions allow

    Montana requires every driver to operate in a careful and prudent manner at a reduced rate of speed no greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions that exist.

  11. 11. Who should set the pace of a group ride?

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    Answer A: The last rider in the group, so that nobody is forced to hurry to keep up

    The tail ender sets the pace: every rider watches the mirrors for the rider behind, and if someone falls back the whole group slows a little to stay together.

  12. 12. Your motorcycle has a grab rail behind the passenger seat. What should the passenger know about using it?

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    Answer C: It is fine to hold, but they must still brace against acceleration

    A rail behind the passenger gives a secure grip but does nothing to stop them sliding backward, so they still need to expect the machine to pull away.

  13. 13. Are ordinary eyeglasses or sunglasses adequate eye protection for riding?

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    Answer B: No, since they can shatter and let wind reach the eyes from the side

    Everyday lenses are not made to resist impact and leave the eyes open to wind and debris, so a face shield or goggles are needed instead.

  14. 14. What is the danger of riding in cold weather with thin gloves?

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    Answer C: Cold, numb hands respond slowly and lose their feel for the controls

    Wind chill at riding speed cools the hands quickly, and numb fingers are slower and less precise on the clutch, throttle and brake.

  15. 15. Traffic ahead of you has stopped in your lane while the next lane is still moving. What is the first thing to do?

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    Answer C: Slow down first and check the next lane before moving over

    Braking is the action that keeps you from hitting the stopped traffic, and the lane change is only safe once you have looked.

  16. 16. You are riding in the middle of a tight cluster of cars on a multilane road. What is the best way to improve your safety?

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    Answer C: Ride slightly faster or slower to open space and get clear of the cluster

    A rider hemmed in on all sides has nowhere to go, so change your speed a little to open an escape path and leave the crowd.

  17. 17. What must a driver be ready for beyond this sign?

    A yellow diamond showing two black lanes merging into one around a central island
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    Answer C: Vehicles approaching from the opposite direction in the next lane over

    The separation between the two directions runs out, so from that point oncoming vehicles share the same pavement and the driver has to keep right.

  18. 18. You are driving at night through heavy falling snow. Which headlight setting works better and why?

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    Answer C: Low beams, because high beams bounce off the falling flakes back at you

    Falling snow reflects light the way fog does, so high beams build a white wall of glare while low beams still give a usable view.

  19. 19. When should a rider add a layer on a ride that is turning cold?

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    Answer D: Before you start to feel cold, at the next convenient stop

    Once a rider is chilled it takes a long time to warm up again, and cold hands and slowed reactions cost control, so add layers before the cold takes hold.

  20. 20. What is the right speed for a normal right turn at a city corner?

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    Answer C: Slow enough to hold your lane and stop for a pedestrian

    A city right turn is tight and crosses a crosswalk, so the correct speed is one that keeps you inside your lane and still allows a stop.

  21. 21. What should a passenger be told about moving around on the motorcycle?

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    Answer A: To stay directly behind the operator and avoid sudden or unnecessary movement

    Unexpected movement by a passenger upsets the balance of the machine, most of all at low speed and while the motorcycle is leaned over in a turn.

  22. 22. You are in a passing zone that continues over the crest of a hill ahead. May you start a pass?

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    Answer B: Only if you can finish it well before the crest

    Beyond the crest you cannot see oncoming traffic, so any part of the pass that happens there is being made blind.

  23. 23. You approach an intersection where the signal is flashing yellow. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Slow down and cross the intersection with caution

    A flashing yellow signal warns you to slow down and cross with care; it does not require a stop, but it does not give you priority either.

  24. 24. A notification appears on your smart watch while you are driving. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Treat it as you would a phone and leave it

    A watch screen demands the same eyes and the same attention as a phone, and a wrist is no safer a place to read a message than a dashboard.

  25. 25. You must park on soft ground or on asphalt softened by heat. What should you do about the sidestand?

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    Answer A: Put a flat, firm object under the stand to spread the load

    A sidestand concentrates the weight of the machine onto a very small area, and on soft ground it sinks in until the motorcycle falls over.

  26. 26. Someone stops drinking heavily at two in the morning and drives to work at eight. What is true?

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    Answer A: They may still be impaired and over the limit

    The body removes alcohol at a slow, fixed rate, so a heavy night can leave a driver impaired well into the next morning no matter how they feel.

  27. 27. Which combination best reduces the chance of hydroplaning?

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    Answer D: Good tread depth, correct tire pressure and lower speed in the rain

    Tread channels water away, correct pressure keeps the tire's shape, and lower speed gives the tire time to push water aside. Hydroplaning can begin at surprisingly modest speeds.

  28. 28. You are approaching a marked school crossing and children have started to cross the roadway. What is required?

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    Answer A: Stop and let the children finish crossing the roadway

    Drivers give way to people in a marked crossing, stopping if that is what it takes, and children in particular may change direction without warning.

  29. 29. Which headlight setting should you use in dense fog?

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    Answer B: Low beams

    High beams reflect off the water droplets in fog and bounce glare back at you, while low beams aim downward and light the road without that mirror effect.

  30. 30. Warning signs such as stop ahead, yield ahead and signal ahead are installed mainly where

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    Answer B: the traffic control device cannot be seen from far enough away

    These advance warning signs are used when a crest, curve or obstruction keeps the stop sign, yield sign or signal from coming into view in time for a driver to react.

  31. 31. Your passenger keeps leaning out to one side to see the road ahead. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Ask them to stay in line with you and look over your shoulder instead

    Leaning out shifts the combined weight sideways and unsettles the machine, and a passenger can see far enough by looking past the rider's shoulder.

  32. 32. You reach a T intersection where the cross street has a ONE WAY sign pointing to the right. What may you do?

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    Answer B: Turn right only, because the street carries traffic in that direction

    The arrow shows the only direction traffic may travel, so the only legal movement from the terminating road is a right turn.

  33. 33. During a pre-ride check, what should the throttle do when it is released?

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    Answer A: Snap back to the closed position on its own

    A throttle that does not close by itself can leave the engine running fast when the rider expects it to slow, so a sticking cable must be repaired before riding.