Montana MVD Motorcycle Practice Test 36
- Questions33
- Correct to pass27
- Passing score82%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. Why should riding clothing have no loose flapping parts?
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Answer B: Loose cloth can catch on the machine, and flapping tires the rider
Loose fabric can snag on the controls, the chain or a wheel, and the constant flapping and noise wear the rider out over a long ride.
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2. In a work zone a flagger signals you to stop, but the sign beside the road says the lane is open. What should you do?
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Answer C: Obey the flagger
A flagger controls the work zone in real time and the instruction outranks the signs and markings, which cannot reflect what is happening at that moment.
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3. You want to pass on a two-lane road where several people are walking on the narrow shoulder ahead. What should you consider?
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Answer D: There is no escape room if the pass goes wrong, so wait for a better place
A pass depends on having somewhere to go if it goes wrong, and a shoulder occupied by pedestrians removes that option for both vehicles.
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4. A sign beside the signal reads STOP HERE ON RED. What does it tell you?
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Answer B: Stop at that point on red, not closer to the intersection
The sign marks the required stopping point, which is set back from the corner so that turning vehicles and sight lines are not blocked.
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5. Two left-turn lanes are marked at the intersection and you are in the left one. What must you do?
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Answer A: Stay in your own lane all the way around the turn
With dual turn lanes each driver must hold a lane through the whole turn and come out in the matching lane of the new street.
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6. What is the maximum speed a Montana rider may travel while lane filtering?
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Answer C: 20 miles an hour
Montana law allows lane filtering only when the overtaking two-wheeled motorcycle is not operated at a speed in excess of 20 miles an hour.
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7. A flagger turns the paddle to the orange face reading SLOW. What does that tell approaching drivers?
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Answer D: Reduce speed and continue through the work area with care
The SLOW face keeps traffic moving at a reduced speed while workers or equipment are close to the travel lanes.
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8. A driver on a hands free call looks straight at a red light and drives through it. What best explains this?
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Answer B: The eyes saw it but the brain did not process it
Attention, not eyesight, decides what a driver actually sees, and a loaded mind can leave a driver looking straight at a hazard without registering it.
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9. On a busy multilane highway, where is the best place to travel?
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Answer B: In a gap in the traffic, with space open on both sides
Travelling in a gap keeps escape routes open on both sides, while riding alongside other vehicles removes the room you would need to swerve.
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10. What is the correct way to think about protective gear?
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Answer D: It reduces injury in a crash but does nothing to prevent one
Gear is the last line of defense. Avoiding the crash depends on skill, speed choice, space and visibility, and gear only limits the damage when those fail.
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11. Which surfaces usually offer less grip than the pavement around them when wet?
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Answer B: Painted markings, metal plates and bridge decks
Paint, steel and bridge decks all shed grip when wet or cold, so brake before you reach them rather than on top of them.
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12. On a divided highway you see a median opening marked for authorized vehicles only. May you use it to turn around?
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Answer D: No, those openings are for emergency and maintenance vehicles
Official crossovers are reserved for emergency and highway maintenance use; turning there puts a slow vehicle across high-speed traffic.
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13. Why is it useful to watch the vehicle two or three places ahead of you?
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Answer C: You get an earlier warning of slowing traffic than brake lights give
Trouble travels back through a line of traffic, so seeing it start several vehicles ahead gives you a head start on braking.
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14. 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.
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15. A black and white regulatory sign facing traffic at a divided section reads KEEP LEFT. What does it require?
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Answer D: Passing the island or obstruction on its left side
Keep Left is posted at an island or obstruction that traffic must pass on the left, which is the opposite of the far more common Keep Right situation.
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16. A bus stopped at the corner hides the crosswalk you are about to turn across. What should you do?
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Answer C: Turn slowly, ready to stop for anyone stepping out in front of it
People often step into the road from in front of a stopped bus, so approach the hidden crosswalk slowly and be ready to stop.
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17. How many usable riding paths does a single traffic lane offer a motorcycle?
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Answer C: Three
A lane is normally treated as a left, center and right path, and the rider picks the one that gives the best visibility and the largest space cushion.
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18. A rider notices scalloped, uneven wear across the front tire. What does that suggest?
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Answer C: A suspension or wheel bearing fault that should be inspected
Cupped or scalloped wear normally points to worn fork components or loose wheel bearings letting the tire bounce as it rolls.
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19. You are about to descend a long steep grade. How should you control your speed?
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Answer D: Select a lower gear before starting down and use the brakes in firm, brief applications
Engine braking in a lower gear carries most of the load down the grade, while continuous brake pressure overheats the brakes and reduces their effectiveness.
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20. On a Montana two-lane highway where passing is unsafe, when must a slow driver pull into a turnout?
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Answer A: When four or more vehicles have formed a line behind
Montana requires the driver of a slow-moving vehicle to turn off at the nearest safe turnout or use the shoulder when four or more vehicles are following on a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe.
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21. At a four-way stop another driver pulls out ahead of you when it was clearly your turn. What is the correct response?
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Answer B: Let that driver go through, then take your turn when the way is clear again
Right of way is something you give, never something you take, so yielding to a driver who takes it wrongly avoids a crash you would otherwise share.
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22. Besides impact protection, how does a light colored helmet help the rider?
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Answer A: It sits above surrounding traffic, so drivers pick it out sooner
A light or high visibility helmet sits above the traffic around the rider and is often the first part of a motorcycle a driver notices.
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23. A police officer in the intersection raises a hand toward you although your signal is green. What should you do?
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Answer B: Stop and wait for the officer to wave you on
An officer directing traffic overrides signals and signs, and drivers must follow the officer even when the light says otherwise.
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24. You are stopped at a red light ready to turn right when a person pushing a stroller steps into the crosswalk. What should you do?
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Answer A: Stay stopped until they have crossed your path
A turn on red gives way to every pedestrian in the crosswalk, and someone pushing a stroller has even less room to react.
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25. You are overtaking a large tractor trailer on the highway. What should you expect as you ride alongside and then past it?
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Answer D: Changing pushes and pulls as you pass the front, the side and the rear
The air around a large truck moves in different directions along its length, so expect the buffeting to change as you go by. Keep a firm but relaxed grip and a steady throttle.
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26. A Montana driver enters the city of Billings. What does the city's own rule say about cell phones?
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Answer B: Billings prohibits the use of cell phones while driving
The City of Billings prohibits the use of cell phones while driving, which is why the rule a Montana driver faces can change from town to town.
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27. A steady green downward arrow is displayed above the lane you are in. What does it tell you?
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Answer A: You may drive in that lane
A green downward arrow means the lane beneath it is open for travel in your direction.
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28. A barricade carries a sign reading ROAD CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC. What does it permit?
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Answer B: Local access for people whose destination is on that road
This closure keeps out drivers who are only passing through while still allowing residents and deliveries to reach addresses within the closed section.
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29. You are approaching the entry of a roundabout and a pedestrian is crossing the marked crosswalk on your approach lane. What must you do?
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Answer D: Stop before the crosswalk and let the pedestrian cross
Roundabout crosswalks sit a short distance back from the yield line, and drivers must yield there before they ever reach the circulating lanes.
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30. Where should the rider be looking during a U-turn?
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Answer B: All the way around toward the point where the turn will finish
A motorcycle follows the eyes, so turning the head to the exit of the turn keeps the machine coming round instead of drifting wide.
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31. What does a shaft final drive need checked before a ride?
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Answer D: The fluid level in the final drive housing, and any sign of leaks
A shaft drive runs in its own oil bath, so the pre-ride check is the fluid level and any leak around the housing seals rather than tension or slack.
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32. The sign over the leftmost lane reads LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT. You are in that lane and want to go straight. What should you do?
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Answer C: Move out of the lane before the intersection if it is safe
A mandatory movement lane control sign makes the turn compulsory for that lane, so a driver who wants another movement must change lanes in advance.
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33. It is hot and a rider wants to ride without gloves. Why is that a poor idea?
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Answer D: Sweating hands slip on the grips, and bare skin has no protection
Hands go out first in a fall and are hard to repair, and sweaty palms lose their grip on the controls, so wear ventilated summer gloves rather than none.