Delaware Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

Correct answer: You use your arms to steer, not to hold yourself up

Sit so you can operate all the controls and use your arms to steer rather than to hold yourself up. This lets you react quickly to hazards.

Correct answer: Wear a securely fastened, quality helmet

Head and neck injuries account for a majority of serious and fatal motorcycle injuries. Wearing a securely fastened, quality helmet is the single most important thing you can do to survive a crash.

Correct answer: Apply both brakes at the same time

Apply both brakes together for the shortest stop. Squeeze the front brake firmly and progressively — don’t "grab" it — while pressing down on the rear.

Correct answer: By adding a motorcycle endorsement to your Delaware driver license

Delaware does not issue a separate motorcycle license. Instead, you add a motorcycle endorsement to your existing Delaware driver license, which then indicates your eligibility to operate a motorcycle.

Correct answer: Usually prohibited — cars and motorcycles each need a full lane

The manual states plainly that cars and motorcycles need a full lane to operate safely and that lane sharing is usually prohibited. Never treat riding between rows of vehicles as a legal maneuver in Delaware.

Correct answer: Never saw the motorcycle

A motorcycle's outline is much smaller than a car's, and most drivers are not looking for one. Because they so often simply never see you, your biggest job is to make yourself easy to notice.

Correct answer: Far enough forward that your arms are slightly bent when you hold the handgrips

Sit far enough forward that your arms are slightly bent when holding the handgrips. Bending your arms lets you press on the handlebars without having to stretch.

Correct answer: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards

Choose a helmet designed to meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards. A label from the Snell Memorial Foundation adds further assurance of quality.

Correct answer: Front brake, which can provide at least 70% of your stopping power

As you brake, weight transfers forward onto the front tire and gives it grip, so the front brake provides at least 70% of your stopping power. Used properly, it is safe and essential in a quick stop.

Correct answer: A valid Delaware driver license

You must be a Delaware licensed driver before applying for the endorsement. The endorsement is added to the license you already hold, so there is no separate car knowledge test to take.

Correct answer: A hand, an opening door, or a sudden turn could catch you with no room

Squeezing between cars leaves you vulnerable to the unexpected — a hand out a window, a door opening, or a car turning suddenly — with nowhere to go. Delaware discourages lane sharing rather than permitting it.

Correct answer: Bright orange, red, yellow, or green with reflective material

Your body is about half of the visible surface of the rider-and-motorcycle unit, so bright, reflective gear matters. Any bright color beats drab or dark clothing for being seen day and night.

Correct answer: Keep them against the gas tank to help hold your balance in turns

Keep your knees against the gas tank. This helps you keep your balance as the motorcycle turns.

Correct answer: Three times more likely

No matter the speed, helmeted riders are three times more likely to survive head injuries than those not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Correct answer: Release the front brake immediately, then reapply it firmly

A locked front wheel means immediate loss of steering and balance. Release the front brake at once, then reapply it smoothly — failing to release it will result in a crash.

Correct answer: All sections of the Motorcycle Operator Manual

The DMV states that the knowledge test will contain questions from all sections of this manual, so it pays to study the whole book — riding technique as well as the licensing rules.

Correct answer: Keep a center-portion lane position when drivers might be tempted

Holding a center-portion position takes away the gap that tempts a driver to share your lane. Drivers are most tempted in heavy traffic, when they want to pass, and near intersections and exits.

Correct answer: At all times, day and night

A motorcycle with its light on during the day is about twice as likely to be noticed. Keep the headlight on at all times, and use low beam at night and in fog.

Correct answer: Firmly on the footrests, near the controls, without dragging them

Keep your feet firmly on the footrests to maintain balance, and near the controls so you can reach them fast. Don’t drag your feet, and don’t point your toes down — they may catch between the road and the footrests.

Correct answer: Fit snugly all the way around, with no obvious defects

Get the most protection by making sure the helmet fits snugly all the way around and has no obvious defects such as cracks, loose padding, or frayed straps.