Massachusetts Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

Correct answer: You can use your arms to steer rather than to hold yourself up

Your body should be relaxed but fairly erect. This lets you use your arms to steer the motorcycle rather than to hold yourself up.

Correct answer: Both motorcycle riders and passengers

Helmet use for motorcycle riders and passengers is mandatory under Massachusetts law. The universal helmet law applies to everyone on the motorcycle, regardless of age.

Correct answer: Wet pavement, lane markings, steel plates, and manhole covers

Wet pavement, painted lane markings, steel plates, and manhole covers all offer poor traction. Cross them upright and avoid braking or turning while you are on them.

Correct answer: Class M

Massachusetts issues a single motorcycle license — Class M. A Class D license covers passenger vehicles, not motorcycles.

Correct answer: A two-second distance

The two-second rule gives you reaction time at any speed. Pick a fixed object; if you reach it less than two seconds after the vehicle ahead, you are following too closely and should drop back.

Correct answer: Not seeing the motorcycle — a rider's small outline is easy to miss

A motorcycle's outline is far smaller than a car's, so drivers frequently say they never saw the rider. Your first safety job is to make yourself visible and to assume you have not been seen.

Correct answer: Close enough to reach them with your arms slightly bent

Sit close enough to the handlebars to reach them with your arms slightly bent. Bent arms let you turn the handlebars without having to stretch.

Correct answer: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218

All motorcycle helmets sold in the U.S. must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218, which sets the minimum level of protection a helmet must provide.

Correct answer: Requires a greater distance, so reduce speed early

A slippery surface lengthens your stopping distance. Reduce speed before you reach it — especially ahead of a curve, where skidding and loss of control are more likely.

Correct answer: Three wheels

A motorcycle is defined as any motor vehicle with a seat or saddle for the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground.

Correct answer: On slippery, unfamiliar, or heavily congested roads

Two seconds is a minimum for good conditions. Slippery pavement, unfamiliar areas, or heavy congestion all call for a larger four-second (or more) cushion to stay safe.

Correct answer: At all times, day and night

The best way to alert drivers to your presence is to keep the headlight on at all times. Research shows a motorcycle running its headlight in daylight is about twice as noticeable to oncoming drivers.

Correct answer: Avoid accidentally using too much throttle

Hold the handgrips firmly and start with your wrists flat. This helps keep you from accidentally using too much throttle, especially if you must reach for the brake suddenly.

Correct answer: Cracks, loose padding, frayed straps, or exposed metal

Inspect a helmet for imperfections such as cracks, loose padding, frayed straps, or exposed metal. Any of these means the helmet may not protect you and should not be used.

Correct answer: In the wheel tracks left by the vehicles ahead

Following the wheel tracks of vehicles ahead avoids the center of the lane, where oil dripped by passing traffic collects and makes wet pavement especially slick near intersections and toll booths.

Correct answer: 30 mph

A moped (motorized bicycle) has a maximum speed of 30 mph or lower, a cylinder capacity of 50 cc or lower, and an automatic transmission.

Correct answer: Pick a fixed object and count the seconds after the vehicle ahead passes it

Choose a fixed marker like a sign or tree. When the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one one-thousand, two one-thousand." Reaching the marker before two seconds means you are too close.

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

Bright colors and reflective tape stand out against traffic and pavement. Most motorcycle crashes happen in daylight, so wearing a bright jacket or reflective vest helps drivers pick you out.

Correct answer: Held firmly against the gas tank

Hold your knees firmly against the gas tank. This helps your balance as the motorcycle turns.

Correct answer: Fitted snugly and securely fastened to your head

Make sure the helmet fits snugly with no blind spots, and that it is securely fastened to your head while riding to maximize protection in a crash.