New Jersey MVC Motorcycle Practice Test 25

  • Questions50
  • Correct to pass40
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age17 years

Minimum age: 17 years, with parent or guardian consent under 18

50 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 40 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. A wide crosswalk you are turning across has a refuge island in the middle. What should you assume about people standing on it?

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    Answer D: They may step off the island into your path at any moment

    An island is a pause in a crossing, not the end of one, so treat anyone on it as a pedestrian who is still crossing.

  2. 2. After turning right you see a sign showing that your lane ends a short way ahead. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Signal and merge into the next lane while there is still room

    Merge early and smoothly while a gap is still available, rather than running out of pavement or forcing your way in at the last moment.

  3. 3. 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.

  4. 4. To make a motorcycle lean into a turn at normal riding speed, the rider should:

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    Answer C: Press forward on the handgrip on the side of the turn

    This is countersteering: press left to lean left and go left, press right to lean right and go right.

  5. 5. A center lane is bordered by a solid yellow line on the outside and a broken yellow line on the inside, with turn arrows painted inside it. What is that lane for?

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    Answer C: Left turns made by traffic traveling in either direction

    That marking pattern identifies a two-way left-turn lane, which drivers approaching from both directions may use to prepare for a left turn.

  6. 6. You are the first driver on a road just after a storm. What should you plan for?

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    Answer B: Branches, mud and other debris hidden around the next bend

    Storm debris lands where nobody has cleared it yet, often just beyond a curve or a crest, so reduce speed and look much further ahead.

  7. 7. Federal law lets a state open its high-occupancy vehicle lanes to certain vehicles carrying only one person. Which of these is covered by that allowance?

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    Answer B: Motorcycles

    Federal law lets states allow motorcycles into high-occupancy vehicle lanes regardless of the number of occupants, because keeping riders in the flow is safer than the alternative.

  8. 8. What is sensible when you drive in an unfamiliar town for the first time?

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    Answer C: Drive a little slower and give yourself more time to read the signs

    In unfamiliar surroundings you need longer to take in signs, junctions and markings, and lower speed buys that time.

  9. 9. The lane control signal above your lane changes to a steady yellow X. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Prepare to leave the lane, because it is about to be closed

    A steady yellow X is the warning that the lane below it is about to close, giving drivers time to move over before the red X appears.

  10. 10. How much of a traffic lane is a motorcycle entitled to use?

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    Answer D: The full width of the lane

    A motorcycle is entitled to the full lane, and riders move within it to stay visible and to avoid surface hazards, so drivers should never try to share a lane with one.

  11. 11. The circular sign shape is reserved for which warning?

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    Answer C: Advance warning of a highway-rail grade crossing

    A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR is the grade crossing advance warning sign, and the circular outline is used for no other message.

  12. 12. Why do drivers so often misjudge how fast an approaching motorcycle is traveling?

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    Answer C: A narrow vehicle seems to grow slowly, so it appears further away

    A small frontal area changes size slowly as it approaches, so drivers read a motorcycle as further away and slower than it really is. Never assume a waiting driver has judged your speed correctly.

  13. 13. Which feature matters most in clothing meant to keep a rider warm?

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    Answer C: A windproof outer layer, since moving air strips body heat fast

    Wind blowing through clothing carries away heat faster than anything else, so a windproof outer shell over insulating layers is what keeps a rider warm.

  14. 14. What does this sign tell a driver about the road ahead?

    A yellow diamond showing a black curving arrow
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    Answer A: The roadway changes direction ahead, so speed should be reduced before reaching it

    It gives advance notice of a change in alignment so the driver can slow down before entering, since braking inside a bend uses up grip that is needed for steering.

  15. 15. What happens if a passenger leans the opposite way to the rider in a curve?

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    Answer B: The motorcycle becomes harder to steer and may run wide in the curve

    A passenger leaning against the turn fights the lean angle the rider has set, forcing extra steering effort and pushing the machine toward the outside of the curve.

  16. 16. A driver who wants to reverse direction arrives at this sign. What is allowed?

    A white square showing a U shaped arrow inside a red circle with a red diagonal line through it
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    Answer C: Going on and reversing direction only where the maneuver is permitted

    The restriction removes that maneuver at that spot entirely, so the driver has to continue and turn the vehicle around at a place where it is not prohibited.

  17. 17. You spot a deep pothole that the riders behind you will not be able to see until it is too late. What is the usual way to warn them?

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    Answer B: Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on

    Pointing at the hazard on the correct side tells the riders behind both that something is there and where in the lane it is.

  18. 18. What should a rider check about the size of a motorcycle before riding it?

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    Answer C: That both feet reach the ground and the controls are within reach

    A motorcycle that fits lets the rider put both feet down at a stop and work every control without stretching, and a machine that is too tall or too heavy is hard to hold up in slow traffic.

  19. 19. You are on an entrance ramp merging onto a freeway. Who has to give way?

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    Answer B: You must yield and fit into a gap in the traffic already on the freeway

    Traffic entering a highway must yield to traffic already on it. Use the acceleration lane to match speed and merge into a gap.

  20. 20. 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.

  21. 21. In heavy fog at night on a rural two-lane road, which marking best helps a driver hold position?

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    Answer C: The solid white line along the right edge

    Steering by the right edge line keeps a driver clear of oncoming traffic, while watching the center line tends to pull the vehicle toward it.

  22. 22. You are stopped at a stop sign where your road ends at a two-way through street and you plan to turn left. What must you yield to?

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    Answer B: Traffic from both directions and any pedestrians crossing

    A left turn from the stem of a T crosses the near lane and joins the far one, so you give way to traffic in both directions and to pedestrians.

  23. 23. Which of these is announced with the same family of signs as the facility shown here?

    A blue square with a white letter H
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    Answer A: A rest area for travelers

    A rest area belongs to the same motorist service series, which points travelers toward facilities such as fuel, food, lodging and medical care.

  24. 24. Why must a rider turn the head and look before changing lanes?

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    Answer A: Mirrors leave blind spots that only a direct look can cover

    Motorcycles have blind spots just as cars do, and a vehicle hidden in one will not appear in the mirrors at all.

  25. 25. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop

    Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.

  26. 26. Where is a strong crosswind most likely to hit you suddenly?

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    Answer D: Coming out of a tunnel or a cut onto an open bridge

    Gusts arrive the moment you leave shelter, which is why bridge approaches and the ends of cuts and tunnels catch drivers out.

  27. 27. Why is hearing protection recommended even under a full face helmet?

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    Answer D: Long term exposure to wind and road noise can cause permanent hearing damage

    Airflow around a helmet produces high noise levels, and good hearing protection lowers that noise while still letting the rider hear horns and sirens.

  28. 28. You are traveling beside a solid white lane line. What does it tell you?

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    Answer B: Crossing it is discouraged or prohibited, so stay in your lane

    A solid white line separates lanes going the same direction where lane changing is discouraged or prohibited, such as where a through lane meets a mandatory turn lane.

  29. 29. A signal on an entrance ramp changes from red to green and lets one vehicle at a time onto the highway. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Stop on the red and go on the green, one vehicle for each green

    A ramp meter spaces vehicles out so they join the highway one at a time instead of arriving as a group, and it is a traffic signal like any other.

  30. 30. What is the recommended minimum following distance behind the vehicle ahead?

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    Answer C: Two seconds

    A two second gap is the minimum in good conditions and should be stretched to three seconds or more on slippery roads, in poor visibility or in heavy traffic.

  31. 31. How is the rear brake applied on a standard motorcycle?

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    Answer D: By pressing down a pedal with the right foot

    The rear brake pedal is in front of the right footrest and should be pressed down smoothly rather than stamped on.

  32. 32. 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.

  33. 33. A traffic light ahead of the group turns yellow as the leader approaches it. What should the leader do?

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    Answer C: Stop normally and let the group be split by the signal

    Keeping the group together never outranks obeying the signal, and the riders left behind simply catch up at the next stop.

  34. 34. Where is reflective material most effective at attracting a driver's attention at night?

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    Answer A: On the arms, legs and helmet, where the movement draws the eye

    Reflective patches that move as the rider rides are noticed sooner than static ones, and a helmet sits high where drivers are already looking.

  35. 35. A large insect splatters on your face shield and blocks part of your view. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Keep control, look through a clear part, and clean it at the next stop

    Taking a hand off the bars or riding with your eyes closed is far more dangerous than a partly obscured view, so keep riding and clean the shield when you are stopped.

  36. 36. A traffic signal is displaying a flashing red light. How must you treat it?

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    Answer D: Stop completely, then proceed when the way is clear

    A flashing red carries the same meaning as a stop sign: come to a full stop, then go only when it is safe.

  37. 37. 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.

  38. 38. You enter a work zone where the top layer of pavement has been milled off, leaving a grooved surface. How should you ride?

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    Answer B: Hold a relaxed grip and steady speed, and expect the tires to wander

    Milled or grooved pavement makes the tires follow the ridges and the motorcycle feel unsettled, so relax on the bars, keep a constant speed and ride straight through.

  39. 39. You are in the right-hand lane of a multilane street and that lane becomes a right-turn-only lane ahead, but you want to go straight. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Change into a through lane before you reach the markings for the turn lane

    A lane-use arrow is a regulatory marking, so a driver who wants to continue straight has to leave that lane before it becomes a mandatory turn lane.

  40. 40. What is the main function of the guide sign series?

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    Answer D: To identify routes and lead road users to their destinations

    Guide signs identify routes, name destinations and give distances, so drivers can navigate without stopping to consult a map.

  41. 41. 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.

  42. 42. You have a green light at a school crossing, but the crossing guard steps out and holds up a stop sign toward you. What must you do?

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    Answer A: Stop, because the crossing guard controls this crossing and outranks the signal

    Directions from a crossing guard or a police officer take priority over signals and signs.

  43. 43. In a work zone, the flagger's instructions conflict with the pavement markings still visible on the road. Which do you follow?

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    Answer B: The flagger, because a person directing traffic outranks the markings

    An authorized flagger controlling a temporary traffic control zone overrides signs, signals and markings, and drivers must obey the flagger's signals.

  44. 44. At a stop sign with a painted stop line and a crosswalk, where must you stop?

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    Answer D: At the stop line, before it and before the crosswalk

    You stop at the stop line first, and only if there is no stop line do you stop before the crosswalk, and only if there is neither do you stop before entering the intersection.

  45. 45. How long should a head check before a lane change last?

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    Answer D: A quick glance, so you do not lose track of what is happening ahead

    Traffic ahead can change in a second, so the blind spot check is a fast glance and the rider returns attention to the road immediately.

  46. 46. What license does New Jersey require to operate an autocycle?

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    Answer C: A valid basic driver license, with no motorcycle endorsement needed

    An autocycle may be driven on a valid basic New Jersey license; no motorcycle license or endorsement is required, and autocycles may not be used for the road test.

  47. 47. What should you do with the key and your belongings when you leave the vehicle in a public lot?

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    Answer D: Take the key with you, lock up and put valuables out of sight

    Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic: a key left behind or a bag in plain view is the invitation.

  48. 48. Why must the handlebars be kept square during a hard straight line stop?

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    Answer B: Because a front wheel turned under heavy braking can put the machine down

    With the front tire loaded to its limit, any steering input asks it to do two jobs at once and the front end can wash out instantly.

  49. 49. Traffic in your lane is backed up and the paved shoulder looks clear. May you drive along it to get past?

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    Answer C: No, the shoulder is not a travel lane

    Passing must be done within the roadway; driving on the shoulder to get around traffic is prohibited and surprises anyone entering from the right.

  50. 50. In T-CLOCS, what does the letter O stand for?

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    Answer B: Oil and other fluid levels

    The O step covers engine oil, along with coolant, hydraulic brake fluid and any final drive fluid, plus a look underneath for leaks.