Florida Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

19 sample Florida motorcycle questions

Every question below comes from the Florida motorcycle question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. Which course must a new Florida motorcyclist pass before the motorcycle endorsement can be added?

   1. Any free online video course about motorcycle safety
   2. The MSF Basic RiderCourse through an authorized FRTP sponsor
   3. A classroom defensive driving course for car drivers
   4. No course at all, only the knowledge and skills tests
   Show answer

   The MSF Basic RiderCourse through an authorized FRTP sponsor. New Florida motorcyclists must take and pass the Basic RiderCourse developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation through a Florida Rider Training Program authorized sponsor before the motorcycle endorsement can be added to their license, under section 322.0255, Florida Statutes. The Florida specific chapter repeats that a state approved course, the Basic RiderCourse or an equivalent approved by FLHSMV, is required. The course combines classroom instruction with hands on riding and a skills evaluation, so testing alone is not enough.

2. 2. Who must wear a DOT compliant helmet in Florida no matter what insurance they have?

   1. Only riders under 16
   2. Only operators, not passengers
   3. Nobody who carries $10,000 in medical benefits
   4. Every rider under 21
   Show answer

   Every rider under 21. Florida's helmet rules turn on age and insurance. The handbook says anyone under 16 must wear a DOT compliant helmet as operator or passenger, and anyone under 21 is required to wear a helmet regardless of what insurance they may have. Only a person over 21 may ride without a helmet, and only if covered by an insurance policy providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits for crash injuries. Insurance never excuses a rider under 21.

3. 3. Once your riding gear is older than how many years does the handbook suggest considering newer gear?

   1. Five years
   2. One year
   3. Ten years
   4. Twenty years
   Show answer

   Five years. Manufacturers constantly update gear to provide better protection. The handbook says that if your riding gear is over five years old, you should consider newer gear that offers the latest in materials, conspicuity and personal injury protection. Conspicuity means how easy it is for other road users to see and notice you. Wearing proper protective equipment significantly increases your chances of avoiding serious injury in a crash.

4. 4. How high may the handlebars be on a motorcycle under Florida law?

   1. No higher than the operator's shoulders
   2. No higher than the top of the operator's helmet
   3. No higher than 24 inches above the seat
   4. There is no height limit
   Show answer

   No higher than the operator's shoulders. Florida's equipment law requires handlebars no higher than the operator's shoulders, and the violations checklist lists handlebar height higher than the operator's shoulders as an offense under section 316.2095(2). A helmet top or a measured seat height is not the test the handbook gives. The same equipment list requires front and rear brakes, a mirror, a horn, a headlamp on at all times, a rear red reflector, a stop lamp, turn signals and a taillight.

5. 5. Under Florida law, is lane splitting, riding between lanes of moving or stopped traffic, legal?

   1. Yes, at speeds below 30 mph
   2. No, it is illegal in Florida
   3. Yes, when traffic is fully stopped
   4. Yes, on interstate highways only
   Show answer

   No, it is illegal in Florida. The handbook states that lane splitting, riding between lanes of moving or stopped traffic, is illegal in Florida, and motorcycles must stay within a lane like other vehicles, citing section 316.209. The violations checklist lists riding between lanes as an offense. Riding between rows of vehicles also leaves you vulnerable to a hand out a window, a door opening or a car turning suddenly. Florida makes no exception for stopped traffic or low speeds.

6. 6. On a multi lane road, you approach a law enforcement vehicle stopped with its lights flashing and cannot safely change lanes. What does Florida's Move Over Law require?

   1. Slow to 10 mph below the posted speed limit
   2. Keep your speed and pass quickly
   3. Slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit
   4. Stop completely until the officer waves you on
   Show answer

   Slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. Florida's Move Over Law protects law enforcement officers, emergency and utility workers, tow trucks and disabled vehicles stopped with warning lights. On a road with multiple lanes in your direction, you must vacate the lane closest to the stopped vehicle as soon as it is safe. If you cannot safely move over, you must slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit unless an officer directs otherwise. On a road posted 20 mph or less, slow to 5 mph.

7. 7. How should you ride through sandy patches on Florida roads, especially at intersections?

   1. Slowly, with no sharp steering or hard front brake
   2. Accelerate hard to plow through it quickly
   3. Brake hard with the front brake in the sand
   4. Swerve sharply around every sandy patch
   Show answer

   Slowly, with no sharp steering or hard front brake. Sand on roadways can reduce tire traction. The handbook's Florida specific section says riders should approach sandy patches slowly, particularly at intersections, and avoid sharp steering and sudden use of the front brake. This matches the general advice for slippery surfaces: reduce speed before you reach them and avoid sudden changes in speed or direction, since any sudden move can cause a skid.

8. 8. Which statement about frailty and riding is supported by the handbook?

   1. Frailty is a fixed condition that cannot be improved
   2. Keeping speeds at or below 30 mph cuts their risk
   3. Only riders who are older can be frail
   4. Crash speed matters less for frail riders
   Show answer

   Keeping speeds at or below 30 mph cuts their risk. The handbook distinguishes aging from frailty, a state of health in which the body has less reserve and struggles to recover from injury or illness. You can be older but not frail, or younger but still frail. Crash speed has a much greater impact on frail riders, and among its special considerations the handbook says keeping speeds at or below 30 mph significantly reduces risk. Unlike age, frailty can be improved with physical activity, good nutrition and proper medical care.

9. 9. Which tests does the Florida handbook say determine whether you are riding legally after drinking?

   1. A breath, blood or urine test
   2. How sober you look or act
   3. Your own sense of how impaired you feel
   4. How many hours since your last drink
   Show answer

   A breath, blood or urine test. The handbook states that it does not matter how sober you may look or act; a breath, blood or urine test is what determines whether you are riding legally or illegally. In Florida, a level of 0.08 or above is unlawful, and for drivers under 21, 0.02 percent or more brings an immediate six month suspension. Impairment of judgment and skills begins well below the legal limit, so feeling fine is no guide.

10. 10. Which of these is listed as a violation on the handbook's motorcycle violations checklist?

    1. Riding with the headlight on during daylight hours
    2. Carrying items that prevent both hands on the handlebars
    3. Wearing sunglasses as the operator's eye protection
    4. Riding in the left third of your own lane
    Show answer

    Carrying items that prevent both hands on the handlebars. The handbook's appendix lists motorcycle violations and the statutes behind them. The first item is carrying items that prevent both hands on the handlebars, under section 316.2085(4). Other items include riding between lanes, riding more than two abreast in a single lane, passing in the same lane, handlebars higher than the operator's shoulders and wearing a headset not attached to the helmet. Keeping the headlight on and wearing sunglasses as eye protection are required or allowed, not violations.

11. 11. What is the friction zone, as defined in this handbook?

    1. The tread area of the rear tire that grips
    2. The clutch lever range linking engine and rear wheel
    3. The rubber grip surface on the handlebars
    4. The center area of the lane where oil collects
    Show answer

    The clutch lever range linking engine and rear wheel. Before riding an unfamiliar motorcycle, the handbook says to work the throttle, clutch lever, brakes and shifter, and to be very familiar with the friction zone on manual transmissions. It defines the friction zone as the small area in the clutch lever's travel that controls the connection between the engine and the rear wheel. Engine braking also uses it: ease out the clutch lever through the friction zone between each downshift until engine speed stabilizes.

12. 12. A tailgater will not pass you even after you slow down. What extra option does the Florida handbook mention?

    1. Brake hard to teach them a lesson
    2. Speed up to get away
    3. Ride on the shoulder beside traffic
    4. Briefly pull off into a parking area
    Show answer

    Briefly pull off into a parking area. When someone is following too closely, the handbook says speeding up can backfire and lead to tailgating at even higher speeds. A safer approach is to let the tailgater pass. If they cannot pass, slow down slightly and increase the space ahead. If they still do not pass, the handbook adds that in some situations it may be safest to pull off the road briefly, into a parking area or side street, and rejoin traffic once the tailgater has moved on.

13. 13. Besides before slowing quickly, when else does the Florida handbook list flashing your brake light?

    1. Every time you accelerate from a stop
    2. When passing another motorcycle
    3. When turning on your high beam
    4. Stopped with traffic coming up behind
    Show answer

    Stopped with traffic coming up behind. A motorcycle's brake light is usually not as noticeable as a car's, so the handbook suggests flashing it before you slow down when the situation permits. Its list includes slowing more quickly than others might expect, slowing where others may not expect it, and being stopped at an intersection with traffic approaching from behind. If you are being followed closely, flashing the brake light before you slow can warn the tailgater of hazards they may not see.

14. 14. If the situation allows, how should braking and an aggressive swerve be combined?

    1. Brake before or after, never during the swerve
    2. Brake hard throughout the swerve
    3. Use only the front brake while swerving
    4. Never brake at all once you decide to swerve
    Show answer

    Brake before or after, never during the swerve. A swerve is a sudden change in direction, started by applying a small amount of hand pressure to the handgrip on the side of your intended escape. The handbook says that, if the situation allows, separate braking from swerving: brake before or after, never while making an aggressive swerve. It also notes that crash involved riders often fail to separate braking from swerving or choose the wrong maneuver. Practice both skills in a controlled area.

15. 15. If you must cross a slippery surface at a walking pace, what does the handbook suggest?

    1. Skim your feet, stay off the brakes, coast
    2. Brake firmly with both brakes the whole way
    3. Accelerate to get across quickly
    4. Lean the motorcycle into a turn
    Show answer

    Skim your feet, stay off the brakes, coast. If you cannot avoid a slippery surface, the handbook says to keep your motorcycle straight up and proceed as slowly as possible. If you must travel at a walking pace, consider letting your feet skim along the surface so you can catch yourself, be sure to keep off the brakes, and if possible squeeze the clutch lever and coast. It warns that attempting this at anything other than the slowest of speeds could prove hazardous.

16. 16. On a motorcycle with a drive shaft, what can loss of oil in the rear differential cause?

    1. The headlight can fail
    2. The front brake can stop working
    3. Nothing, since shaft drives need no oil
    4. The rear wheel can lock, possibly causing a skid
    Show answer

    The rear wheel can lock, possibly causing a skid. The drive train uses a chain, belt or drive shaft to move power from the engine to the rear wheel, and routine maintenance makes failure rare. A chain or belt that slips or breaks could lock the rear wheel and cause a skid. The handbook adds that on a motorcycle with a drive shaft, loss of oil in the rear differential can cause the rear wheel to lock, and you may not be able to prevent a skid. If a chain or belt breaks, close the throttle and brake to a stop.

17. 17. Where should a child ride as a passenger on a two wheel motorcycle?

    1. Sitting on the gas tank in front of the rider
    2. Standing on the passenger footrests
    3. Immediately behind the rider
    4. Wherever the child feels safest
    Show answer

    Immediately behind the rider. The handbook says children should be placed immediately behind the rider. A child sitting in front of the rider will not be able to properly balance him or herself and may interfere with the rider's control of the motorcycle. Every passenger must be able to reach the passenger footrests, which Florida law requires, and hold on to your waist, hips, belt or the passenger handholds, wearing the same level of protective gear as you.

18. 18. On a two lane highway, how should riders in a staggered formation pass slower traffic?

    1. All at once as a unit
    2. In pairs, side by side
    3. One at a time
    4. Last rider first
    Show answer

    One at a time. The handbook distinguishes road types. On a freeway or interstate, the group may pass slow traffic as a unit. On a two lane highway, riders in a staggered formation should pass one at a time: first the lead rider pulls out and passes when safe, then returns to the left position and keeps riding at passing speed. Each following rider moves to the left position and waits for a safe chance, since conditions may have changed since the leader passed.

19. 19. During acceleration, how does a motorcycle with a sidecar tend to feel, and how do you compensate?

    1. Steered left; steer slightly toward the sidecar
    2. Lighter in front; lean back off the seat
    3. Steered right; steer slightly away from the sidecar
    4. Unchanged; no correction is ever needed
    Show answer

    Steered right; steer slightly away from the sidecar. Attaching a sidecar adds a non powered, off center mass. The handbook explains that during acceleration the sidecar feels as though it lags behind you, so the vehicle feels as though it is being steered to the right. On acceleration, compensate by steering slightly in the opposite direction from the sidecar. During braking, the sidecar's momentum carries it forward, so the rig feels steered left, and you compensate by steering slightly toward the sidecar.