New York Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

20 sample New York motorcycle questions

Every question below comes from the New York 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 New York license lets you legally operate a motorcycle on public roads?

   1. A Class D license with no motorcycle class
   2. Any valid learner permit for a passenger car
   3. A commercial Class C license
   4. A Class M or Class MJ motorcycle license
   Show answer

   A Class M or Class MJ motorcycle license. New York requires a motorcycle operator's license, Class M, or a motorcycle junior operator's license, Class MJ, before you ride on the road. If you already hold a car license, the motorcycle class is simply added to the same document, which is why you may see a combined class such as DM. A plain car license, a car learner permit or a commercial class does not by itself let you operate a motorcycle. Visitors may ride here on a valid motorcycle license from their home state or country.

2. 2. What happens if you take the New York motorcycle road test on a three-wheeler?

   1. You may then ride any two-wheel motorcycle
   2. Your license is restricted to driving three-wheelers
   3. The road test cannot be taken on a three-wheeler
   4. You must also retake the written test
   Show answer

   Your license is restricted to driving three-wheelers. If you take the New York motorcycle road test on a three wheeler, your motorcycle license will be restricted to driving three wheelers. You are allowed to test on one; the result is simply a narrower license. The manual explains that sidecars and three wheeled vehicles maneuver differently than a two wheeled motorcycle, and that such a restriction may be added until you complete a two wheeled motorcycle test. Testing on a three wheeler does not open the door to riding any two wheel motorcycle.

3. 3. How often must a motorcycle registered in New York pass a safety inspection?

   1. Once every two years
   2. At least once every 12 months
   3. Only when the motorcycle is sold
   4. Never, since inspections are for cars only
   Show answer

   At least once every 12 months. New York requires a motorcycle to pass a safety inspection at least once every 12 months. The inspection has to be done at a station the DMV licenses for motorcycle safety inspections, which displays a yellow and black sign reading Official NYS Motorcycle Inspection Station. Dealers inspect motorcycles before delivery, so a new bike from a dealer arrives already inspected. Waiting two years or skipping inspection entirely breaks the rule.

4. 4. Under New York law, who must wear an approved motorcycle helmet?

   1. Only riders under 21
   2. Only operators, never passengers
   3. Only riders who hold a learner permit
   4. Every operator and every passenger
   Show answer

   Every operator and every passenger. New York requires all motorcycle operators and all passengers to wear helmets approved under the federal motor vehicle safety standard for helmets. There is no exception based on age, experience or license type, so a fully licensed adult needs one just like a learner. Passengers of any age are covered as well. To make riders easier to see, the DMV also recommends reflective material on both sides of the helmet.

5. 5. Is it legal in New York to ride between lanes of slow or stopped traffic?

   1. Yes, as long as traffic is moving slowly
   2. Yes, but only when traffic is fully stopped
   3. No, riding between lanes is not allowed
   4. Only on highways with three or more lanes
   Show answer

   No, riding between lanes is not allowed. New York lets a motorcycle use a full lane and allows two motorcycles to ride abreast in one lane, but you cannot ride abreast of another vehicle in the same lane. You also cannot ride between lanes or squeeze between moving traffic and parked cars. There is no exception for stopped traffic, slow traffic or highway riding. Lane splitting habits learned elsewhere do not apply here.

6. 6. On a New York motorcycle, how many passengers may ride on the rear passenger seat?

   1. Two, if both are small children
   2. Two, if the seat is long enough
   3. One
   4. None unless a sidecar is attached
   Show answer

   One. New York's equipment rules call for a seat for the operator and, if a passenger is carried, a passenger seat in the rear. The same rule states that no more than one passenger is permitted. Squeezing two small children onto a long seat is not allowed. A sidecar is not required for carrying one rear passenger, as long as the seat and foot pegs meet the passenger rules.

7. 7. Which exhaust setup is prohibited on a New York motorcycle?

   1. Any aftermarket muffler
   2. Cutouts or mufflers with removable baffles
   3. Dual exhaust pipes
   4. Mufflers wrapped with heat shields
   Show answer

   Cutouts or mufflers with removable baffles. A New York motorcycle must have a suitable muffler. The equipment rules specifically prohibit cutouts and mufflers with removable baffles. Replacing a stock muffler with another suitable one is not itself banned, and the number of pipes is not what the rule is about. The same equipment list also covers lights, brakes, a horn, at least one handlebar mirror and handlebar height. Keep this list in mind before you modify the exhaust on your motorcycle.

8. 8. Most motorcycle crashes occur on which kind of trip?

   1. Long trips of more than 100 miles
   2. Trips on interstate highways
   3. Trips taken late at night
   4. Short trips of less than five miles
   Show answer

   Short trips of less than five miles. Crash data in the handbook show that most crashes happen on short trips of less than five miles, just a few minutes after starting out. Riders often skip gear for a quick errand, yet that is exactly when they are most at risk. Neither long tours nor late night riding is the typical crash setting, and most crashes happen in broad daylight. Gear up fully even for a trip to the corner store.

9. 9. Which gear should you stay in while stopped at a light?

   1. Neutral, with the clutch released
   2. First gear, ready to move out quickly
   3. Second gear, for a smoother start
   4. Whatever gear you were in before stopping
   Show answer

   First gear, ready to move out quickly. As you slow or stop, shift down through the gears using the clutch. While you are stopped, remain in first gear so you can move out quickly if you need to. The handbook warns that when you are stopped at an intersection, a driver coming up from behind who is not attentive could be on top of you before he sees you. Sitting in neutral or a higher gear costs time in exactly that situation. Keep checking your mirrors while you wait at the light.

10. 10. What should you do with the throttle while riding through a turn?

    1. Close it completely and coast through the turn
    2. Roll it on to hold a steady or gently rising speed
    3. Snap it wide open sharply in the middle of the turn
    4. Pull in the clutch and coast through
    Show answer

    Roll it on to hold a steady or gently rising speed. The roll step means rolling on the throttle through the turn to stabilize the suspension. Maintain a steady speed or accelerate gradually so the motorcycle stays stable. Closing the throttle or coasting with the clutch in leaves the bike unsettled, while a sharp burst of power can break traction. In normal turns, you and the motorcycle should lean together at the same angle.

11. 11. Under normal conditions, what minimum following distance does the New York motorcycle manual call for?

    1. One second
    2. One car length for every 10 mph
    3. Five seconds
    4. Two seconds
    Show answer

    Two seconds. Following too closely is a major factor in motorcycle crashes, and motorcycles need as much distance to stop as cars do. Normally, keep at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. To measure it, pick a fixed marker, and when the rear bumper ahead passes it, count one thousand one, one thousand two. Reaching the marker before you say two means you are too close.

12. 12. Which vehicles does the New York manual say may share a lane?

    1. A motorcycle and a small car
    2. Any two vehicles in stopped traffic
    3. A motorcycle and a bicycle
    4. Two motorcycles only
    Show answer

    Two motorcycles only. Cars and motorcycles cannot share a lane safely, and lane sharing is permitted only for two motorcycles. Riding between rows of stopped or moving cars leaves you exposed: a hand could come out of a window, a door could open or a car could turn suddenly. Discourage drivers from squeezing past by keeping a center portion position in heavy traffic, when they want to pass, and when you prepare to turn or exit.

13. 13. Which parked car behavior does the New York manual call the most dangerous?

    1. Parallel parking slowly
    2. Sitting with hazard lights flashing
    3. A driver opening the trunk
    4. A sudden U-turn across the road
    Show answer

    A sudden U-turn across the road. Cars that make a sudden U-turn are the most dangerous, because they can cut you off entirely and block the whole roadway, leaving you nowhere to go. Since you cannot tell what a driver will do, slow down and get the driver's attention. Sound your horn and continue with caution. A driver pulling out from the curb is a related risk, but the U-turn is the one that can close off every escape.

14. 14. Should you use your turn signal even when your turn is obvious to everyone?

    1. No, only when cars are directly behind you
    2. Yes, signal lights also make you easier to spot
    3. No, hand signals are preferred on motorcycles
    4. Only on roads with several lanes
    Show answer

    Yes, signal lights also make you easier to spot. Because riders are more vulnerable, signals matter even more on a motorcycle than in a car. Use them any time you plan to change lanes or turn, even when you think no one else is around, since the car you do not see is the one that gives you the most trouble. Signal lights also make you easier to spot, which is why it is a good idea to use them even when your plan is obvious.

15. 15. What following distance does the New York manual suggest when riding at night?

    1. One second, to use the car's headlights
    2. Three seconds or more
    3. Two seconds, the same as daytime
    4. Five car lengths
    Show answer

    Three seconds or more. Distances are harder to judge at night than in daylight. Your eyes use shadows and light contrasts to judge how far away something is and how fast it is coming, and artificial light distorts or removes those cues. To compensate, open up a three second following distance or more, and allow more distance to pass and be passed. Riding slower than you would by day helps as well.

16. 16. You must stop quickly while leaning through a curve. What is the best technique if possible?

    1. Straighten the motorcycle upright, then brake
    2. Brake hard while still leaned over in the curve
    3. Use only the front brake while staying leaned
    4. Lean farther to tighten your line through the curve
    Show answer

    Straighten the motorcycle upright, then brake. If you must stop quickly while turning or riding a curve, the best technique is to straighten the motorcycle upright first and then brake. When that is not possible, apply the brakes lightly and reduce the throttle while leaning, then add brake pressure as the lean angle decreases, until the motorcycle is straight and maximum pressure is possible. Straighten the handlebars in the last few feet so you stop upright.

17. 17. If you must ride over an obstacle, what should you do with your body?

    1. Rise slightly off the seat, weight on the pegs
    2. Sit down firmly and lock your arms straight
    3. Lean far back to lift the front wheel up
    4. Stand up fully and let go with one hand
    Show answer

    Rise slightly off the seat, weight on the pegs. The best way to handle obstacles is to slow down or go around them. If you must go over one, approach it as close to a 90 degree angle as possible with the motorcycle straight, slow down as much as possible before contact, and rise slightly off the seat with your weight on the foot pegs. That lets your knees and elbows absorb the shock and keeps you from being thrown off. Afterward, pull off and check tires and rims.

18. 18. How will steering feel if your front tire goes flat?

    1. Very light and loose
    2. Completely normal until you stop
    3. The rear will sway from side to side
    4. Heavy
    Show answer

    Heavy. You will seldom hear a tire go flat, so you must recognize it from how the motorcycle handles. If the front tire goes flat, the steering will feel heavy, and a front flat is especially hazardous because it affects your steering. If the rear tire goes flat, the back of the motorcycle may jerk or sway from side to side. Either way, react quickly to keep your balance.

19. 19. Your engine loses power and its sound changes, a sign it may be seizing. What should you do first?

    1. Rev the engine hard to keep it from stalling
    2. Brake hard using only the rear brake pedal
    3. Keep riding at speed until the next exit
    4. Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine
    Show answer

    Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine. An engine that locks or freezes is usually low on oil, so its moving parts cannot move smoothly and it overheats. The first sign may be a loss of power or a change in engine sound. Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine from the rear wheel, pull off the road and stop, then check the oil. A seized engine acts like a locked rear wheel, so let it cool before restarting.

20. 20. Who should carry passengers or large loads on a motorcycle?

    1. Any rider with a motorcycle license
    2. Any rider on a large motorcycle
    3. Riders who hold a car license
    4. Only experienced riders
    Show answer

    Only experienced riders. Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads. The extra weight changes the way the motorcycle handles, balances, turns, speeds up and slows down. Before taking a passenger or heavy load on the street, practice away from traffic. Equip and adjust the motorcycle, instruct the passenger before you start, and adjust your riding for the added weight. A bigger motorcycle does not remove the need for experience.