Pennsylvania Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

20 sample Pennsylvania motorcycle questions

Every question below comes from the Pennsylvania 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. What protective gear does Pennsylvania require while you ride on a motorcycle learner's permit?

   1. A helmet and eye protection
   2. A helmet only
   3. Eye protection only, if there is no windshield
   4. Nothing beyond ordinary clothing
   Show answer

   A helmet and eye protection. Pennsylvania requires every motorcycle permit holder to wear a helmet and eye protection, and the licensing section repeats that all applicants with a permit must do so. A windshield does not replace eye protection, and most windshields will not protect your eyes from the wind anyway. Beyond the legal minimum, the manual recommends protective clothing as well, because the right gear gives you a far better chance of avoiding serious injury in any crash.

2. 2. You take the Pennsylvania skill test on a motorcycle with three wheels. What will happen?

   1. You get a full Class M license with no limits
   2. A 9 restriction bars you from two wheeled motorcycles
   3. You must retest within 6 months
   4. An 8 restriction limits your engine power
   Show answer

   A 9 restriction bars you from two wheeled motorcycles. Testing on a motorcycle that has more than 2 wheels puts a 9 restriction on your Pennsylvania driver's license. That restriction prohibits you from operating a two wheeled motorcycle. To have it removed, contact PennDOT at the number listed in the manual. The 8 restriction, by contrast, comes from testing on a motorcycle of 5 brake horsepower or less. The 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course also leads to a license with the 9 restriction.

3. 3. How often may you reapply for a Pennsylvania motorcycle learner's permit?

   1. No more than three times in a five year period
   2. As many times as you like, with no limit
   3. Once a year, without retaking any test
   4. Only twice in your whole lifetime as a rider
   Show answer

   No more than three times in a five year period. Pennsylvania limits motorcycle learner's permits: you may reapply no more than three times in a five year period, which works out to four permits in total within five years. Each time you reapply, you must successfully pass the motorcycle knowledge test again. So a permit cannot be renewed endlessly, and a reapplication is never automatic. Use each permit to practice and to work toward your skill test.

4. 4. Which gives a rider the most complete face protection in a crash?

   1. Goggles with tinted lenses
   2. A fairing with a windshield
   3. A faceshield
   4. Prescription eyeglasses
   Show answer

   A faceshield. A plastic shatter resistant faceshield can help protect your whole face in a crash and also shields you from wind, dust, rain, insects and pebbles thrown up by cars ahead. Goggles protect your eyes but not the rest of your face. A windshield is not a substitute for a faceshield or goggles, and eyeglasses will not keep your eyes from watering and might blow off when you turn your head.

5. 5. How many mirrors does the Pennsylvania manual list as minimum equipment for a street legal motorcycle?

   1. One
   2. Two
   3. None, if the rider does head checks
   4. Three, including a center mirror
   Show answer

   Two. Pennsylvania's manual lists the minimum equipment for a street legal motorcycle as a headlight, taillight and brakelight, front and rear brakes, turn signals, a horn and two mirrors. Mirrors do not replace head checks, because motorcycles have blind spots like cars. Before every ride, clean and adjust both mirrors, since it is difficult to adjust one while riding with one hand. Adjust each so you see the lane behind and as much as possible of the lane next to you.

6. 6. How far ahead should you search your path of travel?

   1. 2 seconds ahead
   2. One city block ahead
   3. Only as far as the vehicle in front
   4. 12 seconds ahead
   Show answer

   12 seconds ahead. Among the ways to lessen your chances of a crash, the manual lists searching your path of travel 12 seconds ahead. Looking well beyond the vehicle in front gives you time to identify and separate hazards before you reach them. Other steps include being visible, communicating your intentions, keeping an adequate space cushion and being prepared to act with proper crash avoidance skills.

7. 7. If you must shift while already in a turn, how should it be done?

   1. Quickly, to get through the turn faster
   2. Smoothly, to avoid a skid from sudden power
   3. Only while holding the rear brake lightly
   4. Never, since shifting in a turn is prohibited
   Show answer

   Smoothly, to avoid a skid from sudden power. It is best to change gears before entering a turn. Sometimes, though, shifting while in the turn is necessary, and then it should be done smoothly. A sudden change in power to the rear wheel can cause a skid, and some of the tire's traction is already being used for cornering. Plan ahead so most shifting happens on the straight before the turn.

8. 8. After pressing into a turn, what does the roll step tell you to do?

   1. Roll off the throttle and coast through
   2. Roll on throttle to hold or slightly raise speed
   3. Roll the motorcycle upright as quickly as possible
   4. Roll your head and shoulders into the turn
   Show answer

   Roll on throttle to hold or slightly raise speed. The last step of a turn is roll: roll on the throttle to maintain or slightly increase speed, which helps stabilize the motorcycle. Speed should already have been reduced in the slow step, before the turn, by closing the throttle and braking if needed. Coasting through the turn with the throttle closed does not give that stability. In normal turns, rider and motorcycle lean together at the same angle.

9. 9. In Pennsylvania's manual, when should you increase your following distance to five seconds or more?

   1. Only when following large trucks
   2. On slippery pavement or in heavy traffic
   3. Only when riding above the speed limit
   4. Never, because four seconds always suffices
   Show answer

   On slippery pavement or in heavy traffic. A larger cushion is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or if traffic is heavy and someone may squeeze in front of you, open up a five second or more following distance. Keep well behind the vehicle ahead even when stopped, so you can get out of the way if someone bears down from behind.

10. 10. Why should you avoid riding next to cars or trucks in other lanes?

    1. Riding beside other vehicles is illegal in Pennsylvania
    2. Their exhaust fumes can stall your engine
    3. It makes your mirrors useless in traffic
    4. You may sit in a blind spot with no escape route
    Show answer

    You may sit in a blind spot with no escape route. Do not ride next to cars or trucks in other lanes if you do not have to. You might be in the blind spot of a car in the next lane, which could switch into your lane without warning, and cars beside you also block your escape if trouble appears in your own lane. Speed up or drop back to find a place clear of traffic on both sides.

11. 11. A driver waiting to turn looks right at you. What should you assume?

    1. That the driver may still not see you
    2. That the driver will now yield
    3. That you can keep your speed and position
    4. That eye contact guarantees your safety
    Show answer

    That the driver may still not see you. There are no guarantees that others see you. Never count on eye contact as a sign that a driver will yield, because a driver can look right at a motorcyclist and still fail to see him. The only eyes you can count on are your own. If a car can enter your path, assume that it will, and cover the clutch and both brakes to cut your reaction time.

12. 12. How does the Pennsylvania manual say to park at the roadside?

    1. Parallel, with both wheels near the curb
    2. At an angle, with the front wheel touching the curb
    3. Up on the sidewalk next to the curb
    4. At an angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb
    Show answer

    At an angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb. When parking at the roadside, park at an angle to the curb with your rear wheel touching the curb. That leaves the front of the motorcycle pointing out toward the road rather than tucked against the curb. Parallel parking like a car is not what the manual describes. Watch for oil spots where you put your foot down, and remember that loose or sloped shoulders make side or center stands harder to set.

13. 13. Which clothing choice makes a rider easiest for drivers to see?

    1. Black leather with no reflective markings
    2. A dark helmet worn with a bright jacket
    3. Camouflage riding gear in muted colors
    4. Reflective, bright helmet and jacket or vest
    Show answer

    Reflective, bright helmet and jacket or vest. Most crashes happen in broad daylight, so bright clothing matters every day. Bright orange, red, yellow or green jackets or vests are the best bets, a brightly colored helmet helps others see you, and any bright color beats drab or dark colors. Reflective, bright colored clothing on both helmet and jacket or vest is best, and reflective material on the helmet sides helps drivers coming from the side.

14. 14. At night, how can the car ahead of you help?

    1. You can follow it closely to share its light
    2. Its brake lights replace your own scanning
    3. It shields you from oncoming glare
    4. Its lights reveal the road and its bumps
    Show answer

    Its lights reveal the road and its bumps. At night, the headlights of the car ahead can give you a better view of the road than even your high beam, and its taillights bouncing up and down can alert you to bumps or rough pavement. That does not mean following closely: distances are harder to judge at night, so open up more space. Also reduce your speed, use your high beam when not following or meeting a car, and wear reflective material.

15. 15. If you must ride over an obstacle, at what angle should you approach it?

    1. At a shallow angle under 30 degrees
    2. As close to 90 degrees as possible
    3. At about 45 degrees
    4. Any angle, as long as you slow down
    Show answer

    As close to 90 degrees as possible. The best way to handle obstacles is to slow down or go around them. If you must go over one, first decide whether it is possible, then approach it as close to a 90 degree angle as possible and look where you want to go. Slow down as much as possible, make sure the motorcycle is straight, rise slightly off the seat with weight on the footpegs, and roll on slightly just before contact.

16. 16. You must cross a large surface so slippery you can only travel at a walking pace. What may help?

    1. Braking firmly to keep speed down
    2. Accelerating to cross it quickly
    3. Leaning the motorcycle to find grip
    4. Letting your feet skim along the surface
    Show answer

    Letting your feet skim along the surface. Cautious riders avoid roads covered with ice or snow. If you cannot avoid a slippery surface, keep the motorcycle straight up and go as slowly as possible. On a large surface so slippery that you must coast or travel at a walking pace, consider letting your feet skim along the surface so you can catch yourself if the motorcycle starts to fall. Keep off the brakes, and squeeze the clutch and coast if possible.

17. 17. Your throttle sticks open. What should you try first?

    1. Shift into neutral while still at speed
    2. Twist the throttle back and forth several times
    3. Brake hard while the throttle is still open
    4. Turn the ignition key off and back on
    Show answer

    Twist the throttle back and forth several times. With a stuck throttle, first twist the throttle back and forth several times, which may free a stuck cable. If it stays stuck, immediately operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time to remove power from the rear wheel. Once the motorcycle is under control, pull off and stop, and check the throttle cable before riding again.

18. 18. A deer steps onto the road ahead of you. What does the Pennsylvania manual advise?

    1. Downshift, then accelerate past it
    2. Swerve into the oncoming lane
    3. Brake and prepare to stop
    4. Sound the horn and keep your speed
    Show answer

    Brake and prepare to stop. Large animals such as deer, elk and cattle are unpredictable, so the advice is to brake and prepare to stop. The downshift then accelerate method is meant for dogs that chase motorcycles, not for big animals that may move in any direction. Do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal, but if you are in traffic, remain in your lane. Keep control and look where you want to go.

19. 19. When should you adjust your mirrors and headlight for a passenger?

    1. Before the passenger climbs on the motorcycle
    2. After the first few miles of riding together
    3. Only if the passenger is heavier than you
    4. While the passenger sits on the seat with you
    Show answer

    While the passenger sits on the seat with you. A passenger's weight changes the motorcycle's angle, which shifts where your mirrors and headlight point. Make the adjustment while your passenger sits on the seat with you, so the settings match riding conditions. You will probably also need to add a few pounds of tire pressure and adjust the suspension for the extra weight, using the owner's manual for the correct settings.

20. 20. Why is piling cargo against a sissy bar a bad idea?

    1. It blocks the brake light from following drivers
    2. It raises the center of gravity and upsets balance
    3. It is against Pennsylvania motorcycle law
    4. It makes the front wheel lift under power
    Show answer

    It raises the center of gravity and upsets balance. Keep loads low, fastened securely or carried in saddlebags. Piling loads against a sissybar or frame on the back of the seat raises the motorcycle's center of gravity and disturbs its balance. Keep the load forward as well, over or in front of the rear axle, since weight behind the axle affects turning and braking and can cause a wobble. Check the load every so often during a ride.