Texas Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

20 sample Texas motorcycle questions

Every question below comes from the Texas 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 does Texas law require applicants to pass before applying for a motorcycle license?

   1. Six months of riding on a learner license
   2. A TDLR approved motorcycle operator training course
   3. A written test at a county tax office
   4. A ride along with a licensed motorcyclist
   Show answer

   A TDLR approved motorcycle operator training course. Texas law requires all applicants to pass a TDLR approved motorcycle operator training course before applying for licensing, and the manual's FAQ repeats that everyone must complete one to be eligible for a motorcycle license. The course teaches turning, braking, obstacle avoidance and traffic strategies off the street, so control becomes second nature before you ride in traffic. A supervised riding period, a ride along or a test at the tax office are not what the law asks for.

2. 2. When is the motorcycle skills test waived for a Texas applicant?

   1. Age 18 or older, with course certificate and unrestricted A, B or C license
   2. Any age, as soon as the training course is passed
   3. Age 18 or older, holding only a learner license plus the course
   4. Only for riders who already own a motorcycle of their own
   Show answer

   Age 18 or older, with course certificate and unrestricted A, B or C license. The manual says the motorcycle skills test is waived for persons 18 and above who present a valid completion certificate for a TDLR approved course and hold an unrestricted Class A, B or C license at the time of application. Minors 15 through 17 are not eligible for the waiver and must pass the skills test, and a learner license does not count as unrestricted. Owning a motorcycle matters only if you take the skills test, since you must supply your own motorcycle for it.

3. 3. Texas adults aged 18 through 24 who hold no current driver license of any class must also complete what?

   1. A defensive driving course after licensing
   2. An Adult Driver Education course
   3. Six months on a learner license
   4. A second motorcycle safety course
   Show answer

   An Adult Driver Education course. Adults ages 18 through 24 who do not hold a current driver license of any class must successfully complete an Adult Driver Education course. This is in addition to the TDLR approved motorcycle operator training course that every applicant must pass. The manual repeats the rule in its frequently asked questions. A defensive driving course, a second motorcycle course or a learner permit period are not what this requirement names.

4. 4. Which of these items is on the list of equipment Texas law requires on motorcycles?

   1. A windshield
   2. Saddlebags
   3. A tachometer
   4. A rear red reflector
   Show answer

   A rear red reflector. Texas law requires a set list of equipment on motorcycles and motor driven cycles: horn, mirror, steering, brakes, tires, wheel assembly, exhaust system, one tail lamp, one stop lamp, license plate lamp, rear red reflector, one head lamp, identification number, and footrests and handholds for a passenger. The manual calls these minimum requirements and suggests a mirror on each side and extra reflectors. A windshield is recommended for long rides but is not on the list.

5. 5. Where must a Texas motorcycle or moped owner register the vehicle?

   1. The County Tax Assessor-Collector where you live
   2. With TDLR at the time the course is completed
   3. At any licensed motorcycle dealership statewide
   4. Only with the company that insures the motorcycle
   Show answer

   The County Tax Assessor-Collector where you live. Every owner of a motor vehicle that will be ridden on public roadways, including motorcycles and mopeds, must register it through the County Tax Assessor-Collector in their county of residence. A license plate with a current registration sticker must be attached to the rear of the motorcycle or moped. TDLR handles the motorcycle training program, not registration. You must also show proof of liability insurance when registering.

6. 6. A rider skips the helmet because helmets limit side vision. What did a study of more than 900 crashes find?

   1. Helmets blocked side vision in about 40 percent of crashes
   2. Not one case of a helmet keeping a rider from spotting danger
   3. Helmets helped only at highway speeds
   4. Full face helmets caused most missed hazards
   Show answer

   Not one case of a helmet keeping a rider from spotting danger. Some riders avoid helmets because they believe helmets limit their view to the sides. The manual answers that a DOT compliant helmet lets you see as far to the sides as necessary, citing a study of more than 900 motorcycle crashes, where 40 percent of the riders wore helmets, that did not find even one case in which a helmet kept a rider from spotting danger. Others wear helmets only on long or fast trips, yet most crashes happen on short trips at slower speeds.

7. 7. Over half of all crashes involve riders with how much experience on their own motorcycle?

   1. Less than one week
   2. Less than three years
   3. Less than five months
   4. More than ten years
   Show answer

   Less than five months. The manual warns borrowers and lenders that crashes are fairly common among beginning riders, especially in the first months of riding, and that riding an unfamiliar motorcycle adds to the problem. It states that more than half of all crashes involve riders with less than five months of experience on their motorcycle. If you borrow a motorcycle, get familiar with it in a controlled area, and if you lend one, make sure the borrower is licensed and knows how to ride.

8. 8. How far ahead does the manual tell you to search your path of travel?

   1. 2 seconds ahead
   2. 4 seconds ahead
   3. 12 seconds ahead
   4. 30 seconds ahead
   Show answer

   12 seconds ahead. Among the steps for lessening your chance of a crash, the manual says to search your path of travel 12 seconds ahead. In the SEE section it explains three lead times: about two seconds, within your following distance; a four second immediate path, enough time to swerve or brake; and hazards further out, about 12 seconds ahead, which gives you time to prepare before a situation becomes immediate. Two and four seconds are real numbers in the manual, but they describe different zones.

9. 9. How much of your total stopping power can the front brake provide, according to this manual?

   1. About 25 percent
   2. About 50 percent
   3. At least 70 percent
   4. None in an emergency
   Show answer

   At least 70 percent. Your motorcycle has a brake control for each wheel, and the manual says to always use both brakes every time you slow or stop. The front brake is more powerful and can provide at least 70 percent of your total stopping power, and it is safe to use if you use it properly. Underbraking the front and overbraking the rear is a common mistake among crash involved riders, so build the habit of using the front brake firmly.

10. 10. In a slow, tight turn, how should you counterbalance the motorcycle?

    1. Lean your body and the motorcycle together
    2. Lean your body into the turn and keep the bike upright
    3. Put both feet down and walk the bike around
    4. Lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight
    Show answer

    Lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight. The manual explains that in normal turns the rider and the motorcycle should lean together at the same angle. In slow, tight turns, you counterbalance by leaning the motorcycle only and keeping your body straight. The higher the speed in a turn, the greater the lean angle needed. Putting your body upright over a leaned motorcycle is the counterbalance, so leaning your body in while holding the bike upright gets it backwards.

11. 11. What minimum following distance does the manual say to keep behind the vehicle ahead in normal conditions?

    1. Two seconds
    2. One second
    3. One car length
    4. Twelve seconds
    Show answer

    Two seconds. Following too closely is a factor in crashes involving motorcyclists, and in traffic motorcycles need as much distance to stop as cars. The manual says a minimum of two seconds should normally be kept behind the vehicle ahead. Pick a marker such as a lamppost, and if you reach it before counting to two after the vehicle ahead passes it, you are too close. Two seconds leaves only a minimum of space to stop or swerve.

12. 12. When are drivers most tempted to squeeze past you in your lane?

    1. In heavy, bumper to bumper traffic
    2. On empty rural roads at night
    3. When you ride in the center of the lane
    4. Only when you are stopped at a light
    Show answer

    In heavy, bumper to bumper traffic. The manual lists the times drivers are most tempted to share your lane: in heavy, bumper to bumper traffic, when they want to pass you, when you are preparing to turn at an intersection, and when you are moving into an exit lane or leaving a highway. In these situations keep a center portion position to discourage lane sharing. Riding at the edge of your lane invites a driver to squeeze by.

13. 13. If a car can enter your path at an intersection, what should you assume?

    1. That the driver has seen you
    2. That it will wait for you
    3. That it will
    4. That eye contact guarantees you the right of way
    Show answer

    That it will. The manual says there are no guarantees that others see you, and you should never count on eye contact as a sign that a driver will yield. Too often a driver looks right at a motorcyclist and still fails to see him or her, and the only eyes you can count on are your own. Its rule is simple: if a car can enter your path, assume that it will. Good riders are always looking for trouble, not to get into it but to stay out of it.

14. 14. In fog, which headlight beam does the manual tell you to use?

    1. Low beam
    2. High beam, for maximum light
    3. Parking lights only
    4. No headlight, to avoid glare
    Show answer

    Low beam. The best way to help others see your motorcycle is to keep the headlight on, and studies cited in the manual show that during the day a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed. The manual generally favors the high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car, but it makes fog an exception: use low beam in fog. Riding with the headlight off is never the answer, since Texas law requires motorcycles manufactured after 1975 to be ridden with the headlight on.

15. 15. Most crash involved riders make which braking error, according to studies cited in the manual?

    1. They overbrake the front tire and underbrake the rear
    2. They use both brakes too evenly
    3. They brake too early on straight roads
    4. They underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear
    Show answer

    They underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear. Knowing when and how to stop or swerve are two skills critical in avoiding a crash. The manual cites studies showing that most crash involved riders underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear, and did not separate braking from swerving or did not choose swerving when it was appropriate. Because the front brake can provide at least 70 percent of your stopping power, being timid with it wastes most of your braking ability.

16. 16. When braking and swerving are both needed, how does the manual say to combine them?

    1. Brake firmly in the middle of the swerve
    2. Brake before or after the swerve, never while swerving
    3. Swerve and brake at exactly the same moment
    4. Skip braking entirely once you swerve
    Show answer

    Brake before or after the swerve, never while swerving. The manual says that if braking is required, separate it from swerving: brake before or after, never while swerving. A swerve uses traction to change direction, leaving little for stopping. Studies cited in the manual show that crash involved riders often did not separate braking from swerving. Sometimes you will brake then swerve, and sometimes swerve then brake, depending on the situation.

17. 17. How should you cross railroad tracks that cross your road?

    1. Always turn to cross at exactly 90 degrees
    2. Usually ride straight within your lane
    3. Brake hard on the tracks
    4. Cross at a shallow angle of 10 degrees
    Show answer

    Usually ride straight within your lane. The manual says it is usually safer to ride straight within your lane to cross tracks. Turning to take tracks head on, at a 90 degree angle, can be more dangerous because your path may carry you into another lane of traffic. For tracks and road seams that run parallel to your course, move far enough away to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then make a deliberate turn, since edging across could catch your tires.

18. 18. Most wobbles can be traced to which causes?

    1. Riding in the rain or on wet roads
    2. Using both brakes for normal stops
    3. Loading, accessories or tire pressure
    4. Running too long in a low gear
    Show answer

    Loading, accessories or tire pressure. A wobble occurs when the front wheel and handlebars suddenly start to shake from side to side at any speed. The manual says most wobbles can be traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories or incorrect tire pressure. If carrying a heavy load, lighten it or shift it lower and farther forward, set tire pressure and suspension for the weight, and check that windshields and fairings are mounted properly. Steering and wheel problems can also contribute.

19. 19. A deer appears on the road ahead. What does the manual tell you to do about large animals?

    1. Brake and prepare to stop
    2. Speed up to pass before they move
    3. Sound the horn and hold your speed
    4. Swerve into the oncoming lane
    Show answer

    Brake and prepare to stop. You should do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal, though if you are in traffic, the manual says to remain in your lane, since hitting something small is less dangerous than hitting something big like a car. For dogs, it suggests approaching slowly and then accelerating away. For larger animals such as deer, elk or cattle, it says to brake and prepare to stop, because they are unpredictable.

20. 20. Attaching a load to a sissy bar has what effect on a motorcycle?

    1. It lowers the center of gravity
    2. It improves braking on long trips
    3. It has no effect if the load is light
    4. It raises the center of gravity
    Show answer

    It raises the center of gravity. The manual's packing tips say to secure loads low or put them in saddlebags, because attaching a load to a sissy bar raises the motorcycle's center of gravity and can upset its balance. Keep the load forward, over or in front of the rear axle, since loads behind it can affect turning and braking and can cause a wobble. Load saddlebags with about the same weight on each side, and fasten loads with elastic cords.