Maine BMV Motorcycle Practice Test 19

  • Questions25
  • Correct to pass20
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

Minimum age: 16 years, with an 8 hour motorcycle education program required of every applicant

25 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 20 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. 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.

  2. 2. What should the operator do while a passenger climbs on board?

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    Answer D: Sit on the machine with both feet planted and the front brake held on

    The added weight arrives suddenly and off center, so the operator braces the motorcycle with both feet down and the front brake applied to keep it still.

  3. 3. What is the shortest license suspension a Maine court may impose for a conviction of driving to endanger?

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    Answer B: 30 days

    Driving to endanger carries a suspension of not less than 30 days and not more than 180 days, and the minimum may not be waived by the court.

  4. 4. What is the correct order of steps for taking a turn or a curve?

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    Answer D: Slow, look, press, roll

    Reduce speed before the turn, look through it to where you want to go, press the handgrip to lean, then roll on the throttle to steady the motorcycle.

  5. 5. You are about to slow down sharply for a turn. Which check comes first?

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    Answer A: A look in the mirror to see how close the traffic behind you is

    Any hard slowing needs a mirror check first, because the driver behind is the one who has to react to it.

  6. 6. How must a moped be ridden on a Maine roadway?

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    Answer A: In single file and as far as practicable to the right side of the road, except when turning left

    Maine requires mopeds to be operated in single file and as far to the right as practicable, moving toward the centerline only to prepare for a left turn.

  7. 7. A friend wants a ride, but their feet do not reach the passenger footrests. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Do not carry them, since they cannot hold a stable position

    A passenger who cannot plant both feet on the footrests cannot brace or stay in place, and dangling legs can reach the chain, the exhaust or the wheel.

  8. 8. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?

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    Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way

    Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.

  9. 9. What does a light drag of the rear brake do during a slow, tight turn?

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    Answer C: It steadies the motorcycle and smooths out the power reaching the rear wheel

    Working the rear brake against a slipping clutch takes the jerkiness out of the drivetrain and holds the machine steady through the turn.

  10. 10. The lane you are in has a right-turn-only arrow painted on the pavement. What must you do?

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    Answer C: Turn right, because a lane-use arrow is a legal requirement

    Lane-use arrows painted on the pavement are regulatory markings, so a driver in that lane must travel in the direction shown.

  11. 11. You are turning onto a street that has two lanes going your way. Which lane should you enter?

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    Answer B: The lane closest to you, changing lanes later if you need to

    Turn into the nearest lane going your direction and make any lane change afterwards, when you have signaled and checked that it is clear.

  12. 12. During a pre-ride check, what should the throttle do when it is released?

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    Answer A: Snap back to the closed position on its own

    A throttle that does not close by itself can leave the engine running fast when the rider expects it to slow, so a sticking cable must be repaired before riding.

  13. 13. You are about to pass a slower vehicle on a two lane road. What should you do with the gears?

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    Answer B: Downshift before you begin, so the engine can accelerate strongly

    A lower gear puts the engine in the part of its range where it accelerates best, which shortens the time spent in the oncoming lane.

  14. 14. A sign at the start of an exit ramp shows a speed much lower than the highway limit. What does it apply to?

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    Answer C: The curve of the ramp itself, once you have left the highway

    The ramp speed is set by the sharpness of the ramp curve, so you slow to it inside the deceleration lane rather than out on the highway.

  15. 15. How long may the Maine Secretary of State suspend a license for refusing a chemical test?

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    Answer A: For a period of up to six years

    Maine's implied consent rules allow an administrative suspension of up to six years for refusal, imposed without any court action.

  16. 16. A large X with the letters R and R beside it is painted across your lane. What does it mean?

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    Answer A: A railroad crossing lies a short distance ahead

    The pavement marking repeats the advance warning for a grade crossing, and it is used on paved approaches where speeds are high or where gates are installed.

  17. 17. Why should baggage be kept as low as possible on a motorcycle?

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    Answer C: A high load raises the center of gravity and makes the machine unstable

    Weight carried high changes the balance of the motorcycle and makes it feel top heavy in turns and in crosswinds.

  18. 18. How should a group decide how often to stop for fuel?

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    Answer A: By the range of the machine with the smallest fuel tank

    Planning around the smallest tank keeps the group from splitting up when one rider has to leave the route to look for fuel.

  19. 19. A driver on the street this sign governs is preparing to turn left at the next corner. Which lane should the vehicle be in beforehand?

    A black rectangle with a white arrow and white lettering
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    Answer A: The lane closest to the left curb

    All the traffic here runs the same way, so nothing is coming toward the driver and the turn is taken from the extreme left lane rather than from beside the middle of the roadway.

  20. 20. An overhead lane-use control signal shows a steady red X above the lane you are traveling in. What does it require?

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    Answer D: Leave that lane, because it is closed to you

    A steady red X means road users are not permitted to use the lane beneath it, so you must move into a lane that is open.

  21. 21. You are stopped at an intersection where bushes block your view of cross traffic. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Edge forward slowly until you can see, then proceed when clear

    Creeping forward a little at a time lets you gain a view without committing to the crossing. Never enter an intersection you cannot see into.

  22. 22. Before making a right turn at an intersection, what should you check besides oncoming traffic?

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    Answer B: Your right blind spot and the crosswalk, for cyclists and pedestrians

    Right turns often catch a cyclist or a pedestrian coming up on the right, so check the blind spot and the crosswalk before you turn.

  23. 23. When should you turn on your signal before a turn or a lane change?

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    Answer C: Well before the maneuver, so other drivers have time to react

    A signal is a warning to others, so it has to be given far enough ahead of the maneuver that drivers and pedestrians can adjust.

  24. 24. How does Maine define a motorcycle for licensing purposes?

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    Answer B: A two or three wheeled vehicle with a motor over 50 cubic centimeters or an electric motor of at least 1,500 watts

    Maine defines a motorcycle by wheel diameter of ten inches or more and a motor above 50 cubic centimeters or an electric motor of not less than 1,500 watts, which separates it from a moped.

  25. 25. You are backing out of a space in a parking lot. Who has the right of way?

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    Answer D: Traffic already moving in the lane, and pedestrians walking behind you

    A driver backing out must yield to vehicles and pedestrians already using the lane, because backing is the movement with the poorest view.