Sharing the Road — California
California motorcycle permit practice test: 329 free practice questions (19 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). Official test format: Multiple choice, pass mark 80% (DMV does not publish the question count). Sharing the Road: 15 questions.
Pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, emergency vehicles and heavy trucks.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Sharing the Road |
| License test | California Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 15 (5% of 329 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665) ✓ Verified from official source
Advertisement
Questions (15)
1. Passengers on motorcycles should:
- Put their feet on the ground when the motorcycle is stopped.
- Not ride without a back rest.
- Should sit as far forward as possible without crowding you. ✓
Answer: C. Should sit as far forward as possible without crowding you.
A passenger should sit as far forward as possible without crowding the rider or getting in the way of control. The manual tells riders to instruct a passenger to sit as far forward as possible without hindering control of the motorcycle. It also says the seat should be big enough for both of you without crowding, and that you as the rider should not sit farther forward than usual. So the passenger moves up close behind you, while you keep your normal position and enough room to steer. The manual adds that passengers should hold firmly onto your waist, hips, belt or the handholds.
2. When passing a truck on a two-lane road, you should:
- Not return to your original lane until you can see the front of the truck in your rearview mirror. ✓
- Return to your original lane as soon as the truck is behind you.
- Return to your original lane when you feel you have enough space.
Answer: A. Not return to your original lane until you can see the front of the truck in your rearview mirror.
3. Stopping in a turn can be difficult because:
- There is decreased traction available for stopping while the bike is leaning. ✓
- The rider is usually focused on the turn and not on the braking.
- The brake controls do not work in turns.
Answer: A. There is decreased traction available for stopping while the bike is leaning.
Stopping in a turn can be difficult because there is decreased traction available for stopping while the bike is leaning. The manual explains that any time a motorcycle is leaned over, less traction is available for braking, and a greater lean angle raises the chance the tires lose traction. That is why it recommends getting the bike as upright as possible before braking if you can, or braking smoothly and gradually with less force while leaned. The difficulty comes from traction being used for cornering, leaving less for stopping, not from the controls failing.
4. When scanning the area around your motorcycle, you should:
- Look for potential escape routes near intersections, shopping areas, or schools. ✓
- See if you can travel faster than other vehicles.
- Stare at pedestrians.
Answer: A. Look for potential escape routes near intersections, shopping areas, or schools.
You should scan for potential escape routes, especially near intersections, shopping areas, and schools. The manual says that as you search, your focus should be on finding possible escape paths, particularly in or around intersections, shopping areas, school zones, and construction zones. It describes scanning ahead, to the sides, and behind so hazards are spotted before they develop. Looking for a way out in busy or crossing areas matches that guidance. The other choices are not search strategies the manual gives.
5. When crossing angled railroad tracks, it is usually best to:
- Use the shoulder of the road to slow down before crossing the tracks.
- Walk your motorcycle across the tracks.
- Continue straight within your lane to cross the tracks. ✓
Answer: C. Continue straight within your lane to cross the tracks.
Continue straight within your lane to cross the tracks. The manual says that when you cross railroad tracks or pavement seams, it is usually safer to ride straight within your lane. It warns that turning to take the tracks at a 90-degree angle can be more dangerous because that direction may put you into another lane of traffic. Another passage adds to keep a steady speed and ride straight across; crossing at an angle makes riders zigzag to stay in the lane, and the zigzag is more hazardous. So the best choice is to stay in your lane and go straight over the tracks.
6. If you have a passenger aboard your motorcycle, you should do all of the following, except:
- Ride at speeds that are slower than usual.
- Allow more distance to stop than usual.
- Tell the passenger to hold onto the back of the bike. ✓
Answer: C. Tell the passenger to hold onto the back of the bike.
The exception is telling the passenger to hold onto the back of the bike — the manual directs passengers to hold firmly onto your waist, hips, belt, or the passenger handholds. The manual covers what you tell a passenger before a trip: mount only after the engine is started and in neutral, sit as far forward as possible without getting in your way, wear the same level of protective gear you wear, keep both feet on the footrests even when stopped, and hold firmly onto your waist, hips, belt or the passenger handholds for balance. Holding onto the back of the bike is not one of the holds the manual names, so it does not belong with the other passenger instructions.
7. If you will be carrying a passenger on your motorcycle, you will likely have to:
- Reduce the tire pressure.
- Make no tire pressure adjustments.
- Increase the tire pressure. ✓
Answer: C. Increase the tire pressure.
You will likely need to increase the tire pressure when carrying a passenger. The manual says a passenger adds weight, and you should make sure tire pressure and suspension settings match the weight you are carrying. It also says to check both tires and use the inflation specifications for your motorcycle; added weight usually sits mostly on the rear wheel. Because a passenger is extra load, the pressure should be adjusted upward to the setting recommended for that weight, not left alone or lowered. That is why increasing tire pressure is the best choice among these answers.
8. When being passed, it is usually best for motorcyclists to be in which part of the lane?
- The right
- The center ✓
- The left
Answer: B. The center
When you are being passed from behind, the best place to be is the center portion of your lane. The manual's section on being passed says plainly that when a vehicle comes up behind you to pass, you should stay in the center portion of your lane. Staying there puts space between you and the passing car. The manual warns that riding close to the passing vehicle can put you in a hazardous situation, and it points out that a small mistake by either driver could cause a sideswipe. It also notes that some drivers forget their mirrors stick out farther than their fenders, and that objects can be thrown from windows.
9. As your motorcycle accelerates, you will need to:
- Shift to a higher gear. ✓
- Shift to a lower gear.
- Put the bike in neutral.
Answer: A. Shift to a higher gear.
As your motorcycle speeds up, you need to shift up to a higher gear. The manual says that as your motorcycle increases speed, you shift up to a higher gear. It also tells you to shift up well before the engine reaches its maximum recommended RPM, soon enough to avoid overrevving but not so soon that the engine lugs. So the gear change follows the increase in speed, and the timing protects the engine from running too fast or too slow.
10. A motorized bicycle or moped cannot travel faster than:
- 25 mph.
- 30 mph. ✓
- 35 mph.
Answer: B. 30 mph.
Advertisement
Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · 19 official sample questions · Official driver handbook