Sharing the Road — Indiana
Indiana motorcycle permit practice test: 351 free practice questions (4 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Sharing the Road: 12 questions.
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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 | Indiana Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 12 (3% of 351 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
Not yet verified
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Questions (12)
1. When approaching a railroad crossing sign, you should:
- Pass any vehicles that may cause you to stop
- Speed up to cross the tracks before the signal changes
- Be prepared to stop ✓
- Listen for the train’s horn, as it must always be sounded near intersections
Answer: C. Be prepared to stop
2. When crossing angled railroad tracks, it is usually safest to approach the tracks:
- By proceeding straight within your lane. ✓
- At a 45-degree angle.
- At a 90-degree angle.
- At a fast speed.
Answer: A. By proceeding straight within your lane.
The safest approach is to proceed straight within your lane when crossing angled railroad tracks. The manual says to ride straight within your lane when crossing tracks, keeping a steady speed. It warns that turning to meet tracks at a 90-degree angle can be more dangerous because that direction may carry you into another lane of traffic. It also notes that crossing at an angle forces a rider to zigzag to stay in the lane, and that zigzagging is more hazardous. So the straight-in-lane approach keeps your path predictable and avoids both lane drift and weaving.
3. Passengers should:
- Lean as the operator leans. ✓
- Hold onto their seat.
- Sit as far back on the bike as possible.
- Never hold onto the operator.
Answer: A. Lean as the operator leans.
Passengers should lean as the operator leans through turns and curves. The manual tells passengers to stay directly behind the rider and lean with the rider through turns and curves. It also says looking over the rider's shoulder in the direction of the turn can help. The point is that the passenger moves with the motorcycle and does not fight the rider's lean. The bank answer matches this instruction.
4. A passenger on a motorcycle should:
- Mount the motorcycle before the engine starts.
- Mount the motorcycle after the engine starts. ✓
- Sit as close to the rear of the motorcycle as possible.
- Hold onto the seat.
Answer: B. Mount the motorcycle after the engine starts.
The passenger should mount the motorcycle after the engine starts, with the transmission in neutral. The manual tells the rider to have the passenger get on only after the engine is running and the transmission is in neutral. It also says the rider should keep both feet on the ground and hold the front brake while the passenger mounts. That procedure gives the passenger a stable motorcycle to climb onto and keeps the rider ready to control it during mounting.
5. When carrying a passenger, a motorcyclist should tell the passenger to:
- Sit as far back as possible.
- Hold onto the seat.
- Put their feet on the muffler.
- Mount the motorcycle after the motorcycle has been started. ✓
Answer: D. Mount the motorcycle after the motorcycle has been started.
Tell your passenger to get on the motorcycle only after you have started the engine with the transmission in neutral. The manual says to brief your passenger on the basics before you start the trip, even if that person already rides. One of those instructions is that the passenger mounts only after you have started the engine and put the transmission in neutral, and while the passenger climbs on, you keep both feet on the ground and hold the front brake. That sequence lets you control the bike during the weight shift of someone getting on.
6. When riding near stopped or slow-moving cars, a motorcyclist should:
- Pull over and wait until traffic begins to move.
- Ride on the shoulder to get through the area as quickly as possible.
- Weave between the cars to get through the area as quickly as possible.
- Not weave between the cars. ✓
Answer: D. Not weave between the cars.
Do not weave between the cars; stay in your lane rather than riding through the gaps between stopped or slow-moving vehicles. The manual warns that riding between two rows of cars that are stopped or creeping in one lane exposes you to surprises you cannot predict: a hand coming out of a window, a door opening, or a car turning suddenly. It says riders should discourage lane sharing rather than do it themselves. Because those dangers come from the cars around you, the handbook points to avoiding weaving between them near stopped or slow traffic. It does not recommend pulling over to wait, using the shoulder, or squeezing through.
7. If you are using an unfamiliar motorcycle, what should you do before riding?
- Ride like you would on your bike, since all bikes are about the same.
- Check the controls and shift pattern. ✓
- Take the owner’s word that everything is in working order.
- Assume you know where all the controls are located.
Answer: B. Check the controls and shift pattern.
Before riding an unfamiliar motorcycle, check the controls and the shift pattern. The manual tells you to operate all the controls before you start riding, and to know the gearshift pattern by working the throttle, clutch and brakes a few times. It explains that controls react differently on different motorcycles and their exact locations can vary slightly, so a borrowed bike needs the same checks you would give your own. You should also find the turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel valve and cut-off switch and operate them without hunting for them.
8. If you are riding in traffic when a small animal enters your lane, you should:
- Do whatever you can, including swerving into other lanes, to avoid hitting the animal.
- Switch lanes as quickly as possible.
- Stay in your lane. ✓
- Flash your lights to try to scare the animal.
Answer: C. Stay in your lane.
9. When carrying a passenger on a motorcycle, you must:
- Have a seat that is large enough for two riders. ✓
- Only have one set of footrests.
- Not encourage the passenger to wear protective clothing.
- Put a sticker on the brake light to warn other motorists that a passenger is on the motorcycle.
Answer: A. Have a seat that is large enough for two riders.
You must have a seat on the motorcycle that is large enough to hold both you and your passenger without crowding. The manual's passenger section lists what the bike needs before you ride two-up. It says the motorcycle should have a proper seat, one big enough for you and your passenger without crowding, and it adds that you should not sit more forward than you normally do. The same passage also calls for passenger footrests and a strap or solid handholds. The seat size matters because the passenger needs room to sit properly behind you rather than squeezed against you.
10. When approaching railroad tracks that cross your lane at an angle, it is usually:
- Safest to ride straight within your lane to cross the tracks. ✓
- Dangerous to ride straight within your lane to cross the tracks.
- Not safe to cross tracks on a motorcycle.
- Safest to cross the tracks by riding on the shoulder of the road.
Answer: A. Safest to ride straight within your lane to cross the tracks.
It is usually safest to ride straight within your lane to cross railroad tracks that cross your lane at an angle. The manual says that when railroad tracks cross your lane at an angle, 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. A related passage adds that a steady, straight crossing is better than zigzagging to stay in the lane. So the straight-line approach is the recommended default for angled tracks.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · 4 official sample questions · Official driver handbook