Sharing the Road — Maine
Maine motorcycle permit practice test: 559 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Sharing the Road: 15 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 | Maine Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 15 (3% of 559 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 (15)
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. When crossing railroad tracks that are parallel to the road, you should:
- Cross the tracks at a 90-degree angle.
- Avoid crossing the tracks for any reason.
- Try to cross the tracks at a 45-degree angle. ✓
- Slowly inch across the tracks.
Answer: C. Try to cross the tracks at a 45-degree angle.
Cross railroad tracks that run parallel to your path by moving away from them and crossing at an angle of at least 45 degrees. The manual addresses tracks, ruts, and pavement seams that run parallel to your path directly: get far enough away from them to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then make a deliberate turn so you are not thrown off balance. The same section notes that when you cross, you should hold a steady speed and go straight across. The manual also warns that swinging out to hit tracks at a full 90 degrees can be more dangerous because that direction may carry you into another lane of traffic.
4. 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.
5. You should use a larger cushion of space:
- When roads are slippery. ✓
- When it is sunny outside.
- When it is colder than usual.
- When you are following other motorcycles.
Answer: A. When roads are slippery.
Use a larger space cushion when roads are slippery. The manual tells riders to count off seconds to check following distance, and it says a two-second gap is the minimum. It then lists situations that call for opening up to three seconds or more, and slippery pavement is one of them. The reason given is that your motorcycle may need more room to stop than usual. So when traction is poor, increase the gap rather than staying at the normal minimum. This directly supports the slippery-road choice.
6. 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.
7. On which of the following surfaces does a motorcycle have the best traction?
- Dry pavement ✓
- Gravel
- Snow
- Leaves
Answer: A. Dry pavement
Dry pavement gives you the best traction of the choices listed. The manual explains that a motorcycle handles better on surfaces that allow good traction, and it lists the surfaces that give poor traction. Wet pavement, gravel roads, and places where sand and gravel collect are named as poor-traction surfaces. Gravel is called out directly as a surface with bad grip, and dry pavement is the opposite of the wet pavement the manual warns about. So of the four choices, dry pavement is the one that lets the tires grip best.
8. Do not ride directly alongside a car or truck for all of the following reasons, except:
- You may be in the vehicle's blind spot.
- The vehicle might block your escape route.
- The driver may think you’re trying to race them. ✓
- The driver may not see you and switch lanes.
Answer: C. The driver may think you’re trying to race them.
The one thing that is not a reason to avoid riding directly alongside a car or truck is that the driver may think you're trying to race them. The manual's guidance on vehicles alongside gives two concrete reasons to stay out of the lane next to a car or truck when you can: you might sit in the driver's blind spot, and the vehicle could change lanes into yours without warning. It adds that a vehicle in the next lane also blocks your escape if something comes up. A driver misreading your riding as a challenge to race is not among the reasons the manual gives, so that statement is the exception.
9. 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.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook