Bad Weather & Night Driving — Minnesota
Minnesota motorcycle permit practice test: 486 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Bad Weather & Night Driving: 25 questions.
Rain, snow, ice, fog and night driving: visibility, traction and headlight use.
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 | Bad Weather & Night Driving |
| License test | Minnesota Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 25 (5% of 486 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 (25)
1. Motorcycle headlights are:
- Usually more powerful than a car’s headlights.
- Usually just as powerful as a car’s headlights.
- Usually not as powerful as a car’s headlights. ✓
- Usually larger than a car’s headlights.
Answer: C. Usually not as powerful as a car’s headlights.
2. Which of the following will best protect your eyes from wind?
- Eyeglasses
- Sunglasses
- A windshield
- Goggles ✓
Answer: D. Goggles
3. Which of the following is not an example of a slippery surface?
- A gravel road
- A patch of leaves
- An ice patch
- Dry concrete ✓
Answer: D. Dry concrete
4. When riding at night, you should do all of the following, except:
- Reduce your speed.
- Increase your following distance.
- Decrease your following distance. ✓
- Use your high beam light, if possible.
Answer: C. Decrease your following distance.
The one thing you should not do at night is decrease your following distance — you want more room, not less. The manual says following too closely is a common factor in motorcycle crashes, and that a rider normally needs at least a two-second gap behind a vehicle. At night it also tells you to slow down enough to stop within the distance your headlight shows you, and to use your high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car. All of that points to keeping a bigger cushion after dark, so cutting your following distance goes against the manual's advice rather than being part of it.
5. Slippery surfaces can make it difficult to control a motorcycle. Which of the following would be considered a slippery surface?
- Wet pavement ✓
- A driveway
- Dry pavement
- A parking lot
Answer: A. Wet pavement
Wet pavement is the slippery surface among these choices. The manual lists wet pavement as a surface that gives poor traction, especially just after rain begins and before oil washes away. It says motorcycles handle better on surfaces with good traction, so a wet road is the kind of slippery surface where control can be harder. The other choices are not named as slippery surfaces in the passage. That direct listing supports choosing wet pavement.
6. If your front wheel begins to skid, you should:
- Keep the front brake engaged and ride out the skid.
- Keep the front brake engaged and release the rear brake.
- Immediately release and re-engage the front brake. ✓
- Release the front brake and increase the pressure on the rear brake.
Answer: C. Immediately release and re-engage the front brake.
If the front wheel begins to skid, immediately release the front brake lever and then reapply it smoothly with less pressure. The manual treats a locked front wheel as an emergency you must end right away: let go of the front brake lever the moment the wheel locks, then squeeze it back on smoothly with lighter pressure. It explains why this cannot wait — a front-wheel skid costs you steering control and balance immediately, so staying on the brake keeps the wheel locked and the bike unsteerable. Releasing and reapplying restores the roll of the front wheel while still giving you braking. The same manual gives the same instruction for a front wheel that locks during a quick stop.
7. Which of the following will protect your eyes from the wind?
- Goggles ✓
- Windshield
- Sunglasses
- Eyeglasses
Answer: A. Goggles
Goggles are the choice that protects your eyes from the wind. The manual lists what eye protection must do and then tests each item against it. It says a windshield bolted to the motorcycle is not a substitute for a faceshield or goggles, and that most windshields will not keep wind out of your eyes. It also says eyeglasses and sunglasses won't stop your eyes from watering, and they can blow off when you turn your head or when it's windy. Goggles, by contrast, are described as protecting your eyes. That is why they are the right pick for wind protection.
8. When it starts to rain, it is usually best to:
- Increase your speed.
- Exit the road.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by cars. ✓
- Ride in the center of the lane.
Answer: C. Ride in the tire tracks left by cars.
When it starts to rain, the best move is to ride in the tire tracks left by cars. The manual lists the center of a lane as a spot that can be hazardous when wet, and it says plainly that when rain begins you should ride in the tire tracks left by vehicles. It adds that the left tire track is often the best position, depending on traffic and road conditions. The same section tells you to slow down before slippery surfaces and to avoid sudden moves, so your job in rain is to pick the less slippery part of the lane and keep your inputs smooth.
9. Long-term exposure to wind noise:
- Is recommended.
- Can cause hearing loss. ✓
- Is not harmful.
- Is less damaging than listening to music.
Answer: B. Can cause hearing loss.
Long-term exposure to wind noise can cause hearing loss. The manual warns that long-term exposure to engine and wind noise can cause permanent hearing damage, and it says this can happen even if you wear a full face helmet. That is why hearing protection is discussed as a way to reduce noise. The answer follows directly from that warning: wind noise is not harmless over time.
10. If you are riding when it starts to rain, it is a good idea to:
- Ride down the center of the lane.
- Increase your speed.
- Ride in the tire tracks left by cars. ✓
- Pull onto the shoulder of the road.
Answer: C. Ride in the tire tracks left by cars.
When rain starts while you are riding, move to the tire tracks left by cars and ride there. The manual explains that the center of a lane can be hazardous when it is wet, and it gives a direct instruction for the moment rain begins: ride in the tire tracks left by vehicles. It adds that the left tire track is often the best position, depending on traffic and road conditions. The same section tells you to slow down on slippery surfaces, avoid sudden moves, and use both brakes gently, so the tire-track position is meant to be combined with a lower speed and smooth inputs.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook