General Driving Knowledge — North Carolina
North Carolina motorcycle permit practice test: 342 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 119 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
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 | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | North Carolina Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 119 (35% of 342 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
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Questions (119)
1. If your motorcycle is being chased by a dog, you should:
- Kick the dog away.
- Ride alongside the dog.
- Stop until the dog loses interest.
- Approach the dog slowly, then speed up. ✓
Answer: D. Approach the dog slowly, then speed up.
Ease toward the dog slowly, then accelerate and ride away from it. The manual says motorcycles seem to attract dogs, and it gives a clear plan for a chase: downshift, approach the animal slowly, then accelerate and leave it behind. It also says to keep control of the motorcycle and look where you want to go, and it warns against kicking at the animal. So the slow approach followed by speeding up is the recommended response, and the answer choice describing that matches the manual.
2. The best source of information for your motorcycle is:
- The owner’s manual. ✓
- A general book about motorcycles.
- Someone who has a different type of motorcycle.
- A television show about motorcycle riding.
Answer: A. The owner’s manual.
The owner's manual is the best source of information about your motorcycle. The manual says a motorcycle needs more frequent attention than a car, and that a minor technical failure can mean a crash rather than just an inconvenience. Because of that, it names the owner's manual as the primary source of information on how your motorcycle should be inspected and maintained, and tells you to learn what it contains. That is why the owner's manual is the right pick over general or secondhand sources.
3. If taking a long trip, you should:
- Try to minimize the number of rest breaks.
- Use artificial stimulants, like caffeine, if you feel drowsy.
- Dress warmly to avoid getting too cold during the ride. ✓
- Schedule more than 12 hours of riding a day.
Answer: C. Dress warmly to avoid getting too cold during the ride.
Dress warmly so the cold doesn't wear you down during a long ride. The manual says wind, cold, and rain make a rider tire quickly, and it lists dressing warmly as a way to protect yourself from the elements. Since riding a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car and fatigue affects your control, staying warm on a long trip helps you stay sharp. Notice the manual also suggests a windshield for long distances, and it treats rest breaks and daily distance limits as separate rules rather than things to cut back on.
4. The middle portion of the lane usually contains an oily strip. You should:
- Try to avoid the oily strip when it is raining. ✓
- Ride only on the oily strip, as it provides increased traction.
- Avoid the entire center portion of the lane.
- Not worry about oil or other items in a lane.
Answer: A. Try to avoid the oily strip when it is raining.
You should try to avoid the oily strip when it is raining. The manual says the center third of a lane is where oil drippings and debris collect. It also says the typical center strip gives adequate traction only when the road is not wet, which means wet conditions are when that strip is not a good place to ride. You do not have to avoid the whole center third; you can ride to the left or right of the grease strip and still be within that part of the lane.
5. When planning a long group ride, which of the following ideas should not be implemented?
- The lengths of travel segments should be based on the least experienced rider.
- Breaks should be minimized so the riders can get to their destination as soon as possible. ✓
- Inexperienced riders should be placed behind the leaders.
- The group should maintain a staggered riding formation.
Answer: B. Breaks should be minimized so the riders can get to their destination as soon as possible.
Taking fewer breaks so the group can arrive sooner is the idea that should not be implemented. The group riding rules in the manual say to take timely breaks so riders do not lose concentration and do not build up fatigue. They also say route and segment length should match the least experienced rider, that inexperienced riders belong just behind the leader, and that the group should keep a staggered formation. Cutting breaks to arrive sooner works against the manual's break rule, so that is the idea you should not use.
6. All of the following will lessen your chances of being involved in an accident, except:
- Remaining alert.
- Identifying hazards and prioritizing risks.
- Riding without a headlight. ✓
- Maintaining a space cushion.
Answer: C. Riding without a headlight.
Riding without a headlight is the exception, because it makes you less visible and raises your risk instead of lessening it. The manual lists ways to reduce your chance of a crash: be visible by using your headlight and proper lane position, communicate your intentions, keep an adequate space cushion, search ahead, identify and separate hazards, and remain alert. Riding with no headlight works against the visibility step, so it does not belong with the other choices, which are all risk-reducing actions.
7. In a slow, tight turn, the rider should:
- Counterbalance the leaning motorcycle by keeping their body upright. ✓
- Lean at the same angle as the motorcycle.
- Lean in the opposite direction of the motorcycle and the turn.
- Counterbalance their leaning body by keeping the motorcycle upright.
Answer: A. Counterbalance the leaning motorcycle by keeping their body upright.
In a slow, tight turn, you counterbalance by leaning the motorcycle and keeping your own body upright. The manual draws a clear line between two situations. In regular turns, you and the bike lean together at the same angle. In slow, tight turns, that changes: you lean only the motorcycle and hold your body upright over it. That upright body position is what the manual calls counterbalancing. So the choice that describes leaning the bike while you stay straight up is the one that matches the handbook's wording for slow, tight turns.
8. When deciding on a lane position, you should:
- Always ride in the center portion of the lane.
- Always ride in the left portion of the lane.
- Always ride in the right portion of the lane.
- Be flexible and base your decision off of numerous factors. ✓
Answer: D. Be flexible and base your decision off of numerous factors.
You should be flexible about lane position and change to whichever part of the lane works best for the conditions you face. The manual tells riders to be flexible about lane position, moving to the portion of the lane that is best for seeing, being seen, and keeping an adequate space cushion. It also lists adjusting your position within your lane as one of the actions you take to create space and reduce harm from a hazard. So no single part of the lane is the right place all the time; the choice depends on what you need at that moment, which is why a flexible approach fits the manual.
9. To be effective, an eye or face shield should be all of the following, except:
- Free of scratches.
- Resistant to penetration.
- Able to fasten securely.
- Airtight. ✓
Answer: D. Airtight.
A face shield does not need to be airtight — it should let air pass through so it doesn't fog up. The manual lists what effective eye or face protection must do: stay free of scratches, resist penetration, fasten securely so it won't blow off, give a clear view to the sides, leave room for glasses, and permit air to pass through to reduce fogging. Letting air through is the opposite of airtight, so a sealed shield fails the fogging requirement. The other three traits on the list — no scratches, penetration resistance, and a secure fastening — are all things the manual actually asks for.
10. Which of the following is not a good safety tip?
- Slow to a safe speed before turning.
- When turning, lean in the direction you wish to go.
- Avoid dragging your feet on the roadway.
- Avoid looking at other vehicles. ✓
Answer: D. Avoid looking at other vehicles.
Avoiding looking at other vehicles is not a good safety tip — riders should keep watching the traffic around them. The manual's whole approach to risk is built on awareness. It describes the SEE strategy, which starts with searching, and says good, experienced riders are always aware of what is going on around them. It also advises pretending you are invisible so you ride in a hyper-aware state and notice more details in your surroundings. A rider who avoids looking at other vehicles is doing the opposite of that. Watching traffic is how you spot problems early and adjust your lane position and speed as situations change.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook