Sharing the Road — North Dakota

North Dakota motorcycle permit practice test: 339 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: 8 questions. Updated

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Topic / MetricValue
TopicSharing the Road
License testNorth Dakota Motorcycle permit test
Topic questions8 (2% of 339 total)
Review statusThis 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 (8)

1. When crossing angled railroad tracks, it is usually safest to approach the tracks:
  1. By proceeding straight within your lane. ✓
  2. At a 45-degree angle.
  3. At a 90-degree angle.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 8
2. When riding with a passenger, you should:
  1. Assume the passenger has traveled by motorcycle before.
  2. Not assume the passenger has traveled by motorcycle before and explain the process. ✓
  3. Not let them ask questions.
  4. Not bother with explaining anything since they are only a passenger and not in control of the motorcycle.

Answer: B. Not assume the passenger has traveled by motorcycle before and explain the process.

You should not assume the passenger has ridden before; explain the basics with them before you start. The manual says not to assume a passenger knows motorcycle handling, control, or balance. It says to always instruct the passenger on the basics before starting the trip, even if the passenger is a motorcycle rider. That leads directly to the answer: treat the passenger as someone who may be new and walk them through what to do.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 35
3. You should use a larger cushion of space:
  1. When roads are slippery. ✓
  2. When it is sunny outside.
  3. When it is colder than usual.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 15
4. When carrying a passenger, a motorcyclist should tell the passenger to:
  1. Sit as far back as possible.
  2. Hold onto the seat.
  3. Put their feet on the muffler.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 35
5. When carrying a passenger on a motorcycle, you must:
  1. Have a seat that is large enough for two riders. ✓
  2. Only have one set of footrests.
  3. Not encourage the passenger to wear protective clothing.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 35
6. A passenger on a motorcycle should:
  1. Mount the motorcycle before the engine starts.
  2. Mount the motorcycle after the engine starts. ✓
  3. Sit as close to the rear of the motorcycle as possible.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 35
7. Passengers should:
  1. Lean as the operator leans. ✓
  2. Hold onto their seat.
  3. Sit as far back on the bike as possible.
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 35
8. When crossing railroad tracks that are parallel to the road, you should:
  1. Cross the tracks at a 90-degree angle.
  2. Avoid crossing the tracks for any reason.
  3. Try to cross the tracks at a 45-degree angle. ✓
  4. 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.
Official handbook: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual (18th ed.), p. 8
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source

Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook