General Driving Knowledge — Oregon
Oregon motorcycle permit practice test: 345 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: 114 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 | Oregon Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 114 (33% of 345 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 (114)
1. A three-wheeled motorcycle:
- Handles curves about the same as a two-wheeled motorcycle.
- Handles curves differently than a two-wheeled motorcycle. ✓
- Should not be operated in curves.
- Should use the shoulder when taking a curve.
Answer: B. Handles curves differently than a two-wheeled motorcycle.
A three-wheeled motorcycle handles curves differently than a two-wheeled motorcycle. The manual says three-wheel motorcycles handle and steer differently from two-wheel motorcycles. Because a conventional three-wheeler cannot lean, it cannot countersteer the way a two-wheeler does. Instead, the rider points the front wheel in the direction they want to go. The manual also notes that during turning or tight maneuvers, weight can shift outside the tip-over lines, so load and passenger positioning matter for stability. That is why the answer is that it handles curves differently, not the same.
2. When riding behind a car, you should:
- Ride in a position that will allow the other driver to see you in their rearview mirror. ✓
- Assume the driver sees you.
- Ride in the far left portion of the lane.
- Ride in the far right portion of the lane.
Answer: A. Ride in a position that will allow the other driver to see you in their rearview mirror.
Ride in a position that puts you where the driver ahead can see you in the inside rearview mirror — usually the center portion of your lane. The manual says that when you follow a car, you should ride where the driver can see you in the inside rearview mirror, and that the center of the lane usually puts you in that view. It also notes that the far side of a lane might let a driver spot you in a sideview mirror, but most drivers check the inside mirror far more often than the side ones. So the center position gives you the best chance of being noticed by the driver in front, and it helps keep others from crowding your space.
3. The center portion of a lane usually contains an oily strip. This part of the lane is:
- Never safe for motorcyclists.
- Usually safe, unless the road is wet. ✓
- Usually safe, unless it is sunny outside.
- Always safe, no matter the weather conditions.
Answer: B. Usually safe, unless the road is wet.
The oily center strip is usually safe unless the road is wet. The manual says the center third of a lane is where oil drippings and debris collect, but it also says the typical center strip still gives adequate traction unless the road is wet. It adds that you can ride to the left or right of the grease strip while staying within that center third. That supports treating the center as usually usable in dry conditions, with extra caution when water makes the oily strip slippery.
4. To be effective, an eye or face shield must:
- Fasten securely. ✓
- Prevent air from passing through.
- Not allow for eyeglasses to fit underneath.
- Restrict your vision to the sides.
Answer: A. Fasten securely.
To be effective, an eye or face shield must fasten securely so it does not blow off. The manual lists what good eye and face protection has to do, and one item is that it fastens securely so it does not blow off. The same list says the shield must let air pass through to cut fogging, leave room for eyeglasses or sunglasses if you need them, and give a clear view to either side. A shield that is loose enough to come off is not doing its job, so fastening it down is part of being effective.
5. When you are riding on a bridge grating, you should:
- Always ride on the far right side of the lane.
- Always ride on the far left side of the lane.
- Slowly zigzag across the grating.
- Relax, maintain a steady speed, and ride straight across the surface. ✓
Answer: D. Relax, maintain a steady speed, and ride straight across the surface.
Relax, maintain a steady speed, and ride straight across the bridge grating. The manual says bridge gratings and rain grooves can make a motorcycle weave, but that uneasy wandering feeling is generally not dangerous. The safe response is to stay calm, hold a steady speed, and go straight across. It warns that crossing at an angle forces you to zigzag to stay in the lane, and that zigzagging is more hazardous than the weaving feeling itself. So keep the motorcycle straight and steady instead of trying to cross at an angle.
6. The gearshift lever is operated by:
- Your right hand.
- Your right foot.
- Your left hand.
- Your left foot. ✓
Answer: D. Your left foot.
The gearshift lever is operated by your left foot. The manual puts the shift lever just ahead of the left footrest and says plainly that the left foot works it. It also describes the motion: slide your foot under the lever and lift to shift up, or press down to downshift, one gear per movement, and the lever springs back to center after each shift so the mechanism resets. Because the lever sits at the left footrest, your left foot is the one that reaches it while your hands stay on the controls.
7. When going through a turn on a motorcycle, you should:
- Keep your eyes focused close to the front of the motorcycle.
- Look through the turn to where you want to go. ✓
- Turn your entire body to see through the turn.
- Increase your speed before the turn.
Answer: B. Look through the turn to where you want to go.
You should look through the turn toward where you want the motorcycle to go. The manual's turn sequence puts looking in the middle of the process: slow before the turn, then look through it toward the path you intend to follow, then press the handgrip on the side you want to lean and roll on the throttle. For the look step, it says to turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon. That keeps your view aimed at where the motorcycle should go, which is what the correct choice describes.
8. When someone follows you too closely, you should:
- Speed up.
- Not worry about them and just focus on the road in front of you.
- Change lanes and let them pass. ✓
- Ride on the shoulder and let them pass.
Answer: C. Change lanes and let them pass.
When a driver is following you too closely, change lanes and let them pass so they end up in front of you. The manual treats tailgaters as a problem you solve by getting them ahead of you rather than behind you. It points out that speeding up to drop a tailgater often just leaves you being followed too closely at a higher speed, which is worse. The recommended handling is to change lanes and let the driver go by, so the close follower is no longer sitting off your rear. The manual's own review question on tailgaters matches this: change lanes and let them pass.
9. To lessen your chances of being involved in a crash, you should:
- Be visible to other drivers. ✓
- Keep your intentions unknown from other drivers.
- Always stay within a foot of another vehicle.
- Ride on the shoulder.
Answer: A. Be visible to other drivers.
To lessen your chances of a crash, you should be visible to other drivers by wearing proper clothing, using your headlight, and choosing the lane position that lets you see and be seen. The manual lists what a rider can do to reduce the chance of a crash, and being visible is first on that list: proper clothing, headlight on, and the best lane position to see and be seen. It also explains why this matters — drivers in crashes with motorcyclists often say they never saw the motorcycle, and a bike's outline is much smaller than a car's. Bright-colored clothing is mentioned as one way to increase your chances of being seen, since your body makes up half the visible surface of the rider and motorcycle.
10. Which portion of the lane should be avoided?
- The left portion of the lane
- The center portion of the lane
- The right portion of the lane
- No portion of the lane should always be avoided. ✓
Answer: D. No portion of the lane should always be avoided.
No portion of the lane has to be avoided all the time — including the center. The manual tells riders to treat lane position as something that changes with conditions. It notes that many motorcyclists use the left third as a default, but says you should vary your position as conditions warrant, and it states plainly that no portion of the lane need be avoided, including the center. You pick the spot where you are most likely to be seen and can keep a space cushion, and you shift as traffic changes. When being passed, the manual even points you to the center portion.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook