California Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2
20 questions written from the California Motorcycle Handbook (DL 665), with an explanation and page citation for every answer.
Under California Vehicle Code §27803, who must wear a U.S. DOT compliant motorcycle safety helmet?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
Sample questions
Under California Vehicle Code §27803, who must wear a U.S. DOT compliant motorcycle safety helmet?
- A All riders and all passengers
- B Only riders under 21 years old
- C Only the rider, not the passenger
- D Only riders on freeways
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A. All riders and all passengers
California has a universal helmet law: every rider and passenger on a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle or motorized bicycle must wear a U.S. DOT compliant helmet. Head injuries cause most serious and fatal motorcycle injuries, and helmets greatly reduce them.
You must swerve around an obstacle and also need to slow down. How should you combine braking and swerving?
- A Brake before or after the swerve, never during it
- B Brake hard during the swerve to scrub off speed
- C Use only the front brake while swerving
- D Use only the rear brake while swerving
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A. Brake before or after the swerve, never during it
A swerve uses the motorcycle's traction to change direction, leaving little for braking. Separate the two: brake before or after the swerve, never during. Many collisions involve riders who did not separate braking from swerving.
At intersections, what are the biggest dangers to motorcyclists?
- A Vehicles following you through the light
- B Vehicles turning left in front of you
- C Pedestrians waiting at the corner
- D Vehicles turning right away from you
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B. Vehicles turning left in front of you
Over half of motorcycle and passenger vehicle collisions are caused by drivers entering a rider's right-of-way. Vehicles turning left in front of you and cars pulling out of side streets are the biggest dangers. Never assume a driver who looks at you has seen you.
You hold a California motorcycle instruction permit. Which ride is allowed?
- A A daytime ride on the freeway with no passenger
- B A ride after dark on city streets with no passenger
- C A daytime ride on city streets with a passenger
- D A daytime ride on city streets with no passenger
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D. A daytime ride on city streets with no passenger
The permit forbids three things: carrying passengers, freeway riding and nighttime riding. A solo daytime ride on surface streets avoids all three. These limits keep new riders out of higher-risk situations until they are fully licensed.