Kansas motorcycle permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 19 Kansas numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
10 questions a round from the 10 number questions in our Kansas bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
10 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
In Kansas, at what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a rider considered intoxicated?
0.08% or above
In Kansas, a person with a BAC of 0.08% or above is considered intoxicated, no matter how sober they look or act.
Speed limits
In Kansas, a motorized bicycle (moped) is limited to a maximum design speed of how much?
No more than 30 miles per hour
Kansas defines a motorized bicycle as having no more than 3.5 brake horsepower, no more than 130 cc, an automatic transmission and a maximum design speed of no more than 30 mph.
Distances & following gaps
In normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance the manual recommends behind the vehicle ahead?
Two seconds
Motorcycles need as much distance to stop as cars. Keep at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead: when its rear bumper passes a marker, count 'one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.' If you reach the marker first, you are too close.
Every Kansas motorcycle number, by topic
Official Kansas laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
7 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | ksrevisor.govQuoteThe alcohol concentration in the person's blood or breath as shown by any competent evidence, including other competent evidence, as defined in K.S.A. 8-1013 (f)(1), and amendments thereto, is 0.08 or more; |
| 0.02% | BAC limit for drivers under 21 | ksrevisor.govQuoteIt shall be unlawful for any person less than 21 years of age to operate or attempt to operate a vehicle in this state with a breath or blood alcohol content of .02 or greater. |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | ksrevisor.govQuoteThe alcohol concentration in the person's blood or breath, as shown by any competent evidence, including other competent evidence, as defined in K.S.A. 8-1013 (f)(1), and amendments thereto, is 0.04 or more; |
| 6 months, 100 hours, $750-$1,000 | Drunk driving (DUI)Class B nonperson misdemeanor: 48 consecutive hours to 6 months in jail, or 100 hours of public service at the court's discretion, plus a $750-$1,000 fine | ksrevisor.govQuoteOn a first conviction, a class B, nonperson misdemeanor. The person convicted shall be sentenced to not less than 48 consecutive hours nor more than six months' imprisonment, or in the court's discretion 100 hours of public service, and fined not less than $750 nor more than $1,000; |
| 1 year, 2 years | Drunk driving (DUI)First refusal: driving privileges suspended for 1 year, then restricted for 2 years to vehicles with an ignition interlock (longer interlock periods for later refusals) | ksrevisor.govQuoteOn the person's first occurrence, suspend the person's driving privileges for one year and at the end of the suspension, restrict the person's driving privileges for two years to driving only a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device; |
| 0.08% | In Kansas, at what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a rider considered intoxicated?Answer: 0.08% or above | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 41QuoteIn Kansas, a person with a BAC of .08% or above is considered intoxicated. |
| two hours | On a long trip, how often should you stop and get off the motorcycle to fight fatigue?Answer: At least every two hours | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 42QuoteTake frequent rest breaks — Stop and get off the motorcycle at least every two hours. |
Speed limits
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 30 miles per hour | In Kansas, a motorized bicycle (moped) is limited to a maximum design speed of how much?Answer: No more than 30 miles per hour | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 43Quotethe capability of a maximum design speed of no more than 30 miles per hour. |
Distances & following gaps
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Two seconds | In normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance the manual recommends behind the vehicle ahead?Answer: Two seconds | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 17QuoteNormally, a minimum of two seconds distance should be maintained behind the vehicle ahead. |
| Three seconds | The pavement is slippery and you cannot see past the van ahead. What following distance should you open up?Answer: Three seconds or more | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 17QuoteIf the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or if traffic is heavy and someone may squeeze in front of you, open a three-second or more following distance. |
| one second | In a staggered formation, the leader rides in the left side of the lane. Where does the second rider ride?Answer: In the right side of the lane, one second behind the leader | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 38QuoteThe leader rides in the left side of the lane, while the second rider stays one second behind in the right side of the lane. |
Ages, permits & the test
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Under 17 | Motorcycle permitUnder 17: the supervisor may instead ride as the permit holder's passenger | ksrevisor.govQuoteAny person who is at least 14 years of age, but less than 17 years of age may apply for an instruction permit to operate a motorcycle either separate from or in conjunction with an instruction permit to operate a passenger car. |
| age 14 | Motorcycle permitFrom age 14 you can get a motorcycle instruction permit after passing every part of the exam except the riding test | ksrevisor.govQuoteAny person who is at least 14 years of age, but less than 17 years of age may apply for an instruction permit to operate a motorcycle either separate from or in conjunction with an instruction permit to operate a passenger car. |
| one year | Motorcycle permitIt lasts one year | ksrevisor.govQuoteissue to the applicant an instruction permit for a period of one year. |
Time limits & deadlines
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| six months | More than half of all motorcycle crashes involve riders who have been on that motorcycle for how long?Answer: Less than six months | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 10QuoteMore than half of all crashes occur on motorcycles ridden by the operator for less than six months. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
4 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| under 18 | HelmetsOperators and passengers under 18 must wear a helmet meeting NHTSA guidelines | ksrevisor.govQuoteNo person under the age of 18 years shall operate or ride upon a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle, unless wearing a helmet |
| under 18 | Under Kansas law, which motorcycle riders must wear a helmet?Answer: Anyone under 18, whether operating or riding as a passenger | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 8QuoteNo person under the age of 18 years shall operate or ride upon a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle, unless wearing a helmet |
| 10 inches | Under Kansas law, how tall must a motorcycle's windscreen be for the operator to be excused from wearing eye protection?Answer: At least 10 inches, measured from the center of the handlebars | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 9Quoteexcept when the motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen which has a minimum height of 10 inches measured from the center of the handlebars |
| under 18 | Under Kansas law, which of these is a violation by an adult?Answer: Letting a passenger under 18 ride without a helmet | Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, page 9QuoteNo person shall allow or permit any person under the age of 18 years to: (1) Operate a motorcycle or motorized bicycle or to ride as a passenger upon a motorcycle or motorized bicycle |
Memory tips
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the Kansas motorcycle permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 19 of them for Kansas, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the Kansas Motorcycle Handbook, Kansas statutes or DOR pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.