Illinois SOS Motorcycle Practice Test 51
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. You are approaching a traffic light that has been green for a long time. How should you treat it?
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Answer C: Expect it to change and be ready to stop
A light that has been green for a while is called a stale green light. Cover the brake and decide in advance where you could still stop safely.
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2. You are overtaking in a short passing lane on a two-lane road and it is about to end. What must you do?
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Answer A: Finish the pass and move back to the right before it ends
The added lane ends and the traffic returns to a single lane in each direction, so the pass has to be complete before the pavement runs out.
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3. You are backing out of a space in a parking lot. Who has the right of way?
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Answer D: Traffic already moving in the lane, and pedestrians walking behind you
A driver backing out must yield to vehicles and pedestrians already using the lane, because backing is the movement with the poorest view.
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4. A left-turn bay opens ahead of the intersection with a solid white line beside it. Where should you enter the bay?
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Answer C: At the opening before the solid line begins
The solid line marks where lane changes are no longer intended, so you move into the turn bay at its opening rather than cutting across the line later.
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5. You are driving on a road covered with a layer of wet fallen leaves. What should you expect?
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Answer B: As little grip as on ice, plus hidden markings and hidden holes
Wet leaves are as slippery as ice and they hide the lane lines and any potholes underneath, so slow well before curves and stops.
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6. What is the PRIME position on a fuel supply valve used for?
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Answer D: To let fuel flow into the carburetor after the machine has stood unused
PRIME bypasses the normal vacuum control and lets fuel refill an empty carburetor, which helps a machine start after sitting for a long time.
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7. A sign on a divided highway reads Keep Right Except to Pass. What does it require of you?
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Answer A: Use the left lane only to overtake, then return to a lane on the right
The left lane on such a highway is reserved for overtaking, so a driver who has finished a pass must move back to the right.
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8. What monthly monitoring fee does an Illinois BAIID participant pay to the Secretary of State's office?
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Answer D: $30
A participant in Illinois' BAIID program pays a non-refundable monthly monitoring fee of $30 to the Secretary of State's office.
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9. You are passing a tractor-trailer on a wet freeway and its wheels throw heavy spray. What is the best technique?
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Answer B: Increase your wipers and pass steadily without hesitating
Spray blinds you for as long as you stay beside the truck, so prepare the wipers first and then spend as little time in the spray as possible.
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10. Along a highway the reference markers count upward as you travel. Where does the numbering normally begin?
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Answer C: At the southern or western edge of the state
Mileage numbering starts where the route enters the state from the south or the west, so rising numbers tell a driver which way they are heading.
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11. You are stopping for a red light in the rain and your stopping point is on a wide painted stop line and crosswalk. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow earlier and gently, since wet paint offers much less grip than pavement
Painted stop lines and crosswalks turn slick when wet, so start braking early and squeeze gently rather than braking hard on the markings.
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12. You are stopped at a red light waiting to turn right where the turn is allowed. Besides traffic from the left, what must you check?
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Answer D: Both crosswalks, and anyone approaching along your right side
A right turn on red crosses the crosswalk in front of you and enters the one on the cross street, and cyclists often approach along your right.
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13. Besides air pressure, what should a rider look for when inspecting the tires?
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Answer B: Tread depth, cuts, embedded objects and uneven wear
Worn or damaged tires lose grip and can fail suddenly, and uneven wear also warns of a pressure or alignment problem.
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14. You are traveling beside a tractor-trailer and cannot see the truck driver's face in any of the truck's mirrors. What does that tell you?
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Answer A: The truck driver probably cannot see your vehicle
Large trucks have deep blind spots on all four sides, so if the driver's face is not visible in a mirror the driver has no view of you. Move ahead or drop back until you are out of that area.
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15. When downshifting as the motorcycle slows, what keeps the rear tire from skidding?
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Answer A: Easing the clutch lever out smoothly instead of releasing it abruptly
Letting the clutch out gradually lets engine speed and road speed match, so the rear wheel is not forced to slow suddenly.
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16. You are already inside an intersection when you realize you should be in the lane beside you. What should you do?
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Answer C: Stay in your lane through the intersection and change lanes afterwards
Drivers in an intersection are watching for cross traffic and turning vehicles, so an unexpected sideways move there is easily missed.
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17. A driver passes this sign and the signal beyond it is already showing green. What is the safest response?
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Answer C: Ease off the accelerator and be ready to stop, because an indication that has been showing for a while is about to change
A signal that has been displaying the same indication for some time is close to changing, so arriving at a controlled speed with the brake covered is safer than accelerating to beat it.
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18. On dry pavement in good weather, what is the smallest following gap you should keep?
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Answer A: About three seconds behind the vehicle ahead
Three seconds is the accepted minimum on dry roads in good visibility, and the gap should be longer in poor conditions.
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19. Approaching the point this sign refers to, which hazard is most likely?
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Answer A: A vehicle pulling out from the entering road into the driver's path
The main risk is a driver on the entering road who misjudges the gap and pulls out, so covering the brake and being ready to slow is the sensible response.
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20. Your group reaches a work zone where the lane has been narrowed by cones and the surface is uneven. What should the formation do?
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Answer B: Move to single file and give each rider the whole width of the lane
A narrowed or broken surface leaves no spare room inside the lane, so riders need the full lane width each and must drop into single file.
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21. You are following closely behind a vehicle you intend to pass on a two-lane road. What should you do first?
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Answer D: Drop back to give yourself room to build speed before you pull out
From close behind you cannot see far enough ahead and you have no room to gather speed, so the pass takes longer and starts blind.
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22. Is it safe to check your phone while stopped at a red light?
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Answer B: No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you
Attention does not return instantly when the light changes, and emergency vehicles, pedestrians or a rear-end threat can appear while you are stopped. Stay focused on the road.
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23. Why is a pothole a bigger problem for a motorcycle than for a car?
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Answer C: A motorcycle has only two wheels, so an impact can deflect it off line
A car crosses a hole on four wheels and stays balanced, while a hole can knock a motorcycle off its line or damage a wheel, so scan the pavement well ahead and plan a path around holes.
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24. A sign with a blue background and a white legend and border tells road users about
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Answer A: services such as fuel, food, lodging, hospitals and rest areas
Blue is the background of the general service series, which points travelers toward the services available along or near the route.
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25. A yellow pennant, an isosceles triangle with its long axis horizontal, is reserved for which message?
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Answer D: No passing zone
The pennant shape is used only for the no passing zone sign, which marks the point where overtaking is no longer allowed.