Iowa DOT Motorcycle Practice Test 9
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. You approach an intersection where the signal is flashing yellow. What should you do?
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Answer D: Slow down and cross the intersection with caution
A flashing yellow signal warns you to slow down and cross with care; it does not require a stop, but it does not give you priority either.
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2. Your green left-turn arrow goes out and a steady green ball stays lit. What may you do?
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Answer A: Continue turning left, but only after yielding to oncoming traffic
When the arrow ends and a green ball remains, the turn changes from protected to permissive, so it is still allowed but oncoming traffic goes first.
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3. How many motorcycles may lawfully ride side by side in a single Iowa traffic lane?
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Answer B: No more than two
Iowa Code section 321.275 states that persons shall not operate motorcycles or motorized bicycles more than two abreast in a single lane.
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4. What should the operator do before a bump, a sharp turn or a sudden stop?
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Answer C: Warn the passenger so they can brace for it
A warning lets the passenger tighten their grip and prepare, which keeps the passenger weight from shifting unexpectedly at the worst moment.
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5. The posted limit is 55 mph, but heavy traffic and rain make that speed unsafe. What does the law expect of you?
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Answer D: You must slow to a speed that is safe for the conditions
The basic speed rule requires a speed that is reasonable for the traffic, weather and road, and that speed is often well below the posted maximum.
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6. The driver of a slow farm vehicle moves partly onto the shoulder and waves you past. Who is responsible for the pass?
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Answer A: You are, so pass only if you can see that the road is clear
A courtesy wave is not a traffic control, and the driver who changes lanes is the one answerable for the maneuver.
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7. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?
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Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way
Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.
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8. How much more energy must your brakes absorb if you double your speed?
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Answer D: About four times as much, since energy rises with the square of speed
Kinetic energy grows with the square of speed, so twice the speed means about four times the energy and a far longer braking distance.
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9. Where should a passenger sit on the motorcycle?
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Answer A: As far forward as possible without crowding the operator
Sitting well forward keeps the passenger weight close to the center of the motorcycle, which helps it handle closer to normal.
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10. A rider adjusts the mirrors and finds each one mostly filled with a view of an elbow. What should be done?
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Answer D: Readjust them outward so that more of the lane behind becomes visible
Mirrors are useful only for the road behind, and half a mirror filled with the rider is half of an already limited view thrown away.
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11. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?
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Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop
Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.
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12. You are driving in fog so thick that you can barely see the vehicle ahead. Which pavement marking is the best guide for staying in your lane?
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Answer A: The white edge line on the right side of the road
The right edge line keeps you positioned away from oncoming traffic and is easy to follow at low speed. Following tail lights closely tempts you to drive faster than you can see.
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13. Beyond this sign, cones and temporary signs lead traffic along a path that does not agree with the lines painted on the pavement. Which one must the driver follow?
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Answer C: The temporary arrangement, because it replaces the permanent layout while the work lasts
Temporary traffic control set up for the work takes precedence over the permanent signs and markings, which no longer describe how the road is being used.
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14. Which set of qualities should eye protection for riding have?
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Answer A: Shatter resistant, free of scratches, and sealed against the wind
Riding eye protection has to survive an impact, let you see clearly and keep the air out, which is why plastic face shields and goggles are used instead of ordinary glasses.
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15. You have stopped at a stop line but parked cars hide the cross street. What comes next?
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Answer C: Edge forward to where you can see, stopping again if needed
The legal stop at the line is only the first stop; you then move up slowly to a point where you can see, and stop again if traffic requires it.
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16. Where should the weight of a load sit in relation to the rear axle?
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Answer A: Over the rear axle or in front of it
Weight placed behind the rear axle acts as a lever against the steering and can make the motorcycle wobble and handle and brake poorly.
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17. How do worn tires and worn brakes affect your ability to stop?
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Answer C: They lengthen the stopping distance, especially on a wet road
Worn tread cannot clear water and worn brakes cannot produce full force, so both stretch the distance needed to stop.
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18. When should a staggered group change to single file?
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Answer C: In curves, in turns, and when entering or leaving a highway
Curves, turns and highway entrances and exits require the full width of the lane, so the group rides single file at those points.
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19. Another driver has pulled out to pass you. What should you do?
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Answer A: Stay in your lane, keep your speed steady or ease off, and let the pass finish
Accelerating while being passed forces the other driver to stay in the opposing lane longer, so the safe response is to hold or slightly reduce speed and stay right.
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20. Where is this sign normally installed?
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Answer A: At an island or other obstruction in the roadway, to show which side traffic must take
It is placed at a divider, island or fixed obstruction so that drivers approaching it know without hesitating which side to pass on.
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21. Why must a rider pay attention to the turn signal after completing a turn or lane change?
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Answer A: Many motorcycle signals do not cancel themselves and can mislead other drivers
A signal left flashing tells other drivers the rider is about to turn again, and a driver may pull out in front of the motorcycle because of it.
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22. You enter a work zone where the top layer of pavement has been milled off, leaving a grooved surface. How should you ride?
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Answer B: Hold a relaxed grip and steady speed, and expect the tires to wander
Milled or grooved pavement makes the tires follow the ridges and the motorcycle feel unsettled, so relax on the bars, keep a constant speed and ride straight through.
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23. How far ahead should you normally be looking while driving?
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Answer D: About 12 to 15 seconds of travel ahead
Looking that far ahead, roughly a block in town and much farther on a highway, gives you time to see a problem developing and adjust before it becomes an emergency.
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24. You are stopped at an intersection where bushes block your view of cross traffic. What should you do?
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Answer A: Edge forward slowly until you can see, then proceed when clear
Creeping forward a little at a time lets you gain a view without committing to the crossing. Never enter an intersection you cannot see into.
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25. You are in the right-hand lane of a multilane street and that lane becomes a right-turn-only lane ahead, but you want to go straight. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change into a through lane before you reach the markings for the turn lane
A lane-use arrow is a regulatory marking, so a driver who wants to continue straight has to leave that lane before it becomes a mandatory turn lane.