Alaska Motorcycle practice
Alaska Motorcycle: Braking & Emergency Stops practice test
Using both brakes together, stopping quickly without locking a wheel, and recovering from a skid.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
14 questions · pass with 11 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Braking & Emergency Stops questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. Your front wheel and handlebars start shaking in a wobble. How should you slow the motorcycle?
Correct answer: Close the throttle gradually and let it slow down
In a wobble, grip the handlebars firmly without fighting it and ease off the throttle; braking can make the wobble worse.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Mechanical Problems, Wobble
2. Where does the manual say to practice quick stops and quick turns?
Correct answer: In a safe area, before you ever need them on the road
Quick stops and quick turns are the key emergency skills, and the manual says to rehearse them in a safe area so they are ready when you need them.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Dealing with Emergencies
3. When an engine seizes, what does the manual compare its effect on the motorcycle to?
Correct answer: A locked rear wheel
A seized engine has the same effect as a locked rear wheel, so the manual says to squeeze the clutch lever to disconnect the engine from the rear wheel, then get off the road.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Mechanical Problems, Engine Seizure
4. According to the manual's section on following distance, how does a motorcycle's stopping distance compare with a car's?
Correct answer: Motorcycles usually need about as much distance as cars, and some need more
The manual warns that motorcycles generally need as much room to stop as cars, and some need more than four-wheeled vehicles, which is why following too closely causes so many rider crashes.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Keeping Your Distance, Distance in Front
5. You can't avoid crossing a patch of ice on an otherwise clear road. What should you do with the brakes while on it?
Correct answer: Stay off them
On very slippery patches, keep the motorcycle upright, go as slowly as you can, let your feet skim the surface, and keep off the brakes.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Very Slippery Surfaces
6. Why does the manual say to slow down before you reach a slippery surface rather than on it?
Correct answer: Stopping takes more room there, and slowing gradually lowers the chance of a skid
Stopping takes more distance on a slippery surface; reducing speed beforehand lets you stop and turn more gradually and lowers your chance of skidding.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Handling Slippery Surfaces
7. You are braking hard while the motorcycle is leaned in a turn, and the rear wheel locks. What is likely to happen?
Correct answer: The rear wheel will slide sideways and you will probably fall
A locked rear wheel while turning tends to slide out sideways, causing a fall; that is why the manual says to straighten the motorcycle before braking hard in a turn.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Dealing with Emergencies, Quick Stops
8. Can you use both brakes while the motorcycle is in a turn?
Correct answer: Yes; with proper technique it is no more dangerous than braking in a straight line
The manual says both brakes can be used in a turn; the front brake is risky only on a very slippery road when it is applied incorrectly.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Control for Safety, Braking
9. Some riders believe the rear brake should always be applied first. What does the manual say?
Correct answer: That isn't a good idea; apply both at once, because the front brake slows you sooner the earlier it goes on
The manual rejects rear-first braking. Apply both brakes together, because the sooner the front brake is working, the sooner the motorcycle begins to slow.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Control for Safety, Braking
10. On a slippery surface, how does the front brake's effectiveness compare with the rear brake's?
Correct answer: The front brake is still the more effective one
Even on slippery pavement the front brake remains the stronger of the two; apply it gradually and avoid locking the front wheel.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Handling Slippery Surfaces
11. A load strapped to your motorcycle comes loose and catches in the rear wheel or chain. What can happen?
Correct answer: The rear wheel can lock and slide
The manual says to fasten loads securely with elastic cords, because an unsecured load can snag in the wheel or chain and lock the rear wheel into a skid.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Carrying Passengers and Cargo, Carrying Loads
12. Your throttle is stuck, so you hit the engine cut-off switch. Why does the manual say to pull in the clutch at the same moment?
Correct answer: So the engine's braking effect doesn't lock up the rear wheel
Cutting the engine stops the power, and squeezing the clutch at the same time keeps engine braking from locking the rear wheel.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Mechanical Problems, Stuck Throttle
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Every Alaska question is written from the official Alaska driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free