Alaska Motorcycle practice
Alaska Motorcycle: Hazards & Road Surfaces practice test
Gravel, wet pavement, grooved roads, and railroad tracks — reading and handling surfaces that matter far more on two wheels.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
15 questions · pass with 12 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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12 sample Hazards & Road Surfaces questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
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1. On city streets, how far ahead do experienced riders scan the road, according to the manual?
Correct answer: One-half to a full block
Experienced riders look well ahead, half a block to a full block in town and as far as they can see clearly on the highway, while still tracking what is just ahead.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Looking for Trouble, The Road Ahead
2. At what speeds can a wobble occur?
Correct answer: At low speeds as well as high speeds
The manual notes that a wobble, when the front wheel and handlebars suddenly shake side to side, can happen at low speeds as well as high ones.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Mechanical Problems, Wobble
3. Some sections of a road dry off or lose their snow sooner than others. Where should you try to ride?
Correct answer: Whichever part of the lane is driest and has the best grip
Because roads dry unevenly, the manual says to keep to the part of the lane that is driest and least slick at all times.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Handling Slippery Surfaces
4. When might you first hear or feel your drive chain slipping?
Correct answer: When you speed up quickly or ride uphill
Chain slippage tends to show itself when you accelerate hard or climb a hill; pull off and check the chain and sprockets, which usually need replacing if worn or bent.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Mechanical Problems, Chain Problems
5. Railroad tracks cross your lane at an angle. Why can swinging your course to cross them head-on be the more dangerous choice?
Correct answer: It can put you into a neighboring lane of traffic
You don't need a 90-degree crossing; changing course to get one can put you in another lane, so it is usually safer to cross within your lane as the tracks come.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Railroad Tracks
6. A car is directly in front of you. How does the manual suggest you watch for trouble farther down the road?
Correct answer: Watch past or through it for vehicles stopping or turning beyond it
Looking over or through the vehicle ahead helps you spot traffic that is stopping or turning beyond it, giving you more time to react.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Looking for Trouble, The Road Ahead
7. At what angle does the manual say a motorcycle can cross railroad tracks without difficulty?
Correct answer: As sharp as 45 degrees
According to the manual, crossing tracks at an angle of up to 45 degrees poses no problem, so you rarely need to turn to meet them squarely.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Railroad Tracks
8. When is scanning the road and roadside for escape routes most important?
Correct answer: When you are riding in heavy traffic
The manual says to look for open space where you could leave the road quickly, and that this matters most in heavy traffic.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Looking for Trouble, The Road Ahead
9. Why does the manual tell you to look out for oil spots at stops and when parking?
Correct answer: Your foot could slip when you put it down, and you could fall
Putting a foot down on an oil spot at a stop can make you slip and drop the motorcycle.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Handling Slippery Surfaces
10. Some people think the middle of the lane is a dangerous place to ride at night. Why does the manual disagree?
Correct answer: Cars ahead seldom pass over a pothole or debris without some warning, such as a flash of brake lights
The manual says to stay flexible about lane position at night; the center portion is not as risky as claimed, because vehicles ahead usually signal hazards before you reach them.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Riding at Night
11. The manual lists four kinds of surfaces that raise your chance of falling. Which of these is NOT one of them?
Correct answer: Dry, smooth, freshly swept pavement
Your risk of a fall goes up on slippery surfaces, uneven surfaces or obstacles, railroad tracks, and grooves or gratings; dry, clean pavement gives motorcycles good traction.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces
12. Rising slightly off the seat to cross a bump reduces your chance of being thrown off. What does the manual say becomes tricky in that position?
Correct answer: Controlling the throttle
Throttle control can be awkward while standing slightly on the pegs, so the manual suggests practicing the technique in a safe place, such as an empty parking lot, before trying it on the street.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles
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