Texas Motorcycle: Motorcycle Controls & Operation Practice Test

Question 1

What is the purpose of a pre-ride inspection (often remembered as T-CLOCS)?

Accepted Answer

To check the motorcycle's key systems before riding so you can fix problems early — T-CLOCS (Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil and fluids, Chassis, Stands) reminds you to check the bike's key systems before each ride, catching trouble before it becomes dangerous.

Answer

To warm up the engine for exactly ten minutes

Answer

To record your mileage for tax purposes

Answer

To adjust only the radio and mirrors

Question 2

Riding through a shopping district or a school zone, what shortens the time you need to react?

Accepted Answer

Covering the clutch lever and both brake controls as you ride — Keeping your fingers over the clutch lever and both brakes ready removes the fraction of a second spent reaching for them, which is worth having where cars and people appear without warning.

Answer

Pulling in the clutch and coasting

Answer

Shifting into neutral so you can brake sooner

Answer

Riding in a higher gear than usual

Question 3

What should you tell a passenger before they get on your motorcycle?

Accepted Answer

To hold on, keep both feet on the pegs, and lean with you in turns — Have the passenger hold your waist or the hand-holds, keep both feet on the footrests even at stops, and lean with you in turns rather than fighting the motorcycle's motion.

Answer

To lean the opposite way from you in every turn

Answer

To take their feet off the pegs whenever you stop

Answer

To stand up whenever the motorcycle speeds up

Question 4

As part of your pre-ride check, what should you look at on the tires?

Accepted Answer

Tread depth and proper air pressure — Check that the tires have enough tread and are set to the correct air pressure. Worn or under-inflated tires reduce traction and are more likely to fail at speed.

Answer

Only the color of the sidewall

Answer

Nothing; tires never need checking

Answer

Whether the valve caps match

Question 5

When should you set your mirrors, and what should they show you?

Accepted Answer

Before you set off, aimed to show the lane behind and as much of the neighboring lane as they can — Clean and aim them as part of the pre-ride check, because reaching for a mirror one-handed at speed is awkward. Catching a sliver of your own arm is normal; what counts is the road behind and beside you.

Answer

On the move, so you can judge the angle at riding speed

Answer

Before you set off, aimed so that you can see both of your shoulders

Answer

Whenever you like, since mirrors do the job of a head check

Question 6

How do you shift a motorcycle up into a higher gear?

Accepted Answer

Slide your left foot under the lever and lift it — The shift lever sits ahead of the left footrest. Lifting it selects the next gear up and pressing it down selects the next one down, and the lever springs back to center ready for the following change.

Answer

Press down on the lever with your left foot

Answer

Twist the left handgrip forward

Answer

Step on the pedal by your right foot

Question 7

How does carrying a passenger or a heavy load change the way a motorcycle handles?

Accepted Answer

It slows acceleration and stopping, so ride slower and keep loads low and secure — Extra weight makes the motorcycle slower to speed up, stop, and turn. Ride a little slower, allow more distance, and keep any cargo low and secured close to the center of the bike.

Answer

It makes the bike stop and turn faster, so you can ride harder

Answer

It has no effect on handling at all

Answer

It only matters when riding downhill

Question 8

If the throttle sticks open and will not close, your first action should be to:

Accepted Answer

Twist the throttle back and forth to free it, and be ready to pull in the clutch and use the engine cut-off switch — Try to free a stuck throttle by twisting it back and forth. If that fails, squeeze in the clutch and use the engine cut-off switch to stop power to the rear wheel.

Answer

Jump off the motorcycle

Answer

Brake hard while the throttle is still open

Answer

Ignore it and keep riding

Question 9

If your motorcycle's front end begins to wobble or shake, the best response is to:

Accepted Answer

Grip the handlebars firmly and gradually ease off the throttle — Trying to brake a wobble can make it worse. Hold on firmly and gradually roll off the throttle to let the bike slow and settle; do not speed up or grab the brakes.

Answer

Apply the brakes hard right away

Answer

Speed up to ride through it

Answer

Force the front wheel straight

Question 10

How should your right wrist sit when you take hold of the handgrips?

Accepted Answer

Flat, which keeps you from feeding in more throttle than you intended — Beginning with a flat wrist limits how far you can roll the throttle on without meaning to. Set the bars so your hands end up level with or below your elbows and the right muscles do the steering.

Answer

Cocked upward for a stronger grip

Answer

Rolled well forward, so the throttle is already partly open

Answer

Resting on top of the brake lever

Texas Motorcycle: Motorcycle Controls & Operation practice test

Study questions with answers

1. What is the purpose of a pre-ride inspection (often remembered as T-CLOCS)?

2. Riding through a shopping district or a school zone, what shortens the time you need to react?

3. What should you tell a passenger before they get on your motorcycle?

4. As part of your pre-ride check, what should you look at on the tires?

5. When should you set your mirrors, and what should they show you?

6. How do you shift a motorcycle up into a higher gear?

7. How does carrying a passenger or a heavy load change the way a motorcycle handles?

8. If the throttle sticks open and will not close, your first action should be to:

9. If your motorcycle's front end begins to wobble or shake, the best response is to:

10. How should your right wrist sit when you take hold of the handgrips?

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