Maryland Motorcycle: Turning & Cornering Practice Test

Question 1

What are the four steps for safely taking a turn?

Accepted Answer

Slow, Look, Press, Roll — The manual teaches SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL: slow before the turn, look through it, press the handgrip to lean, then roll on the throttle.

Answer

Stop, Signal, Steer, Speed

Answer

Lean, Brake, Turn, Go

Answer

Look, Lean, Lift, Land

Question 2

In the LOOK part of the turning sequence, how should you move to see through the turn?

Accepted Answer

Turn your head only, keeping your eyes level with the horizon — Rotating the head alone, with the eyes held level, aims your vision where you want to go without disturbing the line the motorcycle is holding.

Answer

Swing your head and your shoulders together

Answer

Drop your chin toward the tank

Answer

Watch the front wheel

Question 3

To swerve around an obstacle, where do you apply pressure on the handgrip?

Accepted Answer

On the grip on the side you want to go — Press on the handgrip on the side of your intended escape direction to make the bike lean quickly, holding pressure until you clear the obstacle.

Answer

On the grip opposite your escape direction

Answer

On both grips equally

Answer

On neither grip; use body weight only

Question 4

What is counterbalancing, as the manual describes it for slow turns?

Accepted Answer

Letting the machine lean while you stay upright, with weight on the outside peg — At low speed the rider stays vertical while only the machine tips, with weight pressed onto the outer footpeg; in ordinary turns the two lean together instead.

Answer

Leaning your body farther over than the bike

Answer

Standing on the pegs all the way through the turn

Answer

Sliding across to the inside of the seat

Question 5

Why should you roll on the throttle through a turn?

Accepted Answer

To stabilize the suspension and keep the bike stable — Rolling on the throttle through the turn stabilizes the suspension and helps keep the motorcycle steady as you maintain or gradually increase speed.

Answer

To brake harder

Answer

To tighten the turn suddenly

Answer

To downshift automatically

Question 6

When cornering with no traffic present, where can you start to improve your line of sight?

Accepted Answer

At the outside of the curve — With no traffic near, begin at the outer edge of the curve to open up your view and enlarge the turn's working radius, then cut toward the inside and drift back out to exit.

Answer

At the inside of the curve

Answer

On the center line

Answer

On the shoulder

Question 7

What does the manual say about changing gears and turns?

Accepted Answer

Change gears before you enter, and if you must shift mid-turn, do it smoothly — Gear changes belong before the turn; a shift taken while leaned over has to be gentle, because an abrupt change in drive to the rear wheel can start a skid.

Answer

Always drop a gear at the apex

Answer

Never touch the clutch during a turn

Answer

Shift up just as you begin to lean

Question 8

What most often causes single-vehicle motorcycle crashes in turns?

Accepted Answer

Too much speed — Too much speed is usually the cause of single-vehicle crashes in turns, leading riders to cross into another lane or run off the road.

Answer

Too little speed

Answer

Braking too gently

Answer

Wearing a helmet

Question 9

In the SLOW-LOOK-PRESS-ROLL sequence, when should all braking be done?

Accepted Answer

Before leaning the motorcycle — All braking should be completed before you lean the motorcycle into the turn, so you reduce speed first and then lean.

Answer

While leaning in the turn

Answer

As you exit the turn

Answer

Only after the turn

Question 10

How does the lean a motorcycle needs change as your speed rises or the turn gets tighter?

Accepted Answer

The lean has to get bigger — Extra speed and a sharper radius each demand a greater angle of lean from the machine if it is to hold the curve.

Answer

The lean has to get smaller

Answer

The lean stays exactly the same

Answer

You stay upright and steer with the bars alone

Question 11

One option for riding a curve is to move to the middle of your lane before you enter and hold that line to the exit. What is the advantage?

Accepted Answer

You see traffic coming toward you as early as possible — Holding the middle of the lane through a bend gives the earliest possible view of approaching traffic, and leaves room to react when an oncoming vehicle drifts toward the middle of the road or loose material covers part of your side.

Answer

It lets you carry more speed through the bend

Answer

It keeps you clear of the oily strip

Answer

It shortens the distance you have to travel

Maryland Motorcycle: Turning & Cornering practice test

Study questions with answers

1. What are the four steps for safely taking a turn?

2. In the LOOK part of the turning sequence, how should you move to see through the turn?

3. To swerve around an obstacle, where do you apply pressure on the handgrip?

4. What is counterbalancing, as the manual describes it for slow turns?

5. Why should you roll on the throttle through a turn?

6. When cornering with no traffic present, where can you start to improve your line of sight?

7. What does the manual say about changing gears and turns?

8. What most often causes single-vehicle motorcycle crashes in turns?

9. In the SLOW-LOOK-PRESS-ROLL sequence, when should all braking be done?

10. How does the lean a motorcycle needs change as your speed rises or the turn gets tighter?

11. One option for riding a curve is to move to the middle of your lane before you enter and hold that line to the exit. What is the advantage?

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