New Jersey Motorcycle practice
New Jersey Motorcycle: Motorcycle Controls & Operation practice test
Throttle, clutch, both brakes, and shifting — the controls you must operate smoothly before the road test.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
13 questions · pass with 10 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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12 sample Motorcycle Controls & Operation 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. How far should you swing the mirrors out when adjusting them?
Correct answer: Out until you can see roughly half the lane behind plus the lane alongside
Angle each mirror outward until it reveals roughly half of the lane behind you plus as much of the neighboring lane as it can.
2. The manual warns riders away from highway pegs mounted forward on the machine. What is wrong with them?
Correct answer: With your feet stretched out ahead of you, getting back to the foot brake takes too long
Pegs set out in front invite you to lean back with your feet nowhere near the rear brake pedal, and that costs time you may not have when a sudden stop is needed.
Source: New Jersey Motorcycle Manual — Accessories and Modifications
3. What should you verify about the turn signals during a pre-ride check?
Correct answer: That all four flash and are easy to see
Inspect all four turn-signal lamps to confirm each blinks clearly and is bright enough to spot.
4. What is the correct upper-body riding posture?
Correct answer: Back straight, head and eyes up, arms relaxed and slightly bent
Keep your back straight, head and eyes up, and arms relaxed and slightly bent for good control.
5. During the pre-ride check, how should a healthy throttle behave when you let go of the grip?
Correct answer: It should spring closed on its own as soon as you release it
A throttle in good order returns to the closed position by itself the instant the grip is released; sticky or sluggish action needs fixing before you ride.
6. When should you adjust your mirrors?
Correct answer: Before riding, since adjusting while moving is dangerous
Clean and adjust the mirrors before riding, since adjusting them while moving is difficult and dangerous.
7. Where should a rider keep the knees while riding?
Correct answer: Pressed against the gas tank for balance
Keeping the knees against the gas tank helps the rider stay balanced as the motorcycle turns.
8. Why does the pre-ride inspection include running your eyes along the control cables?
Correct answer: A kinked or frayed cable can snap while you ride, leaving the bike hard to handle
Look for kinks and for strands that have broken: a cable that parts in traffic can take a control away from you and put you into a crash.
9. Why should you release the clutch gradually when starting uphill?
Correct answer: Releasing too fast can lift the front wheel or stall the engine
Releasing the clutch too quickly on a hill can lift the front wheel, stall the engine, or both.
10. What is the proper foot position while riding?
Correct answer: Firmly on the foot pegs, not dragging the ground
Keep your feet firmly on the pegs and do not drag them, since dragging can cause a loss of control.
11. What can go wrong if you select a lower gear while still moving too fast, or let the clutch out all at once?
Correct answer: The motorcycle can lurch and the gear wheel can seize
Dropping a gear at too high a road speed, or dumping the clutch lever, can make the machine jerk and can lock the gear wheel, so bleed off speed first and ease the lever out.
12. Why should a rider keep the wrist down while holding the grips?
Correct answer: It helps keep you from applying too much throttle
Keeping the wrist low helps prevent the rider from rolling on too much throttle.
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Every New Jersey question is written from the official New Jersey 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