South Carolina Motorcycle: Turning & Cornering Practice Test

Question 1

There is traffic around you as you come to a curve. Which part of the lane should you hold?

Accepted Answer

The middle of your lane, from before the curve until you are out of it — With traffic present the rider takes the middle of the lane before the curve and stays there to the exit, which keeps a view of oncoming vehicles and leaves room for cars crowding the line and debris at the edge.

Answer

Hugging the center line the whole way through

Answer

As close to the outside white line as you can get

Answer

Switching sides two or three times inside the curve

Question 2

In an ordinary turn taken at road speed, the rider and the machine should:

Accepted Answer

Lean together at the same angle — Normal turns are taken with the body and the motorcycle inclined together, both at the same angle.

Answer

Lean in opposite directions from each other

Answer

Both stay bolt upright

Answer

Have the rider lean twice as far as the machine

Question 3

To begin a swerve to the right, a rider applies firm pressure to the:

Accepted Answer

Right handgrip — Press firmly on the handgrip on the side you want to go; pressing the right grip leans the bike right.

Answer

Left handgrip

Answer

Rear brake

Answer

Front brake

Question 4

The manual's four-step routine for handling a turn or a curve is:

Accepted Answer

Slow, look, press, roll — Riders are taught to slow first, look through to where they are going, press the grip to start the lean, then roll on the throttle to settle the machine.

Answer

Brake, coast, steer, stop

Answer

Look, lean, brake, shift

Answer

Roll, press, look, slow

Question 5

Before entering a curve, the manual tells riders to work out whether the curve:

Accepted Answer

Holds a steady radius, opens up, tightens, or is one of several linked together — Curves are not all alike: some hold a steady radius, some open up, some tighten, and some arrive in a series, and each of those calls for a different entry speed and path.

Answer

Was resurfaced within the last year

Answer

Runs uphill rather than downhill

Answer

Carries a painted center line

Question 6

The manual says many riders who crash in a curve got there because they:

Accepted Answer

Carried too much speed in and could not finish the curve — Riders repeatedly enter curves carrying more speed than they can manage and run out of room before the curve ends, which is why speed is set before the turn and held.

Answer

Entered far more slowly than the traffic around them

Answer

Leaned on the rear brake as they exited

Answer

Looked too far ahead through the curve

Question 7

Riding a curve with no other traffic in sight, the manual suggests you:

Accepted Answer

Begin wide, move toward the inside, then come back out at the exit — Starting wide opens up the view into the curve; drifting toward the inside and then back out at the exit straightens the path the motorcycle actually travels.

Answer

Stay glued to the inside edge the whole way

Answer

Ride the outside of the lane from start to finish

Answer

Weave from edge to edge to scrub off speed

Question 8

As you look through a turn, you should turn:

Accepted Answer

Just your head, keeping your eyes level with the horizon — Only the head swings toward where the rider wants to go; the shoulders stay square and the eyes stay level with the horizon.

Answer

Your head and your shoulders together

Answer

Your whole upper body toward the inside of the curve

Answer

Your eyes down toward the front wheel

Question 9

How does a faster entry speed change what the motorcycle does in a turn?

Accepted Answer

It has to lean farther over to hold the same line — Speed and lean go together: the quicker you take a given turn, the farther the machine must lean to hold its line.

Answer

It needs less lean than a slow turn does

Answer

It leans by the same amount at any speed

Answer

It leans away from the curve instead of into it

Question 10

Rolling on the throttle through a curve serves mainly to:

Accepted Answer

Keep the motorcycle steady the whole way around — A steady or slightly rising throttle through the curve settles the suspension and keeps the machine planted rather than falling into the turn.

Answer

Shorten the distance needed to stop

Answer

Take the lean out of the motorcycle

Answer

Cool down the rear brake

Question 11

Steering a three-wheel vehicle differs from steering a motorcycle because the three-wheeler:

Accepted Answer

Will not lean, so the front wheel is aimed where you want to go — A three-wheeler will not lean into a corner, so instead of pressing a grip to start a lean the rider points the front wheel where the machine is meant to go.

Answer

Leans over farther than a motorcycle does

Answer

Is steered from the rear wheels

Answer

Turns only when the rider shifts weight

Question 12

In a slow, tight turn such as a full-lock U-turn, the manual has the rider:

Accepted Answer

Let the machine lean while holding your own body straight up — At walking pace the rider counterbalances: the motorcycle is allowed to drop into the turn while the rider's own body is held straight up.

Answer

Lean your body farther over than the machine

Answer

Keep both the machine and your body perfectly vertical

Answer

Prop the machine with a foot on the ground

South Carolina Motorcycle: Turning & Cornering practice test

Study questions with answers

1. There is traffic around you as you come to a curve. Which part of the lane should you hold?

2. In an ordinary turn taken at road speed, the rider and the machine should:

3. To begin a swerve to the right, a rider applies firm pressure to the:

4. The manual's four-step routine for handling a turn or a curve is:

5. Before entering a curve, the manual tells riders to work out whether the curve:

6. The manual says many riders who crash in a curve got there because they:

7. Riding a curve with no other traffic in sight, the manual suggests you:

8. As you look through a turn, you should turn:

9. How does a faster entry speed change what the motorcycle does in a turn?

10. Rolling on the throttle through a curve serves mainly to:

11. Steering a three-wheel vehicle differs from steering a motorcycle because the three-wheeler:

12. In a slow, tight turn such as a full-lock U-turn, the manual has the rider:

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