South Dakota Motorcycle practice
South Dakota Motorcycle: Turning & Cornering practice test
Countersteering, the slow-look-press-roll technique, and choosing the right line through a curve at motorcycle speeds.
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.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Turning & Cornering questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. On a three-wheel motorcycle, what happens if enough weight moves outside the tip-over lines during a turn?
Correct answer: Only two wheels may stay in contact with the road
When weight shifts outside the tip-over lines during turning or tight maneuvers, the vehicle can end up with just two wheels on the pavement. Keep loads and passengers inside those lines.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Steering & Tip
2. When turning right on a motorcycle with a sidecar, what should you do as you leave the curve?
Correct answer: Accelerate gradually
For a right turn with a sidecar: anticipate the turn, slow before the curve, lean your upper body slightly into the turn, hold speed as you enter, and accelerate gradually on the way out.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Turning
3. Why is it particularly important to slow down before entering a wet curve?
Correct answer: Wet pavement offers less traction and needs more stopping distance, so a skid is more likely
On slippery surfaces, slow before you reach them to cut your chances of skidding; the manual stresses doing this before wet curves.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces, Slippery Surfaces
4. How can the rider of a three-wheel motorcycle improve control in a turn?
Correct answer: By shifting body weight in the direction of the turn
Large body movements aren't needed on a three-wheeler, but moving your weight toward the turn can improve control.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Body Position
5. Even with three wheels on the ground, what can happen to a sidecar rig taken too fast or too sharply into a corner?
Correct answer: It can tip over
The manual warns that a sidecar can tip over when turned too sharply or too fast for a corner, so always slow before entering one.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Cornering & Curves
6. In the SLOW step of turning, how does the manual say you should reduce speed?
Correct answer: Close the throttle and, if needed, use both brakes before the turn
Reduce speed ahead of the turn: roll off the throttle and, when necessary, apply both brakes.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Turning
7. Where does the manual recommend placing cargo so it does not upset how the motorcycle turns?
Correct answer: Above the rear axle or ahead of it
Loads mounted behind the rear axle can change how the motorcycle turns and brakes and can even cause a wobble, so keep them over or ahead of the axle.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Carrying Passengers and Cargo, Tips for Traveling with Passengers and Cargo
8. While swerving around an obstacle, where should you focus your eyes?
Correct answer: On your escape path
Keep your eyes on the escape route you have chosen and allow the motorcycle to move beneath you.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Crash Avoidance, Swerving or Turning Quickly
9. Your passenger should tighten their hold at certain moments. Which of these is one of them?
Correct answer: When you are about to turn sharply
Remind passengers to hold on tighter before surface hazards, before starting from a stop or entering traffic, and before sharp turns or sudden moves.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Carrying Passengers and Cargo, Preparing Your Passenger to Ride
10. The manual's turning method has four steps. Which step comes right after LOOK?
Correct answer: PRESS
The steps are SLOW, LOOK, PRESS, ROLL. After looking through the turn, you press the handgrip to lean the motorcycle.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Turning
11. On a sidecar rig turning right, when is the tendency for the sidecar wheel to lift greatest?
Correct answer: When the sidecar is empty or lightly loaded
The lift in a right turn is greater if the sidecar is empty or carries little weight.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Turning
12. Why does a motorcycle with a sidecar behave so differently in right turns than in left turns?
Correct answer: Its center of gravity is close to the motorcycle rather than centered in the rig
Because the rig's center of gravity sits near the motorcycle, a right turn makes the sidecar wheel want to lift, while in a left turn the sidecar steadies the vehicle.
Source: South Dakota Motorcycle Operator Manual — Three-Wheel Supplement, Turning
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Every South Dakota question is written from the official South Dakota 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