BC Motorcycle Knowledge Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 5 for the BC Motorcycle Knowledge Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Motorcycle
British Columbia
117 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
How should you cross railway tracks that run across the road at an angle?
- While leaning as far as possible
- As close to a right angle to the tracks as you safely can
- Parallel to the tracks
- While braking hard
Show answer
Answer: B. As close to a right angle to the tracks as you safely can
Crossing at a sharp angle can catch your front wheel in the gap beside the rail. Cross as close to straight across as is safe.
Question 2 of 25
What should you look for when you inspect your tires?
- Mud on the tire
- Only the colour of the sidewall
- Only whether the valve cap is present
- Cuts, bulges, objects stuck in the tread and worn tread
Show answer
Answer: D. Cuts, bulges, objects stuck in the tread and worn tread
Damage or wear can cause a sudden loss of air or grip. Check tread and sidewalls before you ride.
Question 3 of 25
When should you check your tire pressure?
- Only once a year at a shop
- Only when a tire looks flat
- When the tires are cold, before you ride
- Right after a long ride
Show answer
Answer: C. When the tires are cold, before you ride
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. Warm tires give a higher reading than the true cold pressure.
Question 4 of 25
You notice you are riding beside a car, in the driver’s blind spot. What should you do?
- Sound your horn and stay there
- Speed up or drop back so the driver can see you
- Move closer to the car
- Stay beside the car so you are close
Show answer
Answer: B. Speed up or drop back so the driver can see you
Do not ride where a driver cannot see you. Change your position so you are visible in their mirrors or ahead of them.
Question 5 of 25
A tire suddenly loses air while you are riding. What should you do?
- Lean the motorcycle to the side of the flat
- Brake hard with both brakes
- Accelerate to reach a garage
- Hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle and keep a straight course
Show answer
Answer: D. Hold the grips firmly, ease off the throttle and keep a straight course
Steer straight and slow down gradually. Avoid braking with the flat tire if you can, and pull off the road when you are slow.
Question 6 of 25
Which piece of protective gear does the most to protect you from serious injury in a crash?
- Riding boots
- Riding gloves
- A helmet that fits well and is fastened
- A leather jacket
Show answer
Answer: C. A helmet that fits well and is fastened
Head injuries cause many motorcycle deaths. A good helmet, properly fastened, is your most important gear.
Question 7 of 25
Many motorcycle turn signals do not cancel on their own. What should you do?
- Turn the signal off yourself after the turn or lane change
- Use hand signals only
- Leave it on until you stop
- Never use the turn signals
Show answer
Answer: A. Turn the signal off yourself after the turn or lane change
A signal left on can make a driver think you are about to turn and pull out in front of you.
Question 8 of 25
Before you carry a passenger, what adjustments might you need to make?
- Remove the mirrors
- Lower the handlebars
- Tire pressure and suspension, as the owner’s manual says
- Remove the passenger footpegs
Show answer
Answer: C. Tire pressure and suspension, as the owner’s manual says
Check the owner’s manual. Many motorcycles need higher tire pressure or a suspension change for the extra load.
Question 9 of 25
Why is alcohol especially dangerous for motorcycle riders?
- Alcohol improves balance
- Motorcycles are not covered by impaired driving laws
- Alcohol only affects drivers of cars
- Riding needs balance and coordination, which alcohol harms
Show answer
Answer: D. Riding needs balance and coordination, which alcohol harms
Riding takes more balance and coordination than driving a car. Even small amounts of alcohol reduce these skills and your judgement.
Question 10 of 25
When should a group riding in a staggered formation switch to single file?
- Only at night
- Never
- Only in heavy rain
- In curves, when turning and when entering or leaving a highway
Show answer
Answer: D. In curves, when turning and when entering or leaving a highway
Single file gives every rider room to use the whole lane in curves and while turning or merging.
Question 11 of 25
How should you use the throttle through a curve?
- Close it fully in the middle of the curve
- Pull in the clutch and coast
- Keep it steady or roll it on gently
- Open it fully as you enter
Show answer
Answer: C. Keep it steady or roll it on gently
A steady or slightly increasing throttle keeps the motorcycle stable through the curve. Closing it suddenly can upset your balance.
Question 12 of 25
How do you measure your following distance?
- Check your speedometer
- Count the number of car lengths
- Watch the other vehicle’s brake lights
- When the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, count the seconds until you reach it
Show answer
Answer: D. When the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, count the seconds until you reach it
Pick a fixed point such as a sign or post. Count from when the vehicle ahead passes it until you reach it.
Question 13 of 25
A driver ahead looks like they may pull out of a driveway. What can you do to warn them?
- Give a quick tap on the horn and be ready to stop
- Wave your arm
- Rev the engine loudly
- Flash your brake light
Show answer
Answer: A. Give a quick tap on the horn and be ready to stop
A short beep can alert a driver who has not seen you. Slow down and be ready in case they still pull out.
Question 14 of 25
When is a road usually most slippery in the rain?
- When the rain has stopped and the road is dry
- Only when the rain is heavy
- Just after it starts to rain
- After several hours of steady rain
Show answer
Answer: C. Just after it starts to rain
When rain first falls, it mixes with oil on the road. The surface becomes very slick until the oil washes away.
Question 15 of 25
The car in the diagram has just passed line A. What is the least time it should take you to reach that line?
- It does not matter if the road is dry
- At least two seconds
- One second
- Half a second
Show answer
Answer: B. At least two seconds
Keep at least a two-second following distance in good conditions, and more when conditions are poor.
Question 16 of 25
On a hot day, why should you still wear a jacket with long sleeves?
- It is only needed on gravel roads
- It protects your skin if you fall and shields you from wind and sun
- It is only needed in cold weather
- It makes the motorcycle faster
Show answer
Answer: B. It protects your skin if you fall and shields you from wind and sun
Riding clothing protects your skin from the road surface in a fall. It also reduces sunburn and the drying effect of the wind.
Question 17 of 25
Which describes a correctly fitting motorcycle helmet?
- Loosely, so it is easy to take off
- With the strap open at low speeds
- Tilted back so you can see more
- Snugly all around, with the strap fastened
Show answer
Answer: D. Snugly all around, with the strap fastened
A helmet should fit snugly and stay in place when you move your head. An unfastened helmet can come off in a crash.
Question 18 of 25
At what point should you set your mirrors?
- Mirrors on motorcycles are not adjustable
- While riding on the highway
- Only after you start to turn
- Before you ride, while sitting on the motorcycle
Show answer
Answer: D. Before you ride, while sitting on the motorcycle
Adjust your mirrors while seated in your riding position, before you move. Adjusting them while riding takes your attention away from the road.
Question 19 of 25
Your throttle sticks open. What can you use to cut engine power quickly?
- The turn signal switch
- The engine cut-off switch
- The horn button
- The choke
Show answer
Answer: B. The engine cut-off switch
The engine cut-off switch, usually near your right thumb, stops the engine. Pulling in the clutch at the same time keeps the engine from driving the rear wheel.
Question 20 of 25
Where should you look when you ride through a turn?
- Through the turn, to where you want to go
- At the road edge beside you
- At the oncoming traffic only
- At the front wheel
Show answer
Answer: A. Through the turn, to where you want to go
The motorcycle tends to go where you look. Turn your head and look through the turn to where you want to be.
Question 21 of 25
What kind of face shield should you use when riding at night?
- A dark tinted shield
- A clear, clean shield with no deep scratches
- A mirrored shield
- No shield, so you can see better
Show answer
Answer: B. A clear, clean shield with no deep scratches
Tinted shields cut the light you need to see at night. Scratches also scatter light and blur your view.
Question 22 of 25
What part of the motorcycle should a passenger keep their legs away from?
- The rear handholds
- The seat
- The passenger footpegs
- The hot exhaust pipes and muffler
Show answer
Answer: D. The hot exhaust pipes and muffler
Exhaust parts get very hot and can cause serious burns. Tell your passenger before the ride.
Question 23 of 25
Why should a rider wear brightly coloured clothing with reflective material?
- It is required on every highway in Canada
- It keeps the rider cooler
- It makes the rider easier for other road users to see
- It reduces wind noise
Show answer
Answer: C. It makes the rider easier for other road users to see
Many crashes happen because a driver did not see the rider. Bright colours by day and reflective material at night help you stand out.
Question 24 of 25
You must ride over a patch of loose gravel. What should you do?
- Speed up quickly
- Brake hard while on the gravel
- Lean sharply to ride around it
- Slow down before it and keep the motorcycle upright with no sudden moves
Show answer
Answer: D. Slow down before it and keep the motorcycle upright with no sudden moves
Gravel reduces traction. Slow before you reach it and avoid sudden braking, turning or acceleration on it.
Question 25 of 25
How should a passenger move in turns?
- Sit stiffly upright while the motorcycle leans
- Lean with the rider and the motorcycle
- Lean the opposite way to balance
- Put a foot down to help
Show answer
Answer: B. Lean with the rider and the motorcycle
A passenger who leans with the rider makes the motorcycle easier to control.

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