South Dakota Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2026: Practice test 5

Practice test 5 of 6 for the South Dakota Motorcycle Permit Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Motorcycle
South Dakota
130 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
How do you check your brake light before riding?
- Turn on the high beam
- Use the front lever and the rear pedal one at a time and see that each turns on the light
- Ride at night and look behind you
- Press the horn
Show answer
Answer: B. Use the front lever and the rear pedal one at a time and see that each turns on the light
Each brake control should turn on the brake light by itself.
Question 2 of 25
Item 1 in the diagram is a full-face helmet. Which type of helmet gives the most protection?
- A half helmet
- A full-face helmet
- A three-quarter (open-face) helmet
- A cap with a sun visor
Show answer
Answer: B. A full-face helmet
A full-face helmet covers your face and chin as well as your head, so it protects the most.
Question 3 of 25
Besides a knowledge test, what test do most riders pass to earn a motorcycle license?
- A written essay
- A yearly medical exam
- An on-cycle skills test
- A parking test in a car
Show answer
Answer: C. An on-cycle skills test
Most states require a knowledge test and an on-cycle skills test. An approved rider course can often replace the skills test.
Question 4 of 25
Usually, how should you cross railroad tracks that cross your lane?
- Ride straight across within your lane
- Stop on the tracks to look
- Swerve across lanes to hit them at exactly 90 degrees
- Brake hard while crossing
Show answer
Answer: A. Ride straight across within your lane
It is usually safer to ride straight across within your lane than to turn sharply to meet the tracks at 90 degrees.
Question 5 of 25
Which drinks hold about the same amount of alcohol?
- A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
- A beer holds much less than a shot of liquor
- A beer holds twice as much as a glass of wine
- A glass of wine holds no alcohol
Show answer
Answer: A. A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
A can of beer, a glass of wine and one shot of liquor each hold about the same amount of alcohol.
Question 6 of 25
Under implied consent laws, what do you agree to by riding on public roads?
- To take a skills test every year
- To ride only in daylight
- To be tested for alcohol or drugs if a police officer asks
- To carry a passenger when asked
Show answer
Answer: C. To be tested for alcohol or drugs if a police officer asks
Refusing a test can lead to losing your license.
Question 7 of 25
What kind of gloves should a rider wear?
- No gloves, for better grip
- Full-fingered gloves made of leather or a similar tough material
- Thin cotton gloves
- Fingerless gloves
Show answer
Answer: B. Full-fingered gloves made of leather or a similar tough material
Full-fingered gloves protect your hands and help you grip the controls.
Question 8 of 25
How should you brake on a slippery surface?
- Use both brakes gently
- Use only the front brake, hard
- Use only the rear brake, hard
- Do not brake at all
Show answer
Answer: A. Use both brakes gently
On slippery roads, reduce speed, avoid sudden moves and use both brakes gently.
Question 9 of 25
In the diagram, marker 3 shows the passenger's hands. What should a passenger hold on to?
- The rear fender
- The rider's shoulders
- Nothing; hands in the lap
- The rider's waist or hips, or the passenger handholds
Show answer
Answer: D. The rider's waist or hips, or the passenger handholds
Passengers should hold firmly to the rider's waist, hips or belt, or to the passenger handholds.
Question 10 of 25
About how many hours a day do experienced riders usually ride at most?
- About ten hours
- About twelve hours
- About six hours
- As many as possible
Show answer
Answer: C. About six hours
Experienced riders seldom ride more than about six hours a day.
Question 11 of 25
In the diagram, the rider presses the right handgrip forward. Which way does the motorcycle lean and turn?
- It only slows down
- To the left
- It goes straight
- To the right
Show answer
Answer: D. To the right
This is countersteering: press right, lean right, go right.
Question 12 of 25
When should you use the front brake?
- Only above 30 mph
- Every time you slow down or stop, together with the rear brake
- Never on wet roads
- Only in an emergency
Show answer
Answer: B. Every time you slow down or stop, together with the rear brake
Use both brakes every time you slow or stop, so using the front brake becomes a habit.
Question 13 of 25
How should you ride over an object in the road that you cannot avoid?
- Brake hard as you hit it
- Cross it as close to 90 degrees as you can, rising slightly off the seat
- Swerve over it at speed
- Cross it at a shallow angle, staying seated
Show answer
Answer: B. Cross it as close to 90 degrees as you can, rising slightly off the seat
Hit it straight on, keep a firm grip and rise slightly off the seat so your knees and elbows absorb the shock.
Question 14 of 25
You need to pull off onto the shoulder. What should you do first?
- Stop in your lane first
- Check the surface, signal, and slow down
- Brake hard while still on the road
- Swerve off quickly
Show answer
Answer: B. Check the surface, signal, and slow down
Shoulders can be soft or loose. Check it, signal, and slow down before you leave the road.
Question 15 of 25
When should you leave three seconds or more behind the vehicle ahead?
- Only in parking lots
- Never; two seconds is always enough
- On slippery roads, at night, in heavy traffic, or when you can't see past the vehicle ahead
- Only on sunny days
Show answer
Answer: C. On slippery roads, at night, in heavy traffic, or when you can't see past the vehicle ahead
Increase your following distance when you need more time to see hazards or to stop.
Question 16 of 25
How does alcohol affect a rider?
- It slows reactions and weakens judgment, even in small amounts
- It has no effect if you eat first
- It only matters after five drinks
- It improves focus
Show answer
Answer: A. It slows reactions and weakens judgment, even in small amounts
Riding takes balance and quick decisions. Alcohol harms both, so the safest choice is not to drink and ride.
Question 17 of 25
A friend has been drinking and wants to ride home. What can you do?
- Give them coffee and let them go
- Ride behind them to watch
- Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
- Let them ride slowly
Show answer
Answer: C. Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
Step in: arrange a ride, slow their drinking, or keep them from riding. Get other friends to help.
Question 18 of 25
Marker 1 in the diagram shows the rider's head. What should you do with your head in a turn?
- Keep it level, with your eyes in line with the horizon
- Keep it turned to the side
- Tilt it with the motorcycle
- Look down at the road just ahead
Show answer
Answer: A. Keep it level, with your eyes in line with the horizon
Turn just your head to look through the turn, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.
Question 19 of 25
You are riding past a row of parked cars. Where in your lane should you ride?
- On the shoulder
- Toward the left side of your lane
- On the center line
- Close to the parked cars
Show answer
Answer: B. Toward the left side of your lane
Staying left keeps you away from doors opening and people stepping out between cars.
Question 20 of 25
Where should you carry cargo on a motorcycle?
- Behind the rear axle
- Low and forward, over or in front of the rear axle
- High on the passenger seat
- Hanging from the handlebars
Show answer
Answer: B. Low and forward, over or in front of the rear axle
Keeping weight low and forward helps handling. Weight high or far back can make the motorcycle unstable.
Question 21 of 25
What is a good sign that a motorcycle fits you?
- Your knees are above the handlebars
- You cannot reach the controls without leaning
- You must stand on tiptoe on one foot
- You can reach the ground with both feet while seated
Show answer
Answer: D. You can reach the ground with both feet while seated
You should be able to put both feet on the ground while seated, and reach all the controls easily.
Question 22 of 25
Item 6 in the diagram shows boots. How high should riding boots be?
- Below the ankle
- Only knee-high boots are safe
- Any height, if they are leather
- High enough to cover your ankles
Show answer
Answer: D. High enough to cover your ankles
Sturdy boots that cover the ankles protect them and give support. Soles should be hard and slip-resistant.
Question 23 of 25
How should you park a motorcycle at a curb?
- Parallel to the curb
- On the sidewalk
- At a 90-degree angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb
- In the middle of the lane
Show answer
Answer: C. At a 90-degree angle, with the rear wheel touching the curb
Parking at an angle with the rear wheel at the curb takes little space and lets you ride out forward.
Question 24 of 25
How should you sit so you can steer well?
- So your elbows touch your knees
- So your hands are above your shoulders
- So your arms are slightly bent
- So your arms are locked straight
Show answer
Answer: C. So your arms are slightly bent
Sit far enough forward that your arms are slightly bent. This lets you press on the handlebars without strain.
Question 25 of 25
What should you do when riding at night?
- Follow the car ahead more closely
- Slow down and increase your following distance
- Turn your headlight off near other cars
- Wear a tinted face shield
Show answer
Answer: B. Slow down and increase your following distance
At night you see less, so slow down, leave more space and use the lights of the car ahead to see the road.

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