South Dakota DPS Motorcycle Practice Test 38
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. What should be done with a group that has grown too large to manage?
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Answer D: Split it into smaller groups, each with its own leader and sweep rider
Smaller sub groups stay together more easily and are easier for other drivers to pass, and each one needs its own leader and sweep rider.
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2. A stop sign at a busy corner has a stop line and a crosswalk, but buildings block your view of the cross street. What is the correct sequence?
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Answer C: Stop at the line first, then edge forward and stop again to see
The first stop is required at the line or before the crosswalk, and a second stop farther forward is what actually lets you yield safely.
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3. You need to leave the road and pull onto the shoulder. What should you check first?
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Answer A: Whether the shoulder surface is firm enough to support the motorcycle
Soft or loose shoulder material can grab the wheels or let the side stand sink, so confirm the surface is firm, signal, and then pull well clear of traffic.
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4. The oil pressure warning light comes on while you are riding. What should you do?
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Answer D: Stop as soon as it is safe and shut the engine off
That light warns that the engine may not be receiving oil, and every extra minute of running risks destroying it.
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5. A yellow lamp flashes above a warning sign at a sharp curve. What does it ask of a driver?
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Answer D: Slow down and pass the point with extra care
A warning beacon draws attention to the sign it is mounted with, and the message of the sign is what the driver must act on.
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6. What is the best path through a curve where you can see all the way to the exit?
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Answer A: Start toward the outside, move toward the inside, then drift back out
Entering wide, cutting toward the inside and running back out straightens the path, which means less lean angle for the same speed and a better view.
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7. An oncoming car is waiting to turn left across your path at an intersection. What is the safest response?
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Answer D: Slow, cover the brakes and pick a lane position that keeps an escape path
A car turning left in front of a rider is one of the most common motorcycle collisions, so the rider prepares to stop or swerve rather than trusting the driver to wait.
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8. As a center two-way left-turn lane reaches an intersection, the markings change into a single left-turn lane. What does that mean for you?
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Answer D: From that point it serves one direction only, so use it just to turn left
Where the shared lane becomes a marked turn bay it belongs to one direction of travel, and only vehicles making that left turn may occupy it.
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9. A driver hunting for an on-ramp meets this sign at the mouth of the pavement ahead. What is the correct action?
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Answer C: Keep out of that roadway and look for the proper approach elsewhere
The restriction is absolute and does not depend on how much traffic is present, so the driver has to reach the highway by an approach built for entering vehicles.
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10. A sign with a brown background and a white legend guides road users to
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Answer B: parks, campgrounds and other recreational or cultural sites
Brown is reserved for recreational and cultural interest area signing, such as parks, historic sites and scenic areas.
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11. On a typical motorcycle, which of these controls does the rider operate with the right hand?
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Answer C: The front brake lever
The front brake lever sits on the right handlebar and is squeezed with the right hand, while the clutch lever is on the left handlebar.
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12. Which conviction does NOT add points to a South Dakota driving record?
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Answer A: Speeding
South Dakota assesses no points for speeding, parking, standing, equipment, size or weight violations, although the fine still applies.
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13. You have just ridden over a large object lying in the road. What should you do next?
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Answer A: Pull over when it is safe and check the tires and rims for damage
An impact can cut a tire, dent a rim or bend a fork without giving any immediate change in how the machine feels, so it deserves a look.
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14. You are driving through a neighborhood where several children are riding bicycles. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down and expect sudden, unpredictable moves
Young riders lack the judgment and the mirror habits of adults and may swerve or cross without looking, so lower speed is your only reliable margin.
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15. Where should you be looking as you steer through a turn?
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Answer C: Toward the point on the new road where you want to end up
Drivers steer toward what they look at, so looking through the turn to where you want to go keeps the path smooth and accurate.
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16. You are traveling at the same speed as a vehicle in the next lane, just behind its rear door. What should you do?
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Answer B: Change your speed so that you leave that driver's blind spot
That position is the classic blind spot. Slow slightly or move ahead so the other driver can see you before deciding to change lanes.
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17. Why does a rider on an unfaired motorcycle tire faster on a long highway ride than a driver would?
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Answer A: Constant wind pressure and noise drain energy hour after hour
Fighting wind pressure and enduring wind noise for hours is physically tiring, which is why wind protection and regular breaks matter on long rides.
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18. On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?
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Answer B: Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance
Farm equipment often turns into fields through gaps you cannot see, and it may swing wide to do so. Passing a vehicle that is signaling a left turn is a common cause of crashes.
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19. You have driven at 70 mph for an hour and then exit onto a town street. What is the common risk?
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Answer B: Your sense of speed adapts, so 35 mph feels slow and you drive too fast
After a long stretch at high speed the brain adapts, so town speeds feel unnaturally slow; check the speedometer instead of trusting the feeling.
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20. The road ahead is broken up with potholes and rough patches. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down, since a hole hit at speed can wreck a tire or wheel
A lower speed cuts the impact on tires, wheels and suspension and gives you time to choose a line through the rough surface.
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21. A parking space is marked with the international symbol of access. Who may use it?
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Answer A: Only a vehicle displaying the required placard or plate
Accessible spaces may be used only by a vehicle that displays a valid disability placard or plate, no matter how short the stop would be.
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22. Why do streetcar or light rail rails set into a street deserve extra care from a rider?
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Answer B: The groove alongside the rail can catch a front tire crossed at a shallow angle
The groove beside an embedded rail is just wide enough to trap a motorcycle tire, so cross rails at as steep an angle as your lane allows.
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23. Does this sign settle who has the right-of-way at the intersection ahead?
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Answer D: No, it only gives notice of the intersection; the control there decides priority
A warning prepares the driver for what is coming but grants no priority, so whatever stop control, yield control, signal or right-of-way rule applies at the intersection is what decides.
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24. A delivery truck is parked in your lane and you must use the oncoming lane to get around it. Who has the right of way?
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Answer D: The oncoming traffic, because their lane is clear
The driver whose own lane is obstructed waits, because using the other lane is a favor from oncoming traffic, not a right.
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25. On a rainy road, where can a rider usually find the best traction?
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Answer A: In the tire tracks left by the vehicles ahead
Vehicles ahead push water aside and keep their tracks clearer of oil, so those tracks generally give better grip than the rest of the lane.