South Dakota DPS Motorcycle Practice Test 40
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. You spot a deep pothole that the riders behind you will not be able to see until it is too late. What is the usual way to warn them?
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Answer B: Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on
Pointing at the hazard on the correct side tells the riders behind both that something is there and where in the lane it is.
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2. Why are sign shapes and colors standardized across the whole country?
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Answer D: So a driver knows the kind of message before reading it
Uniform shapes and colors let a driver classify a sign as regulatory, warning or guide from a distance, before the legend can be read.
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3. If the rear wheel locks during a straight line stop on a good surface, the rider should:
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Answer B: Keep it locked until the motorcycle has come to a complete stop
Releasing a locked rear wheel while the motorcycle is out of line can snap it upright violently, so on a straight path the rear brake is held until the motorcycle stops.
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4. You are riding where fresh pavement meets an older lane that sits an inch or two lower. How should you move across that edge?
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Answer A: Slow down and cross the edge at as sharp an angle as the lane allows
A pavement edge break can steer the front wheel along it if you meet it at a shallow angle, so slow, hold the bars firmly and cross it steeply.
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5. A driver ahead brakes for no reason you can see, again and again. What should you do?
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Answer B: Increase your following distance and be ready for yet another stop
Unexplained braking tells you the driver is unsure or distracted, so the safe answer is more room, not less.
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6. Which clue best warns a rider that the door of a parked car is about to open?
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Answer B: Someone visible in the seat, or exhaust showing at the tailpipe
Occupied cars are the ones that open doors, so scan through rear windows and mirrors and look for exhaust or wheels turning as you approach.
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7. Why should riders avoid the center strip of the lane, especially where traffic stops often?
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Answer A: Because it collects oil and grease dripped from other vehicles
Drippings from other vehicles build up in the center of the lane, and the buildup is heaviest at busy intersections and toll booths where traffic sits waiting.
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8. Where should a touring rider keep the rain suit?
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Answer B: Somewhere it can be reached quickly without unpacking everything
Rain gear only helps if you can get to it before you are soaked, so pack it where a quick roadside stop is enough to reach it.
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9. You have stopped at a stop line but parked cars hide the cross street. What comes next?
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Answer C: Edge forward to where you can see, stopping again if needed
The legal stop at the line is only the first stop; you then move up slowly to a point where you can see, and stop again if traffic requires it.
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10. What should a group agree on before the ride begins?
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Answer A: The route, the fuel and rest stops, and the hand signals to be used
Settling the route, the stops and the signals before departure keeps the group together and avoids sudden, confusing decisions once it is moving.
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11. You are turning left from a two-way street onto another two-way street. Where should you begin and end the turn?
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Answer B: Begin in the lane just right of the center line and finish just right of the center line of the new street
You approach a left turn from the lane closest to the center line and enter the new roadway just to the right of its center line, which keeps you clear of oncoming traffic.
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12. Which of these is a known cause of a high speed wobble?
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Answer C: Incorrect tire pressure or a load carried too far back and too high
Wobble is usually traced to tires, wheels, loading or poorly mounted accessories such as a windshield or fairing, so check pressures and how the machine is loaded.
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13. A signal beside a fire station stays dark until apparatus is about to leave, when it shows yellow and then red. What must a driver do?
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Answer B: Stop on the red and wait until the signal goes dark again
An emergency vehicle signal is a real traffic signal, so its red indication must be obeyed while the apparatus pulls out into the street.
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14. What kind of gloves are recommended for riding?
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Answer A: Full fingered gloves of leather or similar durable material
Full fingered leather or equivalent gloves improve grip on the controls and protect the hands, which riders instinctively put out in a fall.
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15. At the scene of a crash you were part of, what are you required to do besides stopping?
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Answer B: Give your name, your address and vehicle details, and help anyone who is hurt
Every state requires drivers involved in a crash to identify themselves and to render reasonable aid to anyone injured.
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16. What is a good rule for any task you want to do inside the vehicle?
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Answer D: If it needs more than a moment, do it stopped
A glance of a second or two is manageable, but any task that runs longer belongs to a stopped vehicle, because the road does not pause while you do it.
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17. Your motorcycle starts to wander while you ride over rain grooves or a bridge grating. What should you do?
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Answer A: Relax, hold a steady speed and ride straight across
The wandering feeling on grooved surfaces and gratings is unsettling but generally not hazardous, while zigzagging to fight it is far more dangerous.
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18. What is the what if habit of a defensive driver?
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Answer C: Thinking through what you would do if a hazard ahead of you turned bad
Rehearsing an answer before the hazard develops means you act at once instead of spending time deciding.
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19. Besides alcohol, what else does South Dakota's implied consent statute allow a chemical test to check for?
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Answer B: Marijuana or other controlled drugs or substances that could impair driving
The implied consent law authorizes testing not only for alcohol but also for marijuana and other controlled substances that may impair driving ability.
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20. How should a rider react to a deer or another large animal in the road?
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Answer B: Brake and prepare to stop, because large animals move unpredictably
A large animal can bolt in any direction at any moment, so the only reliable response is to slow down and be ready to stop.
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21. How much space should the leader of a group keep behind the vehicle ahead of the group?
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Answer D: At least the normal following distance a rider would keep when riding alone
Riding in a group does not shorten the space a motorcycle needs to stop, so the leader keeps the same cushion any rider would keep alone.
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22. A dog is running toward the road from a yard ahead of you. Why is it a mistake to simply accelerate past it?
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Answer A: A dog aims at where you will be, so more speed can bring you together
A dog runs at an intercept point rather than at where you are now, which is why the recommended technique is to slow as you approach and then accelerate away once you are beside it.
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23. For a first DUI conviction in South Dakota, what license consequence does the court impose at minimum?
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Answer B: A revocation of at least 30 days, with discretion to extend it up to one additional year
A first DUI conviction is a Class 1 misdemeanor requiring at least a 30-day revocation, which the court may extend up to a further year.
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24. You reach a T intersection where the cross street has a ONE WAY sign pointing to the right. What may you do?
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Answer B: Turn right only, because the street carries traffic in that direction
The arrow shows the only direction traffic may travel, so the only legal movement from the terminating road is a right turn.
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25. A curb lane is marked BUS ONLY 7 AM TO 9 AM. What may the driver of a car do?
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Answer A: Use the lane outside those hours
A part-time bus lane is reserved only during the posted period, and outside it the lane serves general traffic like any other.