Permit Test Tips?

[renbyrd]

I'm going into the RMV next week to take my motorcycle license permit test. I'm nervous because I take my MSF course/road text next weekend and I want to have my permit in hand before I go. I've read the motorcycle safety manual front to back, but wanted to ask if anyone had any tricky questions they remember that may come up?

For instance, I learned from someone else's post about their permit test that they were asked about group formation, and now I remember crystal clear that when riding in small groups, the lead rider should pass and stay on the LEFT side of the lane. Somehow these little stories on Modern Buddy stick out more than reading the bullet points in the manual. Any other tricky questions I should look out for?

[HMBscoot]

it's super easy if you've read the hand book i got mine on the first try. good luck

[ericalm]

I'm not sure if it's this way in MA, but in CA if you flunk the test, you can just take it again immediately afterwards. When I took mine for the first time, I flunked. In all honesty, I'd skimmed several parts of the handbook, including some sections on carrying a load and some other stuff that seemed boring and unimportant at the time.

They just told me to go outside, read the manual, and come take it again. Which I did. I passed the second time, no problem. (They administer a few different versions at any time, so people sitting near each other all have different tests and I got a different one when I retook it.)

[jfrost2]

I zoomed through my test, the written test's are always easy, on course is what is hard

[charltons]

I'm not sure if it's this way in MA, but in CA if you flunk the test, you can just take it again immediately afterwards. When I took mine for the first time, I flunked. In all honesty, I'd skimmed several parts of the handbook, including some sections on carrying a load and some other stuff that seemed boring and unimportant at the time.

I had the same experience. I went back, read the entire manual, highlighted the main points, and passed only missing one. Also, I was tired and in a hurry the first time.

[Orange Guy]

My dad missed 5 out of 15 on his first try (Illinois allows you to miss three and still pass). They told him to walk out the door, turn around and come back and try again. With a different test, he only missed three.

Knowing this, I read the manual cover-to-cover and did the practice test in the book. I missed one on my first attempt.

Here's a practice MA motorcycle test ... maybe this will help?

[maribell]

that when riding in small groups, the lead rider should pass and stay on the LEFT side of the lane.

That was a question on my test.

[pamalama]

Those BMV people are tricky....just be careful when you read the questions and take your time. (The examiner even told me to read carefully.) In Ohio they asked questions that weren't even in the booklet. For example...they ask about the legal drinking limit of someone under 21. Since you have to be 21 to drink, I would think 0%...but NO....it's not. They did ask about group riding, ask where you should go single file, answer... on curves, they also ask how many seconds apart you should be. A lot is common sense, but it's still nerve wracking because no one want's to flunk a test, especially after driving for decades. Remember, there's no time limit so take your time...also on ours there is a "skip question" button, use it. It'll give you more time to think about it and if you get a lot of right answers, you won't even have to answer that question because the test shuts down automatically when you get a certain number of correct answers. I'll also admit I flunked the first time by one question and in our state you have to wait 24 hours to retest. My first try was on Fri, so you can bet I spent every chance I had over the weekend reading and higlighting things in the manual. The second time, I missed 2 questions, I pretty much knew what to expect. Who knew riding a scooter was so involved?!?! Good luck, let us know how you do.

[cmiller36]

I walked up to the counter with the motorcycle handbook in my hand and they gave me the test and didn't say anything about the handbook. So I took my test over to the corner of the counter and proceeded to copy the answers straight out the handbook. Took the test back to the counter, got my 100% passing score and permit and I was out of there.

[schlagle]

Not sure about the laws in your area but in CA any answer that results in you getting more space between your buddy and whatever obstacle is in the question is the correct answer.

[ay pablo]

If you've read the book, you'll do fine. Just take your time. I passed it on the first try after reading the book cover to cover.

[sargelee71]

I just read the motorcycle manual on-line once, took the practice test as I went along (all the night before) and just went in to the Illinois DMV to take the test. E-A-S-Y!!! 15 questions--I was done in about 10 minutes. Got two wrong, but one was utterly careless and the other was because I second-guessed my gut-instinct.

No worries!

[Apiarist]

Here's a practice MA motorcycle test ... maybe this will help?

on the Va DMV website there are similar practice tests. i took practice tests over and over until i started getting nothing but repeat questions. those questions were verbatim from the test. somehow i still got 3 wrong, but the main thing is i passed...

[Leeroy Jenkins]

ride it like you stole it.

[KRUSTYburger]

I remember I missed 3... One because I misread the question (because I wasn't taking my time), the second I accidentally hit the wrong letter. The third one was retarded, something like this:

When maneuvering quickly and safely around an obstacle you should:

A. Break, then swerve
B. Swerve, then break
C. Break and swerve separately

I'm no rocket scientist, but either A or B could be the exact same answer as C. I put C, but I was wrong... I guess it was supposed to be A? Either way, I still passed. Just thought I'd let you know about that one, as long as you're not in Florida, they probably won't give you any dumb questions that have more than one right answer.

[ericalm]

When maneuvering quickly and safely around an obstacle you should:

A. Break, then swerve
B. Swerve, then break
C. Break and swerve separately

I'm no rocket scientist, but either A or B could be the exact same answer as C. I put C, but I was wrong... I guess it was supposed to be A? Either way, I still passed. Just thought I'd let you know about that one, as long as you're not in Florida, they probably won't give you any dumb questions that have more than one right answer.

Oh, I got at least one dumb one with more than one answer. And I'd have answered C on this question, too. Oof.

[nissanman]

I remember this one from the NJ driver's test. "In case of an emergency you should A. Steer towards objects that give B. Steer away from objects that don't give"... hmmmm Need I say more