NSW Rider Knowledge Test cheat sheet

A rider must give way at a stop sign or stop line and come to a complete stop before proceeding, even when no other traffic is visible.

At an uncontrolled intersection in NSW, give way to vehicles already in the intersection and to vehicles approaching from the right.

A motorcycle may use a marked bicycle lane only where signage specifically permits motorcycles; otherwise bicycle lanes are for bicycles only.

Lane filtering is legal only for fully licensed riders, at 30 km/h or less, when traffic is stationary or moving slowly, and never in school zones during operating hours.

A rider must not ride with more than one pillion passenger; a learner or provisional rider must not carry any pillion passenger.

Indicating is required before turning, changing lanes or diverging; a motorcycle indicator is not self-cancelling on many models, so the rider must cancel it manually.

A motorcycle must not be ridden on a footpath or nature strip unless signage permits it or the rider is walking the machine with the engine off.

The default urban speed limit in NSW is 50 km/h; shared zones are 10 km/h and school zones are 40 km/h during posted times.

A following distance of at least three seconds in dry conditions and four or more seconds in wet weather gives time to react to a hazard ahead.

Riders should scan 12 or more seconds ahead and check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds to detect closing hazards early.

A hazard is judged by its potential to enter the rider's path: a pedestrian near a kerb, a car with brake lights, or a driveway with a nose-out vehicle all rate as high risk.

The greatest single risk to a motorcyclist is being struck by a vehicle turning across its path, especially at intersections and driveways.

Riding in a vehicle's blind spot increases collision risk; a rider should either hang back or accelerate clear so the driver can see them in the mirror.

Wet roads, gravel, painted lines, metal covers and tram tracks reduce grip sharply; a rider should reduce speed and avoid sudden braking or sharp steering on them.

Fatigue, alcohol and distraction degrade hazard detection before the rider notices the impairment, so the safe decision is to stop riding rather than push on.

At night or in low visibility, a rider should reduce speed so the stopping distance stays inside the distance lit by the headlight.

A motorcycle helmet must comply with AS/NZS 1698 or UN ECE 22.05/22.06 and be correctly fastened whenever the motorcycle is moving or on a road.

Riders must wear enclosed footwear; eye protection is required unless the helmet has a visor or the motorcycle has a windscreen.

Protective clothing should be abrasion resistant and cover arms and legs; high-visibility colours increase the chance of being seen by other drivers.

Pre-ride checks cover tyres, brakes, lights, indicators, horn, chain or belt tension, oil and fuel levels, and mirror adjustment.

The front brake provides most stopping power on sealed surfaces; on loose or slippery surfaces, braking should be applied smoothly and mostly with the rear.

Countersteering is the technique for initiating a turn above walking pace: pressing the bar in the direction of the turn leans the motorcycle into it.

Riders must not ride with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.05, and learner and provisional riders must have zero alcohol in the blood.

A rider's position in the lane should keep a buffer from parked cars, kerbs and large vehicles, and place the rider where a driver ahead can see them in their mirrors.

In NSW, a learner rider must hold a learner licence for at least 12 months before being eligible for a provisional P1 licence.

Learner riders must complete the pre-learner course, log a minimum of 5,000 km of supervised riding, and pass the rider knowledge and riding tests as required.

A P1 rider is restricted to a maximum of 90 km/h and a P2 rider to 100 km/h, and both are subject to zero alcohol and mobile phone restrictions.

A motorcycle must be registered and hold compulsory third party insurance to be ridden on a NSW road; registration is linked to a vehicle identification number.

A learner or provisional rider must display the correct L or P plate clearly at the rear of the motorcycle.

A rider must carry their licence when riding and produce it to a police officer on request.

Demerit points attach to the rider's licence, not the motorcycle; a learner or provisional rider who exceeds the points limit has the licence suspended.

Any change of name or address must be notified to the licensing authority within 14 days, and a motorcycle sold must be notified so registration liability transfers.