DC Motorcycle Permit Test cheat sheet

Pre-ride check order: tires and wheels (tread, pressure, spokes, axle nuts), controls and cables (throttle snap-back, clutch, brake levers, cables for fraying), lights and horn, oil and fuel levels, chain or belt tension and lubrication, mirrors, then stand and frame.

Tire pressure is checked cold; a tire visibly low on air or with less than the wear-bar tread depth fails inspection and must be corrected before riding.

Throttle free play should be minimal and the grip must snap back to idle on its own when released; a slow-returning throttle is a defect, not a habit to ride around.

The front brake lever is on the right grip and the clutch lever on the left; the right foot controls the rear brake and the left foot the shift lever on a standard motorcycle.

The friction zone is the range of clutch-lever travel where the engine begins to pull; slow-speed control comes from holding the throttle steady and modulating that zone, not from feathering the throttle.

Countersteering: at speeds above roughly walking pace, press the grip on the side you want to turn toward; the bike leans and turns that direction.

Both brakes are applied together in straight-line stops, with more force on the front brake as weight transfers forward; the rear brake alone is used for slow-speed and U-turn control.

In a slow-speed turn, look through the turn at the exit, keep the clutch in the friction zone, and use light rear brake drag to steady the bike; do not grab the front brake while leaned.

Head checks are required before lane changes, before merging, and before moving from a stop; mirrors alone leave blind spots a motorcycle can hide in.

Ride in the left third of the lane to be visible in the rearview and side mirrors of the car ahead and to keep an escape path away from parked cars and curb debris.

The center of the lane carries oil drips from cars, especially at intersections and toll booths; treat the center strip as slick when the pavement is wet.

Use a following distance of at least two seconds in good conditions; add one second for rain, one for night, and more for gravel, and count the time from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object until you reach it.

Minimum following distance behind a large truck should be at least three seconds so the driver can see you in the mirrors and you can see past the trailer.

Never ride in a vehicle's blind spot; if you can see the driver's face in the mirror, the driver can usually see you, so stay where that reflection is visible.

At speeds under about 30 mph, position toward the left of your lane in a line of traffic so oncoming drivers turning left across your path see you sooner.

Increase lane position flexibility: change lane position as conditions change (wind, gravel, traffic) rather than holding one fixed track for the whole ride.

Use headlights day and night, wear high-visibility or contrasting gear, and avoid riding directly beside another vehicle where a lane change could crush you.

Left-turn crashes are the most common motorcycle-car collision: a car turning left across your path. Cover the brakes, reduce speed, and pick a lane position that keeps you out of the car's path until it commits.

At a stop sign or red light, stop behind the stop line or crosswalk, not in it; a motorcycle must come to a complete stop with both feet or one foot down before proceeding.

Right turn on red is permitted only after a full stop, a yield to pedestrians and traffic, and where no sign prohibits it; treat it as a stop-then-yield, not a rolling turn.

Left turns from a one-way to a one-way street may be made from the left lane; otherwise turn from the lane closest to the direction of travel and stay in that lane through the turn.

When passing parked cars, watch for doors opening and for pedestrians stepping out between them; keep at least a door's width of clearance or slow enough to stop.

Enter a freeway via the acceleration lane, match traffic speed, signal, head-check, and merge into a gap; do not stop at the end of the ramp unless traffic forces it.

When sharing a lane with no other vehicle allowed, never ride two abreast in a way that blocks a lane; staggered formation keeps a group compact while preserving each rider's escape space.

Large trucks swing wide on right turns and have deep blind spots; never pass a truck on the right, and do not linger alongside the trailer.

Alcohol impairs balance, throttle control, and judgment before the rider feels drunk; the legal limit for riders 21 and older in DC is 0.08% BAC, and a rider under 21 is subject to zero tolerance.

Refuse to ride when impaired by alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, or fatigue; impairment multiplies the risk of every other hazard because reaction time and balance both degrade.

The three-second-plus rule applies to hazard scanning: look ahead 12 seconds or more down the road to spot gravel, potholes, wet leaves, and stopped traffic before you reach them.

For a hazard you cannot avoid, brake in a straight line before the turn, then release the brakes and lean through the curve; braking while leaned reduces traction and can cause a slide.

A DOT-compliant helmet is required for all riders and passengers in DC; a helmet should fit snugly, sit level on the head, and have a fastened chin strap.

Protective gear: helmet, eye protection or face shield, gloves, long sleeves, long pants, and over-the-ankle boots; bright or reflective material increases being seen at night.

Swerve technique: separate the swerve from braking, push the grip on the side you want to go, keep your eyes level, and straighten the bike before braking hard.

Surface hazards reduce traction: painted lines, metal grates, manhole covers, and railroad tracks are slick when wet; cross tracks at as close to a right angle as possible.

Riding tired is impaired riding: fatigue slows reaction time and causes micro-sleeps; stop, hydrate, and rest rather than pushing through a long ride.

Alcohol impairs balance, throttle control, and judgment before the rider feels drunk; the legal limit for riders 21 and older in DC is 0.08% BAC, and a rider under 21 is subject to zero tolerance.

Refuse to ride when impaired by alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs, or fatigue; impairment multiplies the risk of every other hazard because reaction time and balance both degrade.

The three-second-plus rule applies to hazard scanning: look ahead 12 seconds or more down the road to spot gravel, potholes, wet leaves, and stopped traffic before you reach them.

For a hazard you cannot avoid, brake in a straight line before the turn, then release the brakes and lean through the curve; braking while leaned reduces traction and can cause a slide.

A DOT-compliant helmet is required for all riders and passengers in DC; a helmet should fit snugly, sit level on the head, and have a fastened chin strap.

Protective gear: helmet, eye protection or face shield, gloves, long sleeves, long pants, and over-the-ankle boots; bright or reflective material increases being seen at night.

Swerve technique: separate the swerve from braking, push the grip on the side you want to go, keep your eyes level, and straighten the bike before braking hard.

Surface hazards reduce traction: painted lines, metal grates, manhole covers, and railroad tracks are slick when wet; cross tracks at as close to a right angle as possible.

Riding tired is impaired riding: fatigue slows reaction time and causes micro-sleeps; stop, hydrate, and rest rather than pushing through a long ride.

Left-turn crashes are the most common motorcycle-car collision: a car turning left across your path. Cover the brakes, reduce speed, and pick a lane position that keeps you out of the car's path until it commits.

At a stop sign or red light, stop behind the stop line or crosswalk, not in it; a motorcycle must come to a complete stop with both feet or one foot down before proceeding.

Right turn on red is permitted only after a full stop, a yield to pedestrians and traffic, and where no sign prohibits it; treat it as a stop-then-yield, not a rolling turn.

Left turns from a one-way to a one-way street may be made from the left lane; otherwise turn from the lane closest to the direction of travel and stay in that lane through the turn.

When passing parked cars, watch for doors opening and for pedestrians stepping out between them; keep at least a door's width of clearance or slow enough to stop.

Enter a freeway via the acceleration lane, match traffic speed, signal, head-check, and merge into a gap; do not stop at the end of the ramp unless traffic forces it.

When sharing a lane with no other vehicle allowed, never ride two abreast in a way that blocks a lane; staggered formation keeps a group compact while preserving each rider's escape space.

Large trucks swing wide on right turns and have deep blind spots; never pass a truck on the right, and do not linger alongside the trailer.