Motorcycle theory test questions explained

Some motorcycle theory questions are looked up far more often than others, usually because two of the options sound equally reasonable. Each one below gives the correct answer, the rule it comes from and the reason the other options are wrong, so that you can answer a reworded version too. All of them appear in the free motorcycle mock tests.

You’re riding a motorcycle with an engine of less than 50 cc and a queue builds up behind. What should you do?

Answer: pull in when you can to let faster vehicles behind you overtake.

This is Highway Code rule 169: do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently and, if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass. A moped restricted to about 28 mph on a 60 mph road is exactly the slow-moving vehicle the rule has in mind.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Waving vehicles past makes you responsible for a judgement you cannot make for them. You cannot see what they can see.
• Giving a left signal to invite an overtake is misleading: a left indicator means you are turning or stopping.
• Keeping well out to block overtakes is the opposite of the rule. A frustrated driver forcing past is the danger you are trying to remove.

“When you can” matters. A lay-by, a wide entrance or a long straight with a clear verge is suitable; a blind bend or the mouth of a junction is not. You will find this question in motorcycle practice test 4. The rule is in the Highway Code section on using the road.

What does a provisional motorcycle licence restrict you from doing?

Answer: carrying a pillion passenger.

Highway Code rule 85 says provisional licence holders must not carry a pillion. The related question asks when a rider of a machine over 50 cc may carry one, and the answer is when they hold a full licence for the category of motorcycle they are riding. Completing CBT does not count, and nor does a full car licence.

The wrong options (riding after dark, exceeding 30 mph, using a dual carriageway) are things a learner is allowed to do. What a learner may not use is a motorway: rule 253 bars holders of provisional motorcycle licences and all machines under 50 cc.

Why is a lifesaver check vital before turning right?

Answer: to check for any overtaking traffic.

The lifesaver is a final glance over your shoulder into the blind spot just before you change direction. Mirrors do not cover the area beside and just behind you, and that is where a vehicle that has started to overtake will be as you begin to turn right. Rule 88 tells riders to be aware of what is behind and to the sides before manoeuvring, and to look behind as well as using mirrors.

Timing is the part candidates miss. The glance must come early enough that you can still cancel the turn if someone is there. On a multi-lane roundabout, the lifesaver before moving across to exit goes over the left shoulder.

What happens if you get six or more penalty points within two years of passing?

Answer: you reapply for a provisional licence and retake both the theory and practical tests.

Under the rules for new drivers and riders, a first full licence is cancelled if you reach six points within two years of passing. That total includes unexpired points you collected as a learner. You then ride as a learner again, with L plates and learner restrictions, until you have passed both tests a second time.

Options offering “retake only the theory” or “only the practical” are wrong because both must be passed, and you cannot simply reapply for the full licence. GOV.UK explains the rule under penalty points for new drivers.

What is the legal minimum tread depth for motorcycle tyres?

Answer: 1 mm.

A motorcycle tyre must have at least 1 mm of tread across three-quarters of its breadth, in a continuous band around the whole circumference. The 1.6 mm option is the limit for cars and light vans, which is why it is offered as a distractor. Mopeds are treated differently: they should have visible tread.

A linked question asks what else makes a tyre illegal, and the answer is a large bulge in the sidewall. A stone wedged in the tread should be removed but is not in itself an offence.

How long is a CBT certificate valid?

Answer: two years.

If you have not passed your theory test and both practical modules by then, you must complete CBT again or stop riding. Do not confuse this with the theory pass certificate, which also lasts two years but runs from the day you pass the theory test. The guide to CBT and the theory test shows how the two periods overlap.

Do you need L plates when learning under direct access?

Answer: yes, while learning with a qualified instructor.

Direct access lets an older learner train on a larger machine than CBT alone allows, but only when accompanied by an approved instructor on another motorcycle and in radio contact. You are still a learner, so red L plates go on the front and rear and every other learner restriction applies. Having passed a car test or a moped test changes nothing. The ages for each route are in the guide to motorcycle licence categories.

When is riding with the side stand down most likely to cause a crash?

Answer: when you are cornering.

As the machine leans to the left, a lowered stand touches the road and levers the rear wheel off line. Many motorcycles cut the engine if you select a gear with the stand down, but the test expects you not to rely on that.

A similar machine question asks what a very loose drive chain can do. The answer is lock the rear wheel: a slack chain can jump off the sprocket and jam. After adjusting chain tension, the thing to check is rear wheel alignment.

On an exposed motorway in a strong side wind, when should you take extra care?

Answer: when you overtake a large vehicle.

A lorry shelters you from the wind while you are alongside it. As you clear the cab you ride out of that shelter into the full gust, which can push a motorcycle across its lane. Leave more room than usual, expect the push and keep a relaxed grip. The same effect happens when you pass gaps in hedges and bridges.

Turning answers into marks

Reading explanations helps most straight after you have got the question wrong. Take a motorcycle mock test, note the questions where you hesitated and, for each one, try to state the rule in a sentence before you read the explanation. If you can name the rule, a reworded question will not catch you out. For how the questions are presented on the day, see the motorcycle theory test format.