Alaska Motorcycle practice
Alaska Motorcycle: Lane Position & Sharing the Road practice test
Where to position yourself in the lane to be seen, managing blind spots, and sharing the road safely with cars and trucks.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
16 questions · pass with 13 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
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12 sample Lane Position & Sharing the Road questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
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1. Some riders avoid the center of the lane because of the grease strip. About how wide is a typical grease strip?
Correct answer: Usually no more than two feet
Grease strips are usually two feet wide or less; since the center portion is about four feet wide, you can ride to one side of the strip and still be in the center portion.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Being Seen, Position for Being Seen
2. After passing a vehicle, some riders say the group leader should move to the right side of the lane. Why does the manual call this a bad idea?
Correct answer: It invites the next rider to pass and pull back in before a safe gap has opened in front of the vehicle just passed
A right-side position would invite the next rider to pass and pull in too soon; it's simpler and safer for each rider to return to the same position held before passing.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep Your Distance
3. You need to tell another rider in your group something. When does the manual say it is okay to pull up alongside them?
Correct answer: Once you are both stopped
Never ride directly beside another motorcycle while moving, because neither of you would have room to avoid a hazard; wait until you are both stopped to talk.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep Your Distance
4. Each marked lane gives a motorcyclist three paths of travel. About how wide is each of these 'mini-lanes'?
Correct answer: About four feet
The manual describes each mini-lane as roughly four feet wide, so choosing among them lets you position yourself to be seen.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Being Seen, Position for Being Seen
5. A driver on an entrance ramp is merging toward your lane. What is your first choice, according to the manual?
Correct answer: Give them plenty of room and move to another lane if one is open
Don't assume merging drivers see you. Give them space and change lanes if you can; if not, adjust your speed to open a gap for them.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Keeping Your Distance, Merging Vehicles
6. Someone is tailgating you, and there is an open lane beside you. What does the manual call the best move?
Correct answer: Change lanes and let them pass
Getting a tailgater in front of you is the safe solution, so move over and let them go by; if you can't, ease off a little to build space ahead.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Keeping Your Distance, Distance Behind
7. You find yourself riding right next to a car in the adjacent lane. What does the manual tell you to do?
Correct answer: Accelerate or fall back until nothing is beside you on either side
A car alongside could switch into your lane without warning and blocks your escape route, so move ahead or back to a gap with no traffic on either side.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Keeping Your Distance, Cars Alongside
8. In the manual's 'Follow Those Behind' approach, who sets the pace of a riding group?
Correct answer: The tailender
Each rider watches the rider behind in the mirrors and slows a little if that rider falls back, so the whole group stays with the tailender.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep the Group Together
9. The Alaska motorcycle manual's message to drivers of other vehicles says how much lane room they should give a motorcyclist?
Correct answer: A full lane width, with no lane sharing
The message tells drivers that even if a lane looks wide enough for a car and a motorcycle, the rider needs the whole lane to maneuver, so they should never share it.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — A Message from the Highway Safety Planning Agency
10. Why does the manual discourage riding in a large group?
Correct answer: Large groups interfere with traffic and get split up easily, and riders left behind often ride unsafely to catch up
Big groups force cars to pass long lines of motorcycles, are easily separated by traffic or red lights, and tempt stragglers to take risks catching up.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep the Group Small
11. In a staggered formation, where does the second rider ride?
Correct answer: A little behind the leader, on the right side of the lane
The leader takes the left side of the lane and the second rider stays slightly back on the right side; the third rider takes the left again, four seconds behind the leader.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep Your Distance
12. Your riding group has grown to seven motorcycles. What does the manual recommend?
Correct answer: Split into two or more smaller groups
The manual suggests dividing any group larger than four or five riders into two or more smaller groups.
Source: Alaska Motorcycle Manual — Group Riding, Keep the Group Small
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Every Alaska question is written from the official Alaska driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free