Missouri Motorcycle practice
Missouri Motorcycle: Hazards & Road Surfaces practice test
Gravel, wet pavement, grooved roads, and railroad tracks — reading and handling surfaces that matter far more on two wheels.
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.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Hazards & Road Surfaces questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. Just before your front wheel contacts an obstacle you must ride over, what helps lighten the front end?
Correct answer: Rolling on the throttle slightly
Rolling on the throttle slightly just before contact lightens the front end, while rising off the seat lets your knees and elbows absorb the shock.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles
2. For larger animals such as deer, elk, or cattle in your path, what does the manual advise?
Correct answer: Brake and prepare to stop
Larger animals are unpredictable, so you should brake and prepare to stop rather than trying to speed past or swerve around them.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Animals
3. Before turning off the road onto a soft or uncertain shoulder, what should you do?
Correct answer: Slow way down first and signal your change
Check that the roadside surface is firm enough; if it is soft grass, loose sand, or you are unsure, slow way down before turning onto it, and signal your slowing and change of direction.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Getting Off the Road
4. What is usually the safer way to cross railroad or trolley tracks?
Correct answer: Ride straight within your lane across them
It is usually safer to ride straight within your lane to cross tracks; turning to take them exactly head-on can be more dangerous because your path may carry you into another lane.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Railroad Tracks and Pavement Seams
5. If you cannot avoid an animal while riding in traffic, what does the manual advise?
Correct answer: Stay in your lane, since hitting something small beats hitting a car
If you are in traffic, remain in your lane, since hitting something small is less dangerous to you than swerving into something big like a car.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Animals
6. If a dog chases your motorcycle, what is the recommended way to handle it?
Correct answer: Approach slowly, then accelerate to leave it behind
Downshift and approach the animal slowly, then accelerate to leave it behind; do not kick at the dog, keep control of the motorcycle, and look where you want to go.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Animals
7. Where do patches of ice tend to form on a roadway?
Correct answer: In shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses
Ice tends to develop in low or shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses, where rain dries and snow melts more slowly than on other sections of road.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Slippery Surfaces
8. After you ride over an object in the road, what should you do?
Correct answer: Pull off and check the tires and rims for damage
If you ride over an object, pull off the road and check your tires and rims for damage before continuing.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Uneven Surfaces and Obstacles
9. When it first starts to rain, where is it usually best to ride?
Correct answer: In the tire tracks left by cars
When rain begins, ride in the tire tracks left by cars, often the left tire track, because the center of the lane can be especially slippery when wet.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Slippery Surfaces
10. When riding at night, how should you manage your speed?
Correct answer: Ride even slower than during the day
Ride even slower than you would during the day, especially on unfamiliar roads, because doing so increases your chances of avoiding a hazard when visibility is reduced.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Increasing Conspicuity: Riding at Night
11. When riding over rain grooves or a bridge grating that makes the bike weave, what should you do?
Correct answer: Relax, hold a steady speed, and ride straight across
The wandering, weaving feeling over grooves or gratings is generally not hazardous; relax, keep a steady speed, and ride straight across rather than zigzagging.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Grooves and Gratings
12. For tracks or pavement seams that run parallel to your direction of travel, how should you cross them?
Correct answer: Cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees with a deliberate turn
Move far enough away from a parallel seam or track to cross it at an angle of at least 45 degrees, then make a deliberate turn; edging across could catch your tires.
Source: Missouri Motorcycle Operator Manual — Handling Dangerous Surfaces: Railroad Tracks and Pavement Seams
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Every Missouri question is written from the official Missouri 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