New Mexico Motorcycle practice
New Mexico Motorcycle: Motorcycle Controls & Operation practice test
Throttle, clutch, both brakes, and shifting — the controls you must operate smoothly before the road test.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
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12 sample Motorcycle Controls & Operation 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. How often should the T-CLOCS inspection be carried out?
Correct answer: Before every ride
The check takes only a few minutes and belongs at the start of every ride, covering tires, controls, lights, fluids, chassis and stands.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Check Your Motorcycle
2. Before taking an unfamiliar motorcycle into traffic, what should you be able to do?
Correct answer: Find and work the turn signals, horn, headlight switch, fuel valve and cut-off switch without looking for them
Locate every control by feel first — the signals, the horn, the headlight switch, the fuel valve and the engine cut-off — so you never hunt for one in traffic.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Get Familiar with the Motorcycle Controls
3. How should the mirrors be aimed before you set off?
Correct answer: So you can see the lane behind you and the lane beside you
Adjust each mirror while stopped so it shows the road behind and to the side; seeing a sliver of your arm is normal, but the road is what matters.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Check Your Motorcycle
4. What does crash experience say about riders who are new to the particular motorcycle they are on?
Correct answer: Over half of crashes happen to riders who have been on that particular machine less than five months
Over half of crashes involve riders who have spent fewer than five months on the machine they are riding, which is why a borrowed or new motorcycle deserves extra care.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Borrowing and Lending
5. Which sequence describes a correct upshift?
Correct answer: Close the throttle while squeezing the clutch, lift the lever firmly and release it, then ease the clutch out and set the throttle
Upshifting runs in three moves: roll off and pull in the clutch, lift the shift lever all the way and let it go, then feed the clutch back out while setting the throttle.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Shifting Gears
6. What should your knees and feet be doing while you ride?
Correct answer: Knees pressed to the tank and feet planted on the footrests with the toes up
Holding the tank with your knees steadies you as the motorcycle leans, and keeping your feet firmly on the pegs with toes level stops them catching on the road.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Body Position
7. Which gear should you hold while you are stopped in traffic?
Correct answer: First gear, so you can pull away at once if you need to
Staying in first while stopped means you can move off immediately if something behind you demands it.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Shifting Gears
8. What happens if you start out with the fuel valve closed on a motorcycle that has one?
Correct answer: The engine may run on the fuel left in the lines and then quit
Fuel still sitting in the lines can let the engine start and run briefly, and then the supply is gone and the motor stalls.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Check Your Motorcycle
9. At a minimum, what equipment should a street-legal motorcycle carry?
Correct answer: Headlight, taillight and brake light, brakes front and rear, turn signals, a horn, and two mirrors
The minimum list covers lighting front and rear, a brake light, both wheel brakes, signals, a horn and a pair of mirrors.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle
10. How is the gearshift lever operated?
Correct answer: With the left foot, lifting it for a higher gear and pressing it down for a lower one
The lever sits ahead of the left footrest; a lift selects the next gear up and a press selects the next one down, one gear per movement.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Basic Vehicle Control, Shifting Gears
11. During a pre-ride check of the controls, what should the throttle do when you let go of it?
Correct answer: Snap back closed on its own
A healthy throttle turns smoothly and springs fully shut the moment you release it; anything else needs attention before you ride.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, Check Your Motorcycle
12. How can you tell that a motorcycle is the right size for you?
Correct answer: Your feet reach the ground when you are seated and every control is easy to work
A motorcycle fits when you can put your feet down from the saddle and work every control without straining; smaller machines are usually easier for new riders.
Source: Motorcycle Operator Manual — Know Your Motorcycle, The Right Motorcycle For You
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Every New Mexico question is written from the official New Mexico 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