Illinois DMV Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2025

If you are not used to convex mirrors, you will think vehicles are farther away than they really are. Get familiar with your convex mirrors before you ride anywhere by practicing in a parking lot until you become a good judge of how objects appear in the mirrors.

Oil reduces the friction in your engine and makes it run smoothly. Without oil, the engine will overheat and freeze / lock up. Check your oil level regularly and add oil if necessary. However, don't add oil when the engine is warm as you may be severely damaged by the heat of the engine.

You should be very careful about buying a second-hand helmet from someone you don't know. The reason being that the helmet may have been involved in an accident and be damaged - while still looking OK. A damaged helmet will severely affect your chances of survival in a crash.

Be extra patient when riding behind an inexperienced drivers. Learning to drive is a process of practice and experience - allow them more room and keep a safe following distance.

Riders with less than six months experience account for almost half of all collisions - so be extremely careful during your first couple of months. With experience, you'll know how to handle situations far better and understand your limitations.

Other drivers may do something reckless or illegal. Therefore, you should always be ready to stop even if you have the right-of-way.

Always adapt your speed to conditions, and never ride faster than the speed limit. Even if other vehicles are traveling over the speed limit, that isn’t an excuse for you to make the unsafe choice of riding over the speed limit.

A catalytic converter is a device that helps reduce the toxic and polluting exhaust emissions from the engine. If your motorcycle is equipped with a catalytic converter, keep in mind that leaded or lead-replacement petrol can damage the system.

If you are group riding in a staggered formation, pass one at a time. Each rider has to decide when it is safe to pass and when the space cushion in front of the passed vehicle is large enough. Do not pass many at a time as it will greatly increase the risk of an accident when passing, and will require far more time to make a complete pass.

There are many good reasons for not staying to the left of your lane - in fact, riders are recommended to stay in the center of the lane when being passed. By staying in the center, you will have plenty of room to both sides for maneuvers if you need to avoid a pothole or swerve. You will also be less susceptible to mistakes from the passing vehicle, and you will be able to better control the wind blast from a passing vehicle or truck.

Try to keep the groups small to make it easier to stick together and safer for other drivers to get around the group. An added bonus is that you won't be as easily separated by trafic or red lights. Groups smaller than 5 riders are ideal.

To cross track and road seams that run parallel to your course, you can try to first move away from the track/road seams and then make a quick, sharp turn to cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees. Make sure this maneuver is safe before executing it. If you just edge across the track or road seams your tires can catch.

Due to trucks being much longer than passenger vehicles, they also take much longer to pass. It will also be harder to “fall back” in case you meet oncoming traffic.

Make sure you have more than enough distance to pass safely before passing.

No matter how you adjust your mirrors, you can’t see every angle around your vehicle or motorcycle. This is why you must know when and how to check your blind spots so that you can detect potential hazards not visible in your mirrors.

Riding within the friction zone can give you additional control through turns, such as when making a U-turn.

About 3/4 of all braking pressure comes from the front brakes. Remember to use both the front and rear brakes to come to a stop the quickest.

When facing a flashing red traffic light, you must come to a complete stop and yield according to the right-of-way rules. Only proceed if safe.

Drive chains must be frequently adjusted and maintained to ensure they are in good condition and with the correct tension. The drive chain must be regularly oiled to reduce wear (a dry chain will experience much quicker wear). The tension should also be checked regularly as slack can lead to the chain jumping off the socket and locking the rear wheel.

Motorcycle clothes are there to protect the rider in case of an accident, regardless of the weather conditions. Do not exchange your clothes for summer clothes as you'll lose all protection - it simpy isn't worth the risk.

Motorcycles are not designed to carry lots of cargo, but they can carry small loads that are properly positioned and fastened. If you place the load too high, you will raise the center of gravity and shift the balance of the motorcycle. This will make it much harder to control - so keep all loads low.