Helpful Hints for Passing Your Motorcycle License Test
It doesn’t matter how confident of a rider you are, or even how long you’ve been riding models like dirt bikes around the farm; everybody feels at least a little anxious leading up to their motorcycle license test. There’s no guaranteed cheat code to get you through it; every rider simply needs to put in the work of studying, practicing, and hoping.
The good news is, having survived the test ourselves, we’ve got a few tips to share.
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Take a Course
The best way to hedge your bets is to take an accredited rider training course. The experts teaching courses in your region will not only give you the solid basics for motorcycle control, lane positioning, and understanding how to be a safe and defensive rider, but they’ll also have potential insights into what examiners are looking for that could be specific to your state.
Some courses include the testing as part of the program, which can be really handy especially if you’re renting a motorcycle as part of the training course. You may even find some schools that will give a discount (or not charge) the second time around if you don’t pass the first time you attempt the course.
Book Soon
If your training course doesn’t offer the rider exam as part of the process, book your rider test as soon as you can. If the test is only a few weeks (or even days) after completing the course, all that you’ve learned will still be fresh in your mind, and you won’t have time to pick up as many bad or lazy habits when you practice riding. Plus, if you put off your test to a date too far in the future, you’ll have more time to come up with excuses not to book it. Just get it done—you’ll be happy you did.
Parking Lot Practice Makes Perfect
Most new riders (and many experienced riders) find slow speed, parking lot maneuvers to be the hardest and most intimidating part of riding. It’s at this walking pace that our bikes are at their least stable, but practicing slow speed maneuvers can build a rider’s confidence by leaps and bounds. The same exercises you’ve likely done a bunch of times during your training course are the ones that will help you feel comfortable and confident riding for your test. Starting from a stop, smoothly pulling away in first gear, accelerating and shifting to second, then slowing to a swift, but controlled stop can all help. Do this a bunch of times, then try some very slow, tight turns, and figure-eights. If you can spend an hour or two each day before your exam doing this, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll increase your skills and confidence.
If your state allows on-road riding with a learner’s permit, make sure you spend some time riding around in traffic, too. If you ride around the area where the riding exam is going to take place, you’ll learn the streets and feel more comfortable there than if you’re trying to navigate it for the first time, giving you one less thing to stress about during the test.
Check Your Ride
It’s just as important to get your bike ready for the big day as it is to get yourself ready. Most examiners will ask you to demonstrate key safety features on your bike before the test sets off. Your bike should have mirrors, signal lights, a headlight, tail lights, a horn, and both front and rear brakes that all work. It’s worth noting that these are some of the components behind the most common reasons motorcycles fail inspections. And although not all bikes have them, if yours has a button for hazard lights, make sure you know where that is too. Beyond that, some examiners may also reject your bike if it has been modified (with an aftermarket exhaust, for example).
Wear the Gear
It’s important to show up ready to ride, which means both mentally and physically. Be rested, and certainly don’t have any alcohol, drugs, or sedative medication in your system. Make sure you’re not hungry, and have a bathroom break before test time. Desperately needing to go during the test is a heck of a distraction!
Most testers will also expect you to have all the necessary riding gear as required by your state, which includes suitable boots, long pants, a jacket, gloves, and helmet—plus corrective lenses if you need them. Forget this stuff (or your ID) and you’ll be re-booking your test for a later date.
Talk it Through
When it finally becomes show time, take a deep breath and set off. Different jurisdictions will test in different ways. Some will give a set of instructions and ask you to demonstrate within sight of where the tester is standing. Others will provide a headset so you can hear route instructions while the examiner follows in a chase car. In either case, pretend the examiner is on the bike with you and you’re explaining everything you see and do while you go. It’ll seem silly to do, but by verbalizing your visuals and actions, it’ll help keep you focused on the task, and should help keep you calm.
Move your whole head, not just your eyes so the examiner can see that you’re being appropriately vigilant and that you’re aware of your surroundings.
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You’ve Done It!
Before you know it, the test will be over, and hopefully you will have joined the ranks of licensed riders. But remember, plenty of folks don’t pass on their first attempt, and that’s okay. There’s no shame. Everyone has a bad day once in a while. Re-book your next test, follow these motorcycle license tips for beginner riders, get out there, and practice some more. Life on two wheels is worth the effort.
Jeff Wilson