Home » How to Apply for a Motorcycle License » Motorcycle Permit Test Questions & Answers » When riding on an uneven road surface, you should:
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When riding on an uneven road surface, you should:

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Use this motorcycle practice test question to prepare for the real written exam at the DMV or during your motorcycle safety course

When riding on an uneven road surface, you should:

  1. Go into the opposite lane of traffic, if necessary. 
  2. Speed up to get over the obstacle quickly. 
  3. Slow down before you get to the obstacle.
  4. Ride on the shoulder of the road, if necessary. 

Find the answer to this question and an explanation below. 

Answer

This topic may show up on your motorcycle permit test. 

The answer is: C. Slow down before you get to the obstacle.

How’d you do? Learn more about this motorcycle topic below. 

Explanation: Uneven Road Surfaces on a Motorcycle

In order to pass your motorcycle permit exams and to become a safe rider, it’s important to know why a particular answer on the motorcycle written test is correct. 

Uneven, irregular, and damaged road surfaces can pose more problems for motorcyclists than a car. 

Examples include bumps, broken pavements, cracks in the road, potholes, dips, etc. 

Hitting these types of surfaces at a high speed or improper angle can cause you to lose control and crash. 

As part of your scanning routine, you should be looking for obstacles and hazards in the road surface. 


When you spot one, you should slow down to a safe speed before you get to it. 

Additionally, if you cannot avoid the obstacle, you should try to approach it as close to perpendicular to it as possible. 

When riding over an obstacle on the road:

  • Slow down before you reach it. 
  • Keep your bike straight. 
  • Lift off the seat slightly. 
  • Just before contact, roll on the throttle to lighten the front end, and then close the throttle. 

If you do have to ride over an obstacle, it is smart to pull over and inspect your motorcycle for damage before you continue. 

Be sure not to put yourself in a more dangerous situation when trying to avoid riding over something. Sometimes, that will be your safest option. 

You can find more information about this topic in the motorcycle rider’s handbook.

Check out more motorcycle permit test questions and answers here.

Find in-depth articles for new riders in our section dedicated to learning how to ride a motorcycle.

Plus, check out an overview of the requirements to get a motorcycle endorsement in each state.

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Content Editor: Ethan Orenstein

Ethan is not just any motorcycle enthusiast. With a decade of experience riding, maintaining, and restoring a range of motorcycles, Ethan brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Many of the tips and tricks shared on this site are born from hours spent wrenching on personal bikes. Paired with his experience as a journalist covering DMV & insurance topics, MotorcycleZombies.com is a must-visit site for any home-mechanic. Every article has been carefully reviewed and edited to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and simplicity - all to help bring your bike back from the dead and onto the road.

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