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Alberta Class 6 overview

Alberta Class 6: Riding position, gears and parking

Riding position, starting, signalling, the clutch and friction zone, shifting gears, starting on a hill and parking.

  • 18 questions
  • Topic drill
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Riding position, gears and parking · Question 1Score 0/0

Which control does your right foot operate?

Study reference: Rider's Guide (Spring 2023), Ch. 4 The Basics of Safe Operating and Riding — Riding position to Parking, pp. 27–31

All 18 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. Which control does your right foot operate?

    1. The rear brake
    2. The gear shift lever
    3. The clutch
    4. The front brake

  2. Starting on an uphill slope, what can happen if you release the clutch too quickly?

    1. The engine may stall or the front wheel may lift
    2. The headlight will turn off
    3. The rear brake will lock
    4. The motorcycle will pop out of gear and into neutral

  3. Where parallel parking is required for cars, how may you park your motorcycle?

    1. On the sidewalk beside the curb, out of the traffic lane
    2. At an angle of about 45 to 60 degrees to the curb
    3. At a right angle across the lane
    4. Parallel, the same as cars

  4. What can happen if you downshift while going too fast for the lower gear?

    1. The front brake will lock
    2. The headlight will dim
    3. The engine will shut off
    4. The rear wheel may skid

  5. How many gears may you shift at a time when upshifting?

    1. One
    2. As many as you like
    3. Three
    4. Two

  6. You need to slow and shift down for a curve. When should you do it?

    1. Before entering the curve
    2. As you exit the curve
    3. At the middle of the curve
    4. Only if you start to skid

  7. How should your mirrors be adjusted?

    1. To show only your own shoulders
    2. To show the sky above the traffic behind you
    3. To point down at the road surface
    4. To show the lane behind and your arm's edge

  8. How should your arms be positioned when holding the hand grips?

    1. Locked straight
    2. Resting on the fuel tank
    3. Slightly bent and relaxed
    4. Bent at a sharp angle

  9. Why should your right wrist start slightly bent down, no higher than flat?

    1. So your arm does not get tired
    2. So the clutch is easy to pull
    3. So you can reach the horn
    4. So you do not apply too much throttle

  10. Which way is it best to face when parking on a hill?

    1. Downhill, with the front wheel against the curb
    2. Uphill, with the rear wheel against the curb
    3. Across the slope
    4. Downhill, in neutral

  11. On a manual motorcycle, which control does your left hand operate?

    1. The throttle
    2. The clutch lever
    3. The rear brake
    4. The front brake lever

  12. What helps you keep balance while riding?

    1. Sitting on the back of the seat
    2. Pressing your knees lightly against the motorcycle
    3. Holding the grips very tightly with both arms locked
    4. Looking down at the front wheel

  13. Before pulling away from the curb, which check comes after looking in your mirrors?

    1. A check of the rear tire
    2. A glance at the speedometer and the gear indicator
    3. A shoulder check in the direction you will move
    4. A check of the fuel gauge

  14. What is the friction zone?

    1. Where the clutch starts to engage as you release it
    2. The area between the brake pads
    3. The part of the tire touching the road
    4. The engine speed range where the motor starts to overheat

  15. Your turn signal does not cancel by itself after a turn. What should you do?

    1. Use the horn instead
    2. Leave it on as a warning
    3. Turn it off yourself
    4. Leave it on until it stops

  16. Where should your feet be while the motorcycle is moving?

    1. Resting on the brake pedal
    2. Firmly on the foot pegs
    3. Dragging lightly on the ground
    4. On the gear selector

  17. When angle parking at a curb, how close should the rear wheel be?

    1. Touching the centre line
    2. Within 1 metre of the curb
    3. At least 2 metres from the curb
    4. Within 50 cm of the curb

  18. After parking on the side kickstand, what should you do with the front wheel?

    1. Leave it free to turn
    2. Turn it fully left and lock it
    3. Turn it fully right
    4. Point it straight ahead

Riding position, gears and parking: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Rider's Guide (Spring 2023), Ch. 4 The Basics of Safe Operating and Riding, pp. 27–31

  • Arms slightly bent and relaxed; steer without stretching.
  • Right wrist slightly bent down, no higher than flat — prevents too much throttle, gives access to front brake.
  • Left hand similar; light but firm grip, reach clutch, signal, headlight switch, horn.
  • Feet firmly on foot pegs whenever moving; don't point feet down; don't drag feet or rest them on the gear selector or brake pedal.
  • Knees lightly against the tank for balance; eyes well ahead, not down.
  • New riders practise starting, stopping, turning, lane changing, braking at slow speed in a traffic-free area.
  • Too much throttle → loss of control; too little → stall.
  • Release anti-theft steering lock; straddle; upright the bike and retract sidestand; feet on the ground.
  • Mirrors: show lane behind and adjacent lanes; edge of arm/shoulder visible; objects may be closer than they appear; never rely entirely on mirrors.
  • Neutral; fuel ON; engine cut-off to RUN; choke or wait for fuel-injection light OFF; press starter; warm up; close choke; lights on.
  • Before moving: path clear, check mirrors, shoulder check, signal (arm signal optional), choose a lane position where others can see you.
  • Don't signal too early or too late; cancel signals that don't self-cancel; hand signals may be used in addition to signal lights.
  • Left foot: gear shift lever. Left hand: clutch lever. Right hand: throttle and front brake. Right foot: rear brake.
  • Squeezing clutch disengages engine power from the rear wheel; squeeze just before stopping to avoid stalling.
  • Friction zone: point where the clutch starts to engage as you release the lever.
  • Start in first; shift up as speed increases; correct gear avoids lugging (rough, bumpy) or racing (revving without moving effectively).
  • Downshifting while too fast for the gear may make the rear wheel skid.
  • Upshift: foot under lever, roll off throttle while squeezing clutch, lift lever — one gear at a time — release clutch gradually with a little throttle.
  • Downshift: foot on top of lever, roll off throttle and squeeze clutch, push down firmly; can drop several gears with clutch in.
  • Shift down through each gear when slowing/stopping so you know you are in first.
  • Slow and change gears before a curve or corner, not in it; enter at a speed you can hold without braking.
  • Front brake holds the bike while shifting into first; then rear brake with right foot; release front brake, open throttle slightly; release clutch to friction point; release rear brake while adding throttle.
  • Releasing the clutch too fast can stall the engine or lift the front wheel.
  • Motorcycles may angle park where others must parallel park: about 45–60 degrees to the curb; rear wheel within 50 cm (20 in) of the curb.
  • Use side kickstand; front wheel turned fully left and locked; remove key.
  • Hill: best facing uphill, rear wheel touching the curb.
  • Avoid facing downhill; if you must, about 45 degrees to the curb, in first gear, steering locked left.

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