When may you brake during a swerve around an obstacle?
Alberta Class 6 overview
Alberta Class 6: Riding emergencies
Emergency braking, swerving around and riding over obstacles, a stuck throttle, wobble, tire blowouts, airborne objects and animals.
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- 16 questions
- Topic drill
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Study reference: Rider's Guide (Spring 2023), Ch. 7 Handling Riding Emergencies, pp. 52–55
All 16 questions in this test
Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.
When may you brake during a swerve around an obstacle?
- Only with the rear brake mid-swerve
- While the bike is leaning
- Only with the front brake mid-swerve
- Before you lean or after you straighten
An obstacle appears and you will swerve right around it. How do you start the swerve?
- Turn the bars sharply left
- Brake hard and lean right
- Push on the right hand grip
- Push on the left hand grip
Why is it important not to lock your wheels when braking?
- So the engine doesn't stall in a high gear
- So the brake light stays on
- So the tires don't wear
- So you can still steer and avoid skidding
Insects smear your face shield so you can barely see. What should you do?
- Focus on control, then pull off and clean it
- Lift the shield and keep going
- Ride on until the next town
- Wipe it with your glove while riding
The back of your motorcycle starts swaying side to side. What is the likely cause?
- The front tire has gone flat
- The throttle is stuck
- The rear tire has gone flat
- The chain is too tight
The Rider's Guide describes a front-wheel wobble. What is a wobble?
- The rear wheel spinning on ice
- The bike rocking on its stand
- Vibration from the engine at idle
- The front wheel shaking from side to side
Your rear wheel locks on dry pavement during an emergency stop. What should you do?
- Release the front brake
- Keep the rear brake locked
- Release the rear brake at once
- Pull in the clutch and coast
What is the fastest way to stop in an emergency?
- Downshift quickly without braking
- Front brake only while leaning
- Bike upright, both brakes at maximum threshold
- Rear brake only, as hard as possible, to avoid a flip
Your front tire suddenly goes flat. Which brake should you use to stop once you are off the road?
- Both brakes, firmly
- The rear brake, carefully
- The front brake, carefully
- Neither; let it roll to a stop
You must ride over an object you saw too late. Which is correct?
- Sit forward on the seat with your arms locked straight
- Rise slightly on the pegs with weight back
- Turn the front wheel slightly
- Brake hard as the wheel hits it
Why does the front brake do most of the work in hard braking?
- The engine pulls the rear wheel
- The rear tire is narrower
- Rider and cargo weight shift forward
- The front brake is always larger
Why should you keep your feet on the pegs during emergency braking?
- You need them for the rear brake and gears
- To stop the bike sliding
- Feet down helps you stop faster and stay upright
- To help steer the front wheel
A dog runs toward your motorcycle from the side. What should you do?
- Swerve sharply toward it
- Stop completely and wait for it to lose interest and leave
- Kick at the dog
- Slow and downshift, then speed away as it nears
Your front wheel locks during an emergency stop. What should you do?
- Pump the lever rapidly
- Release both brakes completely and coast until the wheel spins
- Keep it locked until you stop
- Release the lever just enough, then reapply gradually
Your front wheel starts to wobble. What should you do?
- Don't brake; close the throttle gradually
- Accelerate to steady the wheel
- Brake firmly right away
- Grip the bars as tightly as you can
Your throttle sticks open. What are the first things to do?
- Squeeze the clutch and use the engine kill switch
- Brake hard with the front brake before doing anything else
- Turn off the headlight
- Shift into a higher gear
Riding emergencies: 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. 7 Handling Riding Emergencies, pp. 52–55
- Hard braking shifts rider and cargo weight forward → front brake does much more.
- Threshold braking = just before lockup; keeps steering control and prevents skidding; locked wheel may slide sideways.
- ABS needs practice to get used to.
- Check mirrors frequently to avoid being hit from behind when stopping quickly.
- Try to go around the problem first; if braking with front wheel turned, use gradual threshold braking with less pressure than normal.
- Otherwise keep the bike upright and the front wheel straight while threshold braking.
- Front wheel locks: release the lever just enough to unlock, then reapply gradually.
- Rear wheel locks: keep it locked; release only on a loose surface (sand, gravel) to regain control.
- Keep feet on foot pegs (need rear brake and gear changes).
- Fastest stop: bike not leaning, both brakes to maximum threshold.
- Controlled swerve: push right grip to go right, push left grip to go left.
- Don't brake while swerving; brake before you lean and after you straighten.
- Riding over an object: ease off throttle, threshold brake before if possible; grips firm, arms relaxed; front wheel straight; weight back on the seat; stand slightly on the pegs; if slow, accelerate slightly as front wheel reaches it; then resume position. After a hard hit, stop off the road and check tires and rims.
- Regular maintenance prevents many problems.
- Stuck throttle: squeeze clutch and use the engine kill switch; look for a safe place; signal and move off the road; brake gradually; hazards on; don't ride until fixed.
- Wobble = front wheel shaking side to side. Causes: wrong tire pressure, bent wheels, misaligned wheels, accelerating too rapidly, gripping too tightly, loose spokes, poorly mounted windshield, uneven load, too fast for the bike.
- Wobble response: do not brake; close throttle gradually; signal and move off road; when slow enough, brake carefully; hazards; get it checked.
- Detected by change in handling; front affects steering most.
- Front flat: steering heavy/stiff. Hold grips firmly, steer straight, don't brake, ease off throttle, shift weight back, move off the road, use REAR brake carefully, hazards.
- Rear flat: back sways side to side. Hold grips, steer straight, don't brake, slowly ease off throttle, keep position, move off road, use FRONT brake carefully, hazards.
- Move away from danger; wear eye/face protection; windshield helps.
- Smeared or cracked shield: concentrate on control, move off road, stop and fix; never fix while moving.
- Animals unpredictable; more active at dusk and dawn; slow and be ready to steer around or stop.
- Dog chasing: slow and downshift, then accelerate away as it approaches; keep both feet on the pegs.
- Increase following distance when faced with airborne objects.
Other topics
- Road signsSign shapes and colours, regulatory, permissive and prohibitive signs, warning signs, school and playground zones, and construction signs.
- Traffic lights and signalsSolid, flashing and arrow lights, turns on a red light, pedestrian signals, lane reversal signals and flashing yellow beacons.
- Pavement markingsYellow and white lines, passing zones, two-way left-turn lanes, diamonds, painted islands, bicycle lanes, crosswalks and stop lines.
- Class 6 licensing and GDLLearning to ride, supervisors, Class 7 learner riding conditions, the knowledge and road tests, Class 6-GDL conditions, exiting GDL, mopeds and power bicycles.
- Helmets and protective gearApproved helmet standards, helmet types and fit, eye and face protection, jackets, pants, boots, gloves and hearing protection.
- Rider fitness and distractionsHypothermia, overheating and dehydration, alcohol, drugs and medication, fatigue, cell phones and other distractions.
- Controls and pre-ride inspectionChoosing a motorcycle that fits, learning the controls, the pre-trip inspection checklist and seasonal storage.
- Riding position, gears and parkingRiding position, starting, signalling, the clutch and friction zone, shifting gears, starting on a hill and parking.
- Braking, traction and stopping distanceTires and traction, using the front and rear brakes, threshold braking, and perception, reaction and braking distance.
- Turns, curves and skidsTurning at low speed, push-steering (counter-steering) through curves, and avoiding and recovering from skids.
- Lane position, space and being seenBlind spots, the space cushion, following distance, choosing a lane and lane position, and changing lanes.
- Intersections and passingLane position at intersections, a stalled motorcycle, passing emergency vehicles, when not to pass, passing on a two-lane highway and being passed.
- Night, weather and road surfacesRiding at night and in fog, wind and temperature extremes, hydroplaning, gravel, ice, metal gratings and railway tracks.
- Passengers, cargo and three-wheelersCarrying a passenger legally and safely, loading cargo, towing a trailer, three-wheeled motorcycles and sidecars.
- Group ridingGroup size, the staggered formation and following times, the lead rider's position, passing and changing lanes as a group, and single file.
- Sharing the roadPedestrians, cyclists, large trucks, school buses, snowplows, railway crossings and LRT, from Alberta's Driver's Guide.
- Demerits, impaired riding and penaltiesDemerit point limits for GDL and full licence holders, common demerit values, impaired driving limits and Alberta's Immediate Roadside Sanctions.