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BC Class 6 / 8 Motorcycle overview

BC Class 6 / 8 Motorcycle: Controls, riding posture and pre-trip check

Handlebar and foot controls, the instrument panel, mirrors, ignition and fuel valve positions, stands, riding posture, the pre-trip check, tire care and periodic inspection.

  • 16 questions
  • Topic drill
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Controls, riding posture and pre-trip check · Question 1Score 0/0

Why should you never ride off while the motorcycle is still on its stand?

Study reference: Learn to Ride Smart (ICBC, March 2026 edition), Ch. 3 Knowing your motorcycle — Controls, riding posture, pre-trip check, periodic inspection, tire tips, pp. 23–34

All 16 questions in this test

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

  1. Why should you never ride off while the motorcycle is still on its stand?

    1. It locks the rear brake on the bike
    2. It drains the battery very quickly
    3. The stand can dig in when you turn
    4. It voids the motorcycle's warranty

  2. How should your wrists be when gripping the handgrips?

    1. Bent sharply upward
    2. Raised well above the grips
    3. Flat or slightly dropped
    4. Resting on the tank

  3. What is the engine cut-off switch for?

    1. Switching between high and low beam
    2. Stopping the engine at once in an emergency
    3. Locking the steering for parking
    4. Turning on the hazard lights

  4. What does a red oil pressure light warn you about?

    1. Low oil pressure
    2. An overheated tire
    3. A low oil level in the tank
    4. A full oil filter

  5. What does squeezing the clutch lever do?

    1. Disconnects the engine from the transmission
    2. Applies the rear brake on most bikes
    3. Shifts the motorcycle into a higher gear
    4. Turns on the brake light and signals

  6. How do you work the gearshift lever?

    1. With your right foot, without the clutch
    2. With your left hand, on the handlebar
    3. With your left foot, together with the clutch
    4. With your right foot, after the brake

  7. How should you check tire pressure?

    1. With a gauge while the tires are cool
    2. By looking at the tire bulge
    3. With a gauge right after a long, hot ride
    4. By kicking the tire

  8. On a motorcycle with linked brakes, what happens when you use either brake control?

    1. The engine is cut off right away
    2. The anti-lock braking system switches itself off
    3. Only the front brake is applied
    4. Both front and rear brakes are applied

  9. How often should you do a pre-trip check?

    1. Only after rain
    2. Only before long trips
    3. Every time before you ride
    4. Once a month

  10. Why ride carefully on a brand-new tire?

    1. It needs to cool after fitting
    2. It has no tread pattern yet
    3. It is overinflated when it leaves the factory
    4. Its shiny finish gives less grip at first

  11. What should the throttle do when you let go of it?

    1. Stay where you left it
    2. Snap back to idle
    3. Lock at the last speed
    4. Rotate fully open

  12. Your motorcycle starts, then stalls soon after. What may you have forgotten?

    1. To release the steering lock fully
    2. To lift the kick-starter
    3. To turn the fuel supply valve on
    4. To set the choke to off

  13. Why must you remember to cancel your turn signal?

    1. Signals stop working above 50 km/h
    2. Signals drain the battery in seconds
    3. The law limits signals to five flashes
    4. Most motorcycle signals don't cancel themselves

  14. Most motorcycle mirrors are convex. What does that mean for you?

    1. Vehicles look closer and larger than they really are
    2. You see only one lane behind you
    3. Vehicles look farther away than they are
    4. There are no blind spots

  15. When does the guide suggest turning off your engine to save fuel?

    1. When stopped more than 60 seconds
    2. Whenever you coast down a long hill
    3. Only when parked overnight outdoors
    4. At every red light, however short

  16. During a pre-trip check you find the horn doesn't work. What should you do?

    1. Ride if the brake light works
    2. Ride only in daylight
    3. Don't ride until it is fixed
    4. Ride but use hand signals instead

Controls, riding posture and pre-trip check: 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 ↗

Getting to know your motorcycle

  • You need to work every control without taking your eyes off the road; check your owner's manual because every motorcycle differs.

Left handlebar controls

  • Clutch lever (left hand): squeezing it disconnects the engine from the transmission; releasing it reconnects them.
  • You use the clutch to change gears, to select neutral and in some slow-speed manoeuvres.
  • On most motor scooters, the left lever works the rear brake instead of a clutch.
  • Turn signal switch: worked with the thumb; most motorcycle signals do not cancel on their own, so you must cancel them.
  • High/low beam switch: worked with the left thumb; most motorcycles turn the headlight on automatically when the engine runs.
  • Horn button: worked with the thumb; an important way to warn others.
  • Choke or enrichener: helps start a cold engine; turn it on to start and gradually off as the engine warms.

Right handlebar controls

  • Engine cut-off switch: stops the engine at once in an emergency; it must be on before you can start the engine.
  • Electric starter: use it after turning on the ignition, with the transmission in neutral.
  • Front brake lever: squeezed with the right-hand fingers; it brakes the front wheel.
  • The rear brake is usually a foot pedal.
  • Linked brakes: using either brake control applies both front and rear brakes.

Throttle and instrument panel

  • The right grip is the throttle: roll it toward you to speed up, away from you to slow the engine.
  • The throttle should snap back to idle when you let go.
  • Speedometer shows speed; odometer shows total distance; tripmeter shows distance since reset.
  • Tachometer shows engine speed in revolutions per minute.
  • Neutral light is usually green; high beam indicator is usually blue.
  • Alternator warning light shows whether the battery is charging.
  • A red oil pressure light warns of low oil pressure; it does not show the oil level, which you check with the dipstick or sight window.

Mirrors and ignition

  • Most motorcycle mirrors are convex: they show a wider area but make things look smaller and farther away than they are.
  • Adjust each mirror so you see the lane behind and as much of the other lanes as possible, with the edge of your arm showing.
  • Ignition positions: Park (tail light on, engine off, key removable, not on every motorcycle), On, Acc (power for accessories with the engine off), Off, and Lock (steering locked to help prevent theft).

Fuel supply valve and ABS

  • A fuel supply valve controls fuel flow to the carburetor; fuel-injected motorcycles do not have one.
  • Valve positions: On, Reserve (when reserve runs out the tank is empty) and Off; vacuum-valve motorcycles have Prime instead of Off.
  • If you forget to turn the valve on, the motorcycle may start but will soon stall.
  • ABS gives more control on varied surfaces but does not always shorten your stopping distance.
  • If the ABS light stays on after start-up, have the system checked.

Foot controls and stands

  • Rear brake pedal: usually in front of the right footpeg, pressed with the right foot.
  • In normal riding you use the front and rear brakes together.
  • Integrated brakes: pressing the rear brake firmly also applies the front brake.
  • Gearshift lever: in front of the left footpeg, worked with the left foot, always together with the clutch.
  • Most motorcycles have five or six gears plus neutral.
  • Kick-starter (if fitted): behind the right footpeg; fold it out to use and back afterward.
  • Stands: side stand, centre stand, or both; a centre stand lifts the rear wheel for maintenance.
  • Park the stand on firm ground so it does not sink.
  • A side-stand switch may stop the engine if you select a gear with the side stand down.
  • Never ride off a stand; push the motorcycle off it first and make sure it is fully up, or it can dig in when you turn.
  • Adjust the rear brake pedal and gearshift lever to fit you.

Riding posture

  • Sit far enough forward that your arms are slightly bent and your back is straight.
  • Grip the handgrips firmly with your wrists flat or slightly dropped so you do not roll the throttle on by accident.
  • Keep your knees close to the gas tank for balance in turns.
  • Keep your feet on the footpegs while moving, angled out slightly with heels just behind the pegs, ready for the brake or shifter.

Pre-trip check

  • Check the motorcycle every time before you ride, even in a hurry.
  • Tires: correct pressure checked cold, at least weekly if you ride regularly; even tread; no cuts, bulges or embedded objects.
  • Wheels: spokes not loose or broken; cast (mag) wheels and rims free of cracks or damage.
  • Drive system: chain tension and lubrication, belt tension and wear, or shaft oil leaks.
  • Electrical: tail light, both headlight beams, brake light from both controls, both turn signals, horn and engine cut-off switch.
  • Do not ride if the horn is not working.
  • Fluids: oil, coolant (liquid-cooled engines), fuel, and no leaks under the motorcycle.
  • Clutch cable moves smoothly; throttle snaps back; mirrors clean, adjusted and tight; both brakes firm.
  • Pre-trip planning: route, time, weather forecast, light conditions, road conditions and the return trip.
  • Periodic inspection: weekly if you ride often (brakes, steering, wheels, cables, levers, drive system, fasteners, fluids, battery, suspension, bodywork).

Tire tips

  • You cannot judge tire pressure by looking; use a gauge while the tires are cool and adjust for the load you carry.
  • Replace tires with bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or exposed material, and when the wear bar shows or sooner.
  • Use tires that meet your motorcycle's specifications; front and rear must be compatible and installed in the right direction.
  • A new tire has a shiny finish that reduces grip; ride cautiously for up to about 200 km while it wears off.
  • Sudden starts and stops shorten tire life.

Riding and the environment

  • Motorcycles use about half the fuel of comparable cars and about a quarter of the road space.
  • Motorcycles face looser emission standards than cars; older ones can produce up to 15 times more emissions per kilometre than an average new car.
  • Smooth, safe riding can cut fuel use by up to 30 per cent.
  • Turn the engine off if you will be stopped for more than 60 seconds; check tire pressure at least monthly because under-inflation raises fuel use.

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