On a rural highway with no speed sign posted, what limit applies?
BC Class 6 / 8 Motorcycle overview
BC Class 6 / 8 Motorcycle: Speed, gears, braking and steering
Choosing a safe speed, default speed limits, using the gears and both brakes, inertia, traction and gravity, low-speed steering, countersteering and handling curves.
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Study reference: Learn to Ride Smart (ICBC, March 2026 edition), Ch. 6 See-think-do — Do: speed control, physics for riders, steering, handling curves, pp. 76–80
All 15 questions in this test
Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.
On a rural highway with no speed sign posted, what limit applies?
- 80 km/h
- 90 km/h
- 100 km/h
- 70 km/h
When is the best time to brake?
- While shifting into a higher gear
- Just after you start a swerve
- While leaning in the middle of a curve
- When upright, moving straight and looking ahead
At speeds up to about 10 km/h, how do you steer?
- Push on the opposite handgrip
- Shift your weight to the back
- Turn the bars the way you want to go
- Lean the motorcycle well over
Above about 10 km/h, you want to go left. What do you do?
- Turn the bars sharply right
- Push gently on the right handgrip
- Push gently on the left handgrip
- Lean your body right
Is it legal to coast downhill in neutral or with the clutch squeezed?
- No; you must stay in gear
- Only on gravel roads
- Yes, to save fuel
- Yes, below 50 km/h
Why isn't riding far below the speed of traffic always safest?
- It makes your brakes overheat
- Drivers behind may try to pass unsafely
- It is illegal on all B.C. roads
- It wears out the clutch and gearbox very quickly
Why should you slow down before entering a curve?
- So the engine can rev higher
- To keep traction in reserve with a moderate lean
- Because braking in the middle of a curve is more effective
- So you can use the rear brake only
A sign warns of construction ahead, but the road looks clear. What should you do?
- Keep your speed until you see workers
- Move onto the shoulder right away
- Slow down and be ready for hazards
- Speed up to get through it quickly
Why do you need more distance to stop going downhill?
- Gravity pulls the motorcycle forward
- The engine speeds up on its own
- Brakes only work on flat roads
- Tires grip less on slopes
Unless signs say otherwise, what is the speed limit in B.C. cities and towns?
- 70 km/h
- 50 km/h
- 40 km/h
- 60 km/h
What is progressive braking?
- Braking hard at first, then releasing fully
- Using only the rear brake first
- Increasing brake pressure gradually
- Pumping the front brake quickly
At medium or high speed in a curve, how should rider and motorcycle lean?
- Together, at the same angle
- Rider leaning opposite the bike
- Rider upright, bike leaned
- Rider leaned, bike upright
How do you cover your rear brake?
- Place your toe over the brake pedal
- Move your foot off the peg
- Press the pedal lightly the whole time
- Rest your heel on the pedal
About how much of your stopping power comes from the front brake?
- About 30 per cent
- About 70 per cent
- About 90 per cent
- About 50 per cent
Which road surface gives the least traction?
- Ice
- Gravel
- Wet pavement
- Snow
Speed, gears, braking and steering: 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 ↗
Speed control, pp. 76–77
- Good speed control means a steady speed suited to conditions; the slowest speed is not always safest, because riding far below traffic speed can provoke unsafe passing.
- The posted limit is the maximum for ideal conditions; slow down for slippery roads, poor visibility or warning signs.
- Unless signs say otherwise: 50 km/h in cities and towns, 80 km/h outside them.
- Most motorcycles have five or six gears; shift with the left foot and the clutch in the left hand; start in first and shift up as speed rises, down as you slow.
- Coasting downhill in neutral or with the clutch squeezed is illegal; stay in gear for control.
- Lower gears give more power for hills and passing; aim to keep the engine in its power band.
- The front brake is the most powerful, giving about 70% of stopping power.
- Brake smoothly with gradually increasing pressure (progressive braking) so the wheels don't lock.
- Brake best when upright, going straight and looking ahead; avoid braking in a curve, and if you must, brake gently.
- Cover the brakes when a hazard is unclear: toe over the rear pedal, fingers over the front lever.
- Tapping the rear brake lightly flashes the brake light to warn following traffic.
- Construction warning sign but the road looks clear: still slow down and be ready.
Physics for riders, pp. 77–78
- Inertia keeps you moving straight; it resists braking and tries to carry you straight through a curve, more so at higher speed.
- Traction is tire grip; slippery or sandy surfaces and worn or badly inflated tires reduce it; abrupt accelerating, braking or turning can exceed it.
- Grip from highest to lowest: dry pavement, wet pavement, gravel, snow, ice.
- Gravity slows you uphill and speeds you up downhill; you need a longer distance to stop going downhill.
Steering and curves, pp. 78–80
- Up to about 10 km/h the motorcycle is unsteady; steer by turning the handlebars the way you want to go.
- Counterbalancing in slow turns: lean the motorcycle only if needed and keep your body upright.
- Above about 10 km/h the motorcycle must lean to turn; you make it lean by countersteering.
- Countersteering: push the left handgrip to lean and go left, push the right to lean and go right; push the opposite grip to straighten up.
- At medium and high speed, rider and motorcycle lean together at the same angle.
- The faster you take a curve, the harder you push, the more you lean and the more traction you use.
- With little traction left, leaning more, braking abruptly, or hitting a wet or rough patch can make you skid and fall.
- Slow to a safe speed before the curve so you lean moderately and keep traction in reserve.
- In a hazard, panicked riders sometimes steer into it instead of countersteering away; practise until it is automatic.
Study the Speed, gears, braking and steering rules as flashcards →
Other topics
- Regulatory, school and lane signsStop, yield and speed signs, do-not-enter and one-way signs, school, playground and crosswalk signs, lane use and turn control signs, parking signs and reserved lane signs.
- Warning, construction and railway signsYellow diamond warning signs, object markers, orange construction signs, information and destination signs, and the signs that warn of a railway crossing.
- Traffic lights, lane signals and road markingsSteady, flashing and arrow traffic lights, the transit priority signal, lane control signals, and yellow, white, reserved lane and other pavement markings.
- Choosing a motorcycle and riding gearPicking a motorcycle that fits you, the types of motorcycles, approved helmets, eye and face protection, riding clothing, high-visibility gear, gloves and boots.
- Controls, riding posture and pre-trip checkHandlebar and foot controls, the instrument panel, mirrors, ignition and fuel valve positions, stands, riding posture, the pre-trip check, tire care and periodic inspection.
- Intersections and right-of-wayWhen to signal, uncontrolled and controlled intersections, where to stop, stale and fresh green lights, left turns, two-way and four-way stops, yield signs, traffic circles and roundabouts.
- Lanes, turns, passing and parkingChoosing a lane, lane tracking for right and left turns, turning lanes, U-turns, HOV, bus and bicycle lanes, passing and merging, freeway entrances and exits, and parking rules.
- Observation and hazard perceptionThe see-think-do strategy, scanning 12 seconds ahead, mirrors, blind spots and shoulder checks, observing at intersections, the four kinds of hazards, and assessing risk.
- Space margins, lane position and communicationFollowing distance and stopping distance, tailgaters, side space, the three lane positions, lane splitting, choosing a safe gap, and communicating with signals, brake light, horn and eye contact.
- Pedestrians, cyclists, trucks and busesYielding to pedestrians, school and playground zones, people with disabilities, cyclists and bicycle hand signals, large vehicles and their blind spots and turbulence, school buses and transit buses.
- Emergency vehicles, work zones, trains and horsesPulling over for emergency vehicles, slowing past stopped vehicles with flashing lights, construction zone rules, railway crossings and trains, and passing horses safely.
- Riding with other motorcyclesGroup size, staggered formation, where to put less experienced riders, passing as a group, intersections, group signals and passing another motorcyclist.
- Fitness, distraction and impairmentVision and hearing, illness and medication, fatigue, staying focused, B.C.'s electronic device law, dangerous emotions, alcohol and drugs, risk taking, peer pressure and aggression on the road.
- Carrying a passengerWhen you may carry a passenger, how a passenger changes handling, adjusting the motorcycle, keeping a passenger safe, and how to be a safe passenger.
- Night, weather, road surfaces and cargoFog, rain, glare and night riding, headlight rules, gravel, uneven pavement, railway tracks, slippery surfaces, ice, hydroplaning, crowned and banked roads, crosswinds and carrying cargo.
- Emergency braking, swerving and breakdownsThreshold braking, ABS, avoiding skids, swerving and accelerating to avoid a crash, flat tires, engine and headlight failure, wobbles, animals, riding over obstacles and what to do at a crash scene.
- Learner licence, tests and penaltiesClass 6L and 8L learner restrictions, supervisors, the motorcycle skills test, novice restrictions, GLP penalties, licence restrictions from the road test motorcycle, fines, points and impoundment.