Get the free app
✅ 100% free 📖 MSF-sourced 🚫 No signup

Tennessee Motorcycle Permit Practice Test

Free, full Tennessee motorcycle permit test practice right here in your browser — real exam format (30 questions, 80% to pass), diagnostic and adaptive modes, spaced-repetition review, and a readiness dashboard. No signup, no paywall — your progress is saved automatically on this device.

30
Real exam questions
80%
Passing score
495+
Motorcycle questions

Sample Tennessee motorcycle permit test questions

  1. When entering an intersection on a green light, you should:

    • A. Accelerate quickly to clear it
    • B. Look both ways even though you have a green light
    • C. Close your eyes and proceed
    • D. Only look straight ahead
    Show answer

    B. Look both ways even though you have a green light — A green light doesn't guarantee safety. Always scan left-right-left for red-light runners and turning vehicles.

  2. Rain reduces a motorcycle's braking distance because:

    • A. Brakes become more effective in rain
    • B. Tires grip better when wet
    • C. It reduces traction on the road surface, requiring more distance to stop
    • D. Engine braking is reduced in rain
    Show answer

    C. It reduces traction on the road surface, requiring more distance to stop — Rain reduces traction between tire and road, increasing stopping distance. Traction can drop by 30–50% on wet pavement. Increase following distance significantly and brake gently and progressively.

  3. In Tennessee, must a motorcycle passenger wear a helmet?

    • A. No, only the operator must
    • B. Only passengers under 18
    • C. Only on highways
    • D. Yes — all passengers must wear a DOT-approved helmet
    Show answer

    D. Yes — all passengers must wear a DOT-approved helmet — Under Tennessee's universal helmet law, passengers as well as operators must wear a DOT-approved helmet at all times.

  4. Motorcycle riding scenario 13: Before carrying a passenger, what should you adjust?

    • A. Suspension, tire pressure, mirrors, and riding technique
    • B. Speed up to reduce time in the hazard
    • C. Use only the front brake and look down
    • D. Copy the vehicle ahead without checking conditions
    Show answer

    A. Suspension, tire pressure, mirrors, and riding technique — Suspension, tire pressure, mirrors, and riding technique. The motorcycle operator manual stresses smooth control inputs, visibility, and planning ahead. This response gives the rider time and space to manage the hazard safely.

  5. When approaching a turn, you should:

    • A. Accelerate through the turn
    • B. Brake in the turn
    • C. Coast through the turn
    • D. Slow before the turn, look through it, and roll on throttle
    Show answer

    D. Slow before the turn, look through it, and roll on throttle — Slow down before entering the turn, look where you want to go, and gradually accelerate through the turn.

  6. Motorcycle riding scenario 37: How should you cross railroad tracks that meet the road at an angle?

    • A. Cross as close to a 90-degree angle as practical
    • B. Speed up to reduce time in the hazard
    • C. Use only the front brake and look down
    • D. Copy the vehicle ahead without checking conditions
    Show answer

    A. Cross as close to a 90-degree angle as practical — Cross as close to a 90-degree angle as practical. The motorcycle operator manual stresses smooth control inputs, visibility, and planning ahead. This response gives the rider time and space to manage the hazard safely.

  7. Hydroplaning on a motorcycle is most likely when you are:

    • A. Riding slowly on dry pavement
    • B. Riding at higher speed on worn tires through standing water
    • C. Stopped at a light in the rain
    • D. Riding uphill in light drizzle
    Show answer

    B. Riding at higher speed on worn tires through standing water — Speed and worn tread let water build under the tires and lift them off the road, so slow down and avoid standing water.

  8. You should change your lane position when:

    • A. Never — pick one and stay
    • B. Conditions change — traffic, road surface, visibility, or to be seen
    • C. Only when passing
    • D. Only on highways
    Show answer

    B. Conditions change — traffic, road surface, visibility, or to be seen — Adjust your lane position as conditions change. There is no single best position — adapt to traffic, road hazards, and visibility.

  9. Motorcycle riding scenario 19: In a group ride, what formation usually gives riders space and visibility?

    • A. Use only the front brake and look down
    • B. Speed up to reduce time in the hazard
    • C. A staggered formation on straight roads
    • D. Copy the vehicle ahead without checking conditions
    Show answer

    C. A staggered formation on straight roads — A staggered formation on straight roads. The motorcycle operator manual stresses smooth control inputs, visibility, and planning ahead. This response gives the rider time and space to manage the hazard safely.

  10. If you enter a turn too fast, you should:

    • A. Brake hard
    • B. Stand up on the pegs
    • C. Lean more and trust the motorcycle
    • D. Close your eyes
    Show answer

    C. Lean more and trust the motorcycle — If you enter too fast, lean more. Motorcycles can lean farther than most riders realize. Avoid braking hard in a curve.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Tennessee motorcycle permit test?

The Tennessee motorcycle permit test has 30 questions, and you need 80% to pass — at least 24 correct answers. The practice tests on this page use the same format.

What score do I need to pass the Tennessee motorcycle permit test?

80%. You can miss at most 6 of the 30 questions. The readiness dashboard on this page tracks whether you're consistently scoring above that bar.

Is this Tennessee motorcycle permit test practice really free?

Yes. Every practice test on this page and everything in the DMVPrep iPhone app is free — no ads, no paywall, no account.

Where do these motorcycle permit test questions come from?

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) curriculum and state motorcycle manuals — the same sources the real exams are drawn from. Every question in the DMVPrep app cites its source.

Can I study for the Tennessee motorcycle permit test in Spanish?

Yes — the DMVPrep app includes all 3,745+ questions in Spanish, and the whole app works in Spanish.

Prefer the iPhone app? Get offline mode, iCloud sync across devices, and an on-device AI coach that explains every mistake. Download DMVPrep

Other Tennessee practice tests

Tennessee DMV permit practice test Tennessee CDL practice test Road signs guide

More Motorcycle practice tests by state

TexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming All 50 states