Group Riding

Staggered formation, single file, spacing and how a group passes other vehicles safely.

51 practice questions with answers. These rules are the same in every state.

Group Riding quiz

Answer at your own pace. After each question you see the correct answer and why, and at the end a review of what you missed.

Quick quiz: 10 random questions on group riding; pass with 8 correct.

Group Riding questions with answers

Which formation lets a group of riders stay close together while every rider keeps an adequate space cushion?
1. A staggered formation
2. Two riders side by side in each row
3. A single tight line with almost no gaps
4. A wide V spread across two lanes
Show answer

Answer A: A staggered formation

A staggered formation keeps the group compact enough for traffic while still leaving each rider room to the front, the rear and both sides.

Source: wisconsindot.gov
In a staggered group, where does the leader normally ride?
1. In the right portion of the lane
2. In the left portion of the lane
3. In the oily center strip of the lane
4. On the shoulder, clear of the group
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Answer B: In the left portion of the lane

The leader takes the left portion of the lane, which gives a wide view of the road ahead and sets up the staggered pattern for everyone behind.
In a staggered formation, where does the second rider belong?
1. Directly beside the leader
2. In the left portion of the lane, directly behind the leader
3. In the right portion of the lane, about one second behind the leader
4. In the right portion of the lane, about six seconds behind the leader
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Answer C: In the right portion of the lane, about one second behind the leader

The second rider uses the opposite side of the lane roughly one second behind the leader, which staggers the group without stretching it out or putting the two riders alongside each other.

Source: dmv.ny.gov
How much space should you hold behind the rider who is directly ahead of you in your own portion of the lane?
1. About half a second
2. About one second
3. About one and a half seconds
4. At least two seconds
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Answer D: At least two seconds

Riders sharing the same track keep a following distance of at least two seconds so they have the time and the room to react to a hazard.

Source: dmv.ny.gov
Why should two riders never travel side by side in the same lane?
1. Because the engines overheat when the airflow is blocked
2. Because neither rider has room to swerve if a hazard appears
3. Because the mirrors of both motorcycles become useless
4. Because it hides the brake lights of the riders behind
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Answer B: Because neither rider has room to swerve if a hazard appears

Riding directly alongside another motorcycle removes the escape path each rider needs to avoid a hazard, a pothole or another vehicle.
When should a staggered group change to single file?
1. Only when it rains
2. Only on wide, straight highways
3. In curves, in turns, and when entering or leaving a highway
4. Never, because the formation must stay the same for the whole ride
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Answer C: In curves, in turns, and when entering or leaving a highway

Curves, turns and highway entrances and exits require the full width of the lane, so the group rides single file at those points.

Source: wisconsindot.gov
How should riders in a staggered formation pass another vehicle?
1. In pairs, so that the group stays together
2. All at once, to clear the passing lane quickly
3. Only the leader is allowed to pass
4. One rider at a time
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Answer D: One rider at a time

Passing one rider at a time keeps each pass short and prevents the group from occupying the other lane longer than necessary.
After the leader of a staggered group completes a pass, what should the leader do?
1. Move to the left position and hold passing speed to open room for the next rider
2. Slow down at once so that the rest of the group can close up the gap behind
3. Pull onto the shoulder of the road and wait there until the whole group has passed
4. Move back to the right position and brake firmly so the group can catch up
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Answer A: Move to the left position and hold passing speed to open room for the next rider

Returning to the left position and keeping speed opens the gap the next rider needs to finish the pass and settle back into formation.
Where should the least experienced riders be placed in a group?
1. At the very back, behind the sweep rider
2. Alternating with the most experienced riders
3. Just behind the leader
4. In a separate lane of their own
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Answer C: Just behind the leader

Placing newer riders just behind the leader keeps the pace manageable for them and lets the more experienced riders behind keep an eye on them.
What should be done with a group that has grown too large to manage?
1. Ride two abreast so the line takes up less road
2. Ask the slowest riders to leave the group
3. Increase speed so the whole group clears intersections together
4. Split it into smaller groups, each with its own leader and sweep rider
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Answer D: Split it into smaller groups, each with its own leader and sweep rider

Smaller sub groups stay together more easily and are easier for other drivers to pass, and each one needs its own leader and sweep rider.
Who should set the pace of a group ride?
1. The last rider in the group, so that nobody is forced to hurry to keep up
2. The fastest rider in the group, since nobody in the line should ever be held back
3. The rider on the largest motorcycle, since that machine sets the natural pace
4. Whichever rider happens to be carrying a passenger on that particular day
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Answer A: The last rider in the group, so that nobody is forced to hurry to keep up

The tail ender sets the pace: every rider watches the mirrors for the rider behind, and if someone falls back the whole group slows a little to stay together.
A traffic signal separates you from the rest of your group. What should you do?
1. Ride through the red signal so the group stays together
2. Continue at a safe and legal pace and rejoin the group farther along
3. Exceed the speed limit until you catch up
4. Ride along the shoulder to get past the stopped traffic
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Answer B: Continue at a safe and legal pace and rejoin the group farther along

Staying with a group never justifies breaking a traffic law, so a separated rider proceeds normally and the group regroups at a planned point.
Why should the leader of a group signal turns and lane changes early?
1. Because a signal is only legal if it is given early
2. To warn the group that the pace is about to increase
3. Because motorcycle turn signals often fail to cancel
4. So the message has time to reach the riders at the back of the group
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Answer D: So the message has time to reach the riders at the back of the group

An early signal gives the whole formation, including the riders far back in the line, time to see the change and prepare for it.
What should a group agree on before the ride begins?
1. The route, the fuel and rest stops, and the hand signals to be used
2. Only who is going to pay for fuel
3. Nothing, because the leader makes every decision on the road
4. The top speed each motorcycle in the group can reach
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Answer A: The route, the fuel and rest stops, and the hand signals to be used

Settling the route, the stops and the signals before departure keeps the group together and avoids sudden, confusing decisions once it is moving.
What is the role of the sweep rider in a group?
1. To ride out ahead of the group and warn the other riders about hazards on the road
2. To ride last, watch the group, and notice when a rider drops back or has trouble
3. To lead the group through unfamiliar roads and decide the route it will take
4. To ride alongside the leader and act as a second navigator for the group
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Answer B: To ride last, watch the group, and notice when a rider drops back or has trouble

The sweep rider takes the last position so that any rider who slows, stops or has a problem is noticed instead of being left behind.
Study tip. Rule out the options you know are wrong first. Two plausible answers are easier to choose between than four.
How does riding in a formation change your responsibility for your own space cushion?
1. The leader becomes responsible for the space cushion of every single rider in the formation
2. The sweep rider becomes responsible for the space cushion of every rider
3. It does not change it, because each rider still manages their own space and decisions
4. Space cushions become unnecessary once the group has formed up in formation
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Answer C: It does not change it, because each rider still manages their own space and decisions

A formation organizes the group, but every rider remains responsible for their own following distance, escape paths and riding decisions.
A group in formation needs to change lanes. What is the safest way to do it?
1. The leader starts the change early enough for the whole group to complete it
2. Every rider moves over at exactly the same instant
3. The sweep rider moves over first and blocks the lane for the others
4. Riders move over one by one only after the group has passed the exit
Show answer

Answer A: The leader starts the change early enough for the whole group to complete it

Beginning the change early gives the entire formation the road and the time it needs to move over together instead of scattering across two lanes.
Why is the staggered formation abandoned in a curve?
1. Because a motorcycle cannot be leaned over safely while it is held in a staggered formation
2. Because the leader loses the use of both mirrors all the way through a curve
3. Because a curve is the one place on the road where riders are expected to pair up
4. Because each rider needs the full width of the lane to choose a line through the curve
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Answer D: Because each rider needs the full width of the lane to choose a line through the curve

In a curve every rider must be free to use the whole lane to set up an entry and an exit line, which is impossible while holding a fixed side position.
Why do groups agree on a set of hand signals before setting off?
1. Because state law requires hand signals whenever more than two riders travel together
2. Because engine noise and helmets make speech useless between moving machines
3. Because hand signals take the place of the turn signals fitted to each machine
4. Because a group in formation is exempt from using its brake lights in traffic
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Answer B: Because engine noise and helmets make speech useless between moving machines

Riders cannot talk to each other while moving, so agreed signals for hazards, stops, fuel and single file keep the whole group informed.
How much space should the leader of a group keep behind the vehicle ahead of the group?
1. Less than usual, so that no car can slip into the gap in front of the group
2. One second, since the riders behind will match whatever gap the leader picks
3. Just enough to read the license plate of the vehicle in front of the group
4. At least the normal following distance a rider would keep when riding alone
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Answer D: At least the normal following distance a rider would keep when riding alone

Riding in a group does not shorten the space a motorcycle needs to stop, so the leader keeps the same cushion any rider would keep alone.
A large group has been divided into smaller groups. What should be done between them?
1. Leave a gap big enough for other vehicles to move in and pass safely
2. Keep them nose to tail so that the whole party behaves as a single unit
3. Send the sub groups along different routes and meet again at the destination
4. Have the sub groups swap riders every few miles to keep the pace matched
Show answer

Answer A: Leave a gap big enough for other vehicles to move in and pass safely

A gap between sub groups lets other traffic pass or merge without cutting into a formation, which keeps drivers from making sudden moves around the riders.
You have dropped some distance behind the rest of your group. What should you do?
1. Ride faster than the group until the gap has been closed completely
2. Use the shoulder to move up past the riders between you and your place
3. Keep your own safe pace, because the group should slow to bring you back
4. Signal the riders ahead to pull over so that the group can regroup at once
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Answer C: Keep your own safe pace, because the group should slow to bring you back

Chasing the group means riding beyond a comfortable pace, so the responsibility sits with the leader to slow down until the formation is whole again.
How should a group merge onto a busy highway from an entrance ramp?
1. Side by side in pairs, so that the group takes up less room on the ramp
2. All at once as a solid block, so no car can break the formation apart
3. Slowly, letting highway traffic move over to make room for the group
4. One rider at a time into gaps in traffic, re-forming once all are on
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Answer D: One rider at a time into gaps in traffic, re-forming once all are on

Each rider needs a gap and enough speed of their own, so the group merges individually and only takes up the staggered formation again afterward.
Why should the leader of a group check the mirrors regularly?
1. To confirm that the riders behind are staying in a single file line
2. To see whether the group is still together and adjust the pace if not
3. To watch for police vehicles that may be following the group at a distance
4. To judge how far the last rider in the group has been left behind in miles
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Answer B: To see whether the group is still together and adjust the pace if not

The leader is the only rider who can see the whole formation, and slowing slightly is the usual way to gather a group that has strung out.
Where should a rider in the middle of a group direct their attention?
1. Well ahead through the group and around it, not just at the rider in front
2. On the rear tire of the motorcycle immediately ahead in the formation
3. Mostly on the mirrors, in order to hold the exact spacing of the formation
4. On the leader alone, since the leader is picking the line for everyone
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Answer A: Well ahead through the group and around it, not just at the rider in front

Watching only the machine ahead hides the traffic and hazards further up the road, and it leaves the rider reacting late to everything the group meets.
A motorcycle in your group develops a mechanical problem on a busy highway. What is the best response?
1. Have that rider stop on the shoulder while the rest of the group rides on
2. Have the whole group stop in the traffic lane to shield the disabled machine
3. Signal the group off at the next exit or wide, safe pull off area
4. Push the disabled motorcycle along the shoulder to the next town with the group
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Answer C: Signal the group off at the next exit or wide, safe pull off area

A narrow shoulder beside fast traffic is a dangerous place to gather, so the group moves on to a spot where every machine is well clear of the roadway.
A group has just stopped at a stop sign. How should the formation be restored?
1. Riders should form up in pairs at the line so the group leaves as one block
2. Riders should pull away one at a time and take up the stagger once moving
3. Riders should stay in single file for the remainder of the entire ride
4. Riders should cross the intersection two abreast to keep the group compact
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Answer B: Riders should pull away one at a time and take up the stagger once moving

Motorcycles need room to pull away and get up to speed, so the staggered formation is taken up again only after the riders are rolling.
How should a group decide how often to stop for fuel?
1. By the range of the machine with the smallest fuel tank
2. By the range of the largest touring machine, which sets the longest legs
3. By the average range of all of the motorcycles taking part in the ride
4. By whichever gas station the leader happens to notice along the route
Show answer

Answer A: By the range of the machine with the smallest fuel tank

Planning around the smallest tank keeps the group from splitting up when one rider has to leave the route to look for fuel.
Your group reaches a work zone where the lane has been narrowed by cones and the surface is uneven. What should the formation do?
1. Stay in the stagger and close up so the group clears the zone quickly
2. Move to single file and give each rider the whole width of the lane
3. Ride two abreast so the group takes up less road length in the cones
4. Spread across both remaining lanes so drivers cannot squeeze in
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Answer B: Move to single file and give each rider the whole width of the lane

A narrowed or broken surface leaves no spare room inside the lane, so riders need the full lane width each and must drop into single file.
The leader of a group wants to pull the whole group out from a side road into busy traffic. What should the leader do?
1. Pull out as soon as there is a gap for the leader's own machine
2. Wait for a gap long enough for every rider in the group to enter
3. Move out slowly so approaching drivers are forced to let the group in
4. Send the sweep rider out first to hold the traffic for the others
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Answer B: Wait for a gap long enough for every rider in the group to enter

A leader who takes a gap that only fits one machine leaves the rest of the group either stranded or tempted to pull out in front of traffic.
A traffic light ahead of the group turns yellow as the leader approaches it. What should the leader do?
1. Speed up so that the whole group can clear the intersection together
2. Stop in the intersection and wave the rest of the group through
3. Stop normally and let the group be split by the signal
4. Signal the riders behind to move alongside and cross two abreast
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Answer C: Stop normally and let the group be split by the signal

Keeping the group together never outranks obeying the signal, and the riders left behind simply catch up at the next stop.
Who is best suited to ride as the sweep at the back of a group?
1. The rider with the least experience, so the others can watch them
2. An experienced rider who can handle a problem at the back
3. Whoever happens to arrive last at the meeting point that day
4. The rider whose motorcycle carries the largest fuel tank
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Answer B: An experienced rider who can handle a problem at the back

The sweep has to notice a rider dropping back or stopping and deal with it away from the rest of the group, which takes judgment and experience.
A rider in the middle of the group pulls over onto the shoulder. What should the sweep rider do?
1. Ride on and report the stop to the leader at the next scheduled halt
2. Stop alongside on the traffic side to shield the stopped rider
3. Stop and stay with that rider while the rest of the group continues
4. Sound the horn repeatedly until the whole group notices and stops
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Answer C: Stop and stay with that rider while the rest of the group continues

The sweep exists so that no rider is ever left alone at the roadside, while the remainder of the group carries on to a safe place to wait.
What is a manageable size for a single group of motorcycles?
1. No more than four or five riders
2. Around fifteen riders, so the line is easy for drivers to see
3. Any number, provided every rider knows the route beforehand
4. At least ten riders, because a longer line is harder to cut into
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Answer A: No more than four or five riders

Four or five machines can hold a formation, stay in sight of one another and clear an intersection together, while larger groups quickly become unmanageable.
The leader gives a hand signal that you can see clearly from your place in the group. What should you do with it?
1. Repeat the signal so the riders behind you also receive it
2. Act on it yourself and leave the leader to signal the others
3. Wait for the sweep rider to confirm it before acting on it
4. Ignore it unless the leader looks back and points at you directly
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Answer A: Repeat the signal so the riders behind you also receive it

Signals are passed down the line rider by rider, because riders further back cannot see the leader through the machines in between.
You spot a deep pothole that the riders behind you will not be able to see until it is too late. What is the usual way to warn them?
1. Brake hard so the brake light warns everyone behind you
2. Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on
3. Move to the far edge of the lane and stay there for the rest of the ride
4. Switch the turn signals on and off repeatedly as you pass over it
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Answer B: Point at it with a hand or a foot on the side it lies on

Pointing at the hazard on the correct side tells the riders behind both that something is there and where in the lane it is.
The rider ahead of you has just passed a slow vehicle on a two lane road. What does that tell you about your own pass?
1. It is safe, because the rider ahead judged the same stretch of road
2. It is safe if you begin immediately, while the gap is still open
3. Nothing, because you must judge the oncoming traffic yourself
4. It is safe as long as you can complete the pass at the same speed
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Answer C: Nothing, because you must judge the oncoming traffic yourself

Every pass uses up part of the gap, so the space that was ample for the rider ahead may be far too short by the time it is your turn.
Your group arrives at a stop sign at a busy crossroad. How should each rider treat it?
1. Follow the rider ahead through the junction to keep the group intact
2. Cross in pairs so the group needs only half as many gaps in traffic
3. Stop and pull out only when there is an adequate gap of your own
4. Wait for the leader to signal from the far side before pulling out
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Answer C: Stop and pull out only when there is an adequate gap of your own

Following the machine ahead through a junction without looking is a common cause of group crashes, because the gap the leader used has already closed.
Your group is turning left across oncoming traffic. What should you do?
1. Turn as a block so the group is exposed for the shortest time
2. Turn with the rider ahead of you, using the same gap they used
3. Move into the intersection and wait there beside the rider ahead
4. Wait until you personally have a large enough gap to turn
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Answer D: Wait until you personally have a large enough gap to turn

Each rider needs a gap of their own, and turning on the strength of the rider ahead means turning into traffic you have not actually judged.
The rider who was behind you has vanished from your mirrors. What should you do?
1. Carry on and mention it when the group next stops for fuel
2. Turn around immediately and ride back along the route to look
3. Ease off and pass the word forward so the group can respond
4. Stop in your lane straight away so the missing rider can catch up
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Answer C: Ease off and pass the word forward so the group can respond

A rider missing from the line may have stopped or had trouble, and the group needs to know at once so it can slow down or pull over safely.
Where should a rider with a disabled motorcycle try to stop?
1. In the right hand traffic lane, with the hazard lights switched on
2. On the painted line at the edge of the traffic lane, facing traffic
3. As close to the traffic lane as possible so the group can find them
4. Well clear of the traffic lanes, off the shoulder where there is room
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Answer D: Well clear of the traffic lanes, off the shoulder where there is room

Getting completely away from moving traffic protects the stopped rider and anyone helping, and a shoulder alone is not a safe place to work on a machine.
The group has become separated and the leader wants to wait for the missing riders. Where should the leader pull in?
1. On the shoulder just past the point where the group was split
2. In the last few feet of an exit ramp, where the riders will pass
3. In a parking area or other space that is clear of moving traffic
4. In the right hand lane, riding slowly until the others appear
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Answer C: In a parking area or other space that is clear of moving traffic

Waiting somewhere off the roadway keeps the parked machines and their riders out of traffic and gives the arriving riders room to pull in safely.
How should a group plan its rest stops on a long day?
1. Around the rider who tires first, with breaks before anyone is worn out
2. Only when the leader personally begins to feel tired on the ride
3. At the same time as the fuel stops and at no other point during the whole day
4. As rarely as possible, so the group can cover the route before dark
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Answer A: Around the rider who tires first, with breaks before anyone is worn out

Fatigue destroys judgment long before a rider admits to it, so the break schedule follows the least rested rider rather than the strongest one.
A rider signals that they need to stop, although nobody else in the group wants a break. What should happen?
1. The group stops, because a rider who needs a break should get one
2. The rider drops out and catches the group up at the next scheduled halt
3. The leader raises the pace so the next planned stop arrives sooner
4. The sweep rider stops with them while the others ride on for an hour
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Answer A: The group stops, because a rider who needs a break should get one

A rider who is tired, cold or uncomfortable is a hazard to the whole group, and stopping costs far less than the mistake that follows.
Why is an inexperienced rider a poor choice to lead a group?
1. A new rider is not permitted by law to ride at the head of a group
2. The leader has to carry the maps and the tools for the whole group
3. The leader picks the pace, the gaps and the hazards for everyone behind
4. Riders at the front are always the first to run out of fuel on a route
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Answer C: The leader picks the pace, the gaps and the hazards for everyone behind

Every decision the leader makes is imposed on the riders behind, so leading demands more traffic judgment than any other position in the group.
Study tip. When two answers both seem legal, pick the one that is safer for everyone on the road. That is how most tests are written.
The rider behind you is closing right up on your machine and crowding you. What is the best response?
1. Ride faster so the gap between the two machines opens up again
2. Tap the brake lightly several times to push them back into place
3. Stay in the formation and rely on them to sort out their own spacing
4. Let them go past and take a position behind them instead
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Answer D: Let them go past and take a position behind them instead

Speeding up to escape a rider who is following too closely usually brings them with you, while letting them past removes the pressure entirely.
What should riders expect from highway traffic when a group is merging?
1. Drivers will normally open a long gap once they see several machines
2. Traffic in the right lane must legally yield to a group entering together
3. Drivers will not hold a gap open for the group, so riders take real gaps
4. Traffic will slow down as soon as the leader signals for the whole line
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Answer C: Drivers will not hold a gap open for the group, so riders take real gaps

Other drivers do not treat a line of motorcycles as one vehicle, so each rider has to find a genuine gap rather than count on being let in.
You are riding through a curve behind another rider in your group. Which line should you take?
1. The line your own machine and your own speed require
2. Exactly the line the rider ahead of you has just used
3. The line that keeps you level with the rider in the other track
4. A line as close to the center line as the curve will allow
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Answer A: The line your own machine and your own speed require

Riders enter a curve at different speeds and on different machines, and copying somebody else's line can put you wide or into the wrong part of the lane.
At night you are judging your distance from the rider ahead by their tail light. What is the risk?
1. A single small light gives a poor sense of how far away it really is
2. A tail light looks brighter than it is, so riders always hang back too far
3. Tail lights are switched off automatically when a motorcycle slows down
4. The tail light of a motorcycle is only visible from directly behind it
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Answer A: A single small light gives a poor sense of how far away it really is

Distance is very hard to judge from one small light in the dark, so riders should leave extra space rather than trust the impression the light gives.
What tells you that you are following the rider ahead of you too closely in a group?
1. Their exhaust noise is loud enough to drown out your own engine
2. You can read the model name written on the back of their machine
3. You have stopped being able to see the road surface ahead of them
4. You can no longer see the leader of the group from where you are
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Answer C: You have stopped being able to see the road surface ahead of them

If the machine ahead blocks your view of the pavement it is about to cross, you will not see a hazard until you are already on it.
How do the traffic laws apply to riders traveling in a group?
1. A group may exceed the limit briefly in order to stay together
2. Only the leader is held responsible for the way the group is ridden
3. A group is treated as one long vehicle for the purposes of the law
4. Every rider is responsible for obeying the law on their own machine
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Answer D: Every rider is responsible for obeying the law on their own machine

Riding in company changes nothing legally, and each rider answers individually for speed, signals and every other rule of the road.