Motorcycle handling — Rhode Island Permit Test

A motorcycle's small convex mirrors make your car look farther back than it really is.

A rider who thinks you are far back may move into your lane when you are right beside them.

Mirrors are smaller on a motorcycle and usually convex. This gives the cyclist a smaller image of you and makes you appear farther back than you actually are.

A motorcycle maneuvers well only at slower speeds and on good roads, so a rider may not be able to get safely out of your way.

Drivers who cut close expecting a bike to dodge them are counting on a move the rider cannot always make.

Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, but only at slower speeds and with good road conditions.

A passenger makes a motorcycle harder to balance, increases its stopping distance and reduces its maneuverability; predict more risk when you see two riders.

A bike with two people on it needs more room to stop, and a driver who follows close leaves none.

Carrying a passenger complicates a motorcyclist’s task. Balance is more difficult, stopping distance is increased, and maneuverability is reduced.

Older motorcycles do not have self-canceling turn signals, so use caution when passing them.

A blinker left on from a turn long ago can fool you into thinking the rider is about to turn.

Older model motorcycles do not have self-cancelling turn signals so use caution when attempting to pass them.

How does a motorcycle's convex mirror make your car look to the rider?

Farther back than it is. A rider who thinks you are far back may move into your lane when you are right beside them. Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.48: “Mirrors are smaller on a motorcycle and usually convex. This gives the cyclist a smaller image of you and makes you appear farther back than you actually are.”