In normal riding conditions, when should you brake?
- A When the motorcycle is exceeding the speed limit
- B When the motorcycle is being turned or ridden through a bend
- C When the motorcycle is travelling below 20 mph
- D When the motorcycle is upright and moving in a straight line
Why this is the answer
A motorcycle is most stable when it’s upright and moving in a straight line. This is the best time to brake. With independent front and rear brakes, both brakes should be used, with the front brake being applied just before the rear brake.
Why the other answers don't fit
- A
- When the motorcycle is exceeding the speed limit — You slow for the limit, but the question is where braking is safe, not when it is required.
- B
- When the motorcycle is being turned or ridden through a bend — Braking mid-bend is the one place to avoid, because the tyres are already using grip to lean.
- C
- When the motorcycle is travelling below 20 mph — Speed does not decide it. The machine being upright and straight is what makes braking safe.
Where this comes from
- Riding: the essential skills — section 6
Rule numbers link to The Highway Code on gov.uk.
Where this question comes from
The question, its options and the explanation are reproduced word for word from the DVSA revision question bank under licence. The licence requires them to appear unaltered, so we cannot reword them and neither can anyone else — that is why you will meet the same wording on other sites. Everything else on this page is written by Theory Hub: the explanation of why each wrong answer is wrong, the topic guide and the revision notes.
Asked in: Motorcycle
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