What should you do before starting a motorcycle engine?
- A Check that the neutral lamp shows when the ignition is switched on
- B Select first gear and apply the rear brake lightly
- C Select first gear and apply the front brake firmly
- D Check that your dipped headlights and tail light are on
Why this is the answer
Before starting the engine, make sure the motorcycle is in neutral. Do this by checking that the neutral warning light is lit when you switch on the ignition. If no neutral light is fitted, push the motorcycle forward to check that the rear wheel turns freely.
Why the other answers don't fit
- B
- Select first gear and apply the rear brake lightly — You can start in first with the clutch in, but the neutral light is the check that it is safe.
- C
- Select first gear and apply the front brake firmly — The front brake holds the machine still; it does not tell you whether a gear is engaged.
- D
- Check that your dipped headlights and tail light are on — Lights matter before you ride off, but the engine has to start before any of them work.
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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