M1 Study Module, Licensing, Gear, and Your Motorcycle
Ontario M1 motorcycle knowledge test. This study material teaches the facts of Ontario's motorcycle licensing system, protective gear, and basic vehicle care in ExamCAN's own words. It is based on the Official MTO Motorcycle Handbook. Verify against the current handbook before relying on it.
ExamCAN is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Transportation.
A Class M licence is required to operate any motorcycle, motor tricycle, limited-speed motorcycle, or moped in Ontario. New riders earn it in stages so that experience is built up under lower-risk conditions before restrictions are removed. There are three levels: M1, then M2, then the full Class M licence.
Getting your M1
To enter Level One you must:
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Pass a vision test.
- Pass a knowledge test covering the rules of the road and traffic signs.
Once you pass, you hold an M1 licence and are considered a beginner rider.
M1 restrictions
The M1 licence is meant for supervised practice and is the most restricted level. While at M1 you must follow every one of these rules:
- Zero alcohol. Your blood-alcohol level must be zero whenever you ride.
- Daylight only. You may ride only from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Night riding is not permitted at M1.
- No high-speed roads. You may not ride on roads with a speed limit over 80 km/h, except for a short list of specified provincial highways.
- No freeways. M1 riders are not allowed on freeways at all.
- No passengers. You must not carry a passenger while at M1.
Memory hook, the "M1 five": zero alcohol, daylight only, no fast roads no freeways, no passengers. If a test question describes an M1 rider doing any of those last four things, the answer is almost always "not allowed."
How long M1 lasts
An M1 licence is valid for only 90 days. You must stay at the M1 level for a minimum of 60 days before you may take the Level One road test. If you do not pass that road test within the 90-day window, the M1 licence expires and you must reapply.
Moving up: M2 and full Class M
Passing the Level One road test moves you to M2. At M2 most M1 restrictions are lifted (for example, you may carry a passenger), but you must still keep a zero blood-alcohol level.
M2 normally lasts a minimum of 22 months. Completing a ministry-approved motorcycle safety course can reduce that period by four months, and may also make you eligible for insurance savings. After M2 you take the Level Two road test to earn a full, unrestricted Class M licence.
Two road tests in total stand between an M1 rider and a full licence: the Level One test and the Level Two test.
Recall: How long is an M1 licence valid, and what is the minimum time you must hold it before the first road test? Name the five M1 restrictions.