Yah Jim ! that's it exactly it's more test taking skills than anything anymore !
and what their observations of the real world are on a motorcycle are not what I see at all... in one question I noted that they recommended that you stay locked to the bike in a corner....i.e. lean with the bike keeping in line with the bike.... however they do not keep that idea throughout it at all because in crash avoidance you are supposed to make the bike lean or swerve while you keep your body straight..... so which is it ? it's like you have no idea what is RIGHT after reading the book.... I know the CHP ride by making the bike lean and they keep their body straight this is great for maneuvering and is probably the best way by far.... but when riding down the road your not maneuvering... but when that rabbit runs across the road in front of you at 50 mph you maneuver the bike like the highway patrol do ...but do you do that in a corner? lean the bike and keep your body straight ? NO you lean with the bike.... but they do not make any effort to tell you why or how to do that... it's like ride it you'll figure it out.
and the biggest cause of motorcycle crashes is going wide in a curve why ? because they are locked into the stiff un moving position of leaning with the bike... when all they have to do is lean the bike more...it's an easy cure but it is not being taught anywhere and the test says how to do it wrong.
you will not go off the high side of a turn if you ride like the CHP....
you may well drag parts of the bike when the bike is leaned so far but that is another story....and then there is the racing method of leading the lean in with your body this is also not part of the study information with the DMV
they never even mention it... but it has it's place. the way the DMV wants you to ride is Locked to the bike at all times.... unless you swerve to miss an object then you can just make the bike lean but ONLY then !
I suppose it's not a WRONG concept by any means but it misses alot of other riding ideas that may be better for certain riders
....for most of my life I have ridden on the street in the fashions of being locked to the bike and make the bike and me lean at the same rate....
however when you ride on the dirt you do NOT do that....you make the bike lean and keep your self in balance at all times. but sense they do not take riding on dirt roads into consideration in the test they kind'a miss that part of it....
anyway.... Yes it is test taking and study skills that come into play on the DMV test now.... more than anything else ..it's not the laws only like it used to be...if you knew the laws you would pass the test, not so anymore they want the right answer for a certain question in a certain way..... and they mix them all up and confuse the issue as much as they can
for instance they asked the question what is the 3 second rule for motorcycles..... well it happens to be their Recommendation that you increase the following distance at night to 3 seconds when following a car..... that is not a law, you can't be cited for it but they have it in the test and that can keep you from getting the license's ! ....that question should not even be on the test... along with about 50% of them.
oh well, the state does what the state wants the people do not get a say anymore....
...
Bob........