There is no reason not to perform a safety check of your bike everytime you ride. To make this process quick and easy for you, here’s a 90 Second Pre-Ride Safety Guide you can perform anywhere, at any time. It is important to note that the following checklist is only meant to help riders detect and check key components of the bike, and is not a guaranteed “fool proof” safety inspection.
Essential Pre-Ride Checklist For Your Motorcycle:
- Tyres and wheels
- Controls
- Lights and Electrical
- Oil and Fluids
- Chassis and suspension
- Kickstand
When approaching the bike, head straight to inspect the Wheels and Tyres. Using a portable air pressure gauge, record your tyre pressure and refer to your bike's manual to see if the tyres are sitting at the correct PSI. For more information about the importance of tyre pressure...
Survey the tread depth of the tyres, inspecting and assessing if they are appropriate to ride on, or need replacing. If they are chunking or bulging, best to throw some new shoes in that direction. As far as wheels go, simply observe to see if your alloy wheels are damaged or show signs of fraying. It's unlikely, yet it's a good habit to run your eyes over them, for more peace of mind.
While you're checking out your tyres, it provides a great opportunity to check the Oil and Fluid levels. If you see no fluids on the ground, such as engine oil, gas, brake fluid or coolant, best assume they are still within the bike.
Jump up from the ground, saddle your bike and test out all your Controls. Make sure your throttle snaps back, clutch feels correctly adjusted, brakes feel strong and shifter smoothly shifts between gears.
Whilst on the bike, test out the Lights and Electronics. Flick your indicators on, flash you high beams and check all lights on the bike are functioning. Without correct lighting on your bike, riding on the road, especially while riding during the night, becomes incredibly hazardous. Being as visible as possible is the best way to keep you on two wheels.
Scan your chassis for any signs of frame damage or corrosion. Key areas here are the welding points on the frame. A hairline crack, rust, paint distortion are things you best to keep an eye out for.
The final step would be to make sure your kickstand (Jiffy Stand) is in working order. Make sure it snaps back when kicked up and stays locked in place. Have a good play around with your foot and ensure it won’t be moving out of place whilst you’re riding.
This whole process shouldn’t take you more than 90 seconds to complete. Although you may not find yourself checking over the bike every time you ride, especially if you’re a daily rider, it's important to get into the habit of inspecting your bike. It may save your life one day.
Visit SY's Harley Davidson® 16 BLAXLAND ROAD, CAMPBELLTOWN, NSW 2560. Call (02) 8662 0040 today!
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