Pre-Ride Checklist

[James Deuce]

HAnds up how many of you check your bike over before every ride? Or even when you clean your bike (or not like some ex-MV Agusta owners are wont to do).

Yes, bikes are very reliable and generally built to a high standard, but the stakes of one flat tyre, or one control not working as it should are much higher for us than something with a wheel at each corner to hold it up, and a barrier betwixt user and fellow idio... err road users.

So here's a short two minute checklist.

F.A.C.T.

Fuel - Make sure you've got some gas in there. It's a bugger to run out in the middle of nowhere. Pop the cap and look, check the gauge or trip meter when you turn the bike on, and if your bike has a fuel petcock, make sure it is in the "ON" position. Bit of a bugger to go for reserve and find it's already on reserve.

Attitude - Make sure the mental attitude you take out the door with you is relevant for piloting a vehicle that falls over by itself, has no passenger protection, and one that large truck and trailer units can run over without really noticing. Be aware that random events and chance also have a greater impact for a motorcyclist. A lot of the energy carried by a meteor is going to be soaked up by punching through the skin of a car, just prior to it's butterfly like transformation from meteor to meteorite. Practically no energy will be soaked up and the meteor uses your body as a temporary chrysalis on the way to meteorite-hood when out there enjoying your motorcycling experience.

Controls - Check that everything works and activates all the things it should. It will take less time to flick through high-beam, horn, indicators, brake switches, than it does to read this horribly cumbersome sentence. Make sure that cables and hydraulic hoses are attached and functioning.

Tyres - Make sure that they aren't utterly flat, have adequate tread, and no gross deformities or obvious cuts, nails, or screws. Try to remember to check your tyre pressures once a week, irrespective of how much you do or don't ride. One heat cycle may bleed 3 or 4 PSI, enough to affect steering and braking, ride quality, and the ability to hold a line in a corner.

6000 posts. Thank you for providing the facsimile of a life KB and SpankMe.

[SimJen]

I have got into the habit of checking tyres etc before every run.
Don't want to be stranded or killed by a stupid avoidable mistake.......

[Hitcher]

Congratulations on the 6,000th. Enjoy the view from up here...

[Big Dave]

Enjoy the view from up here...

Thank goodness for Sir Issac and his work in relativity.

[justsomeguy]

Fuel - ongoing with a piddly 200km range - checked using the trip meter.

Tyre pressures bout every 2 days or before a ride, tyre surface checks - I'm a bit slack on them....

Chain quick check every day or at the end of a long ride.

Oil and coolant every couple of days. (Oil and filter change every 4-4.5 thousand k's.)

All fairing bolts and electrics bout once a week, carry a spare set of fuses on the bike.

Give the entire bike a detailed toothbrush and degreaser wash about once a week.

Always on the lookout for weird noises and smells or drips.

What else?? I know I'm missing something. Educational answer please

[miSTa]

Generally only check the bike when going out of town or when cleaning, never on a daily basis.

Always clean, fastidious comes to mind.

Fuel - I always know how much is left and how far that will take me

Attitude - Yep, I have an attitude, err I mean the right attitude

Controls - Checked when cleaning the bike (often)

Tyres - always checking them for wear, nicks, cuts, etc. Pressure checked weekly.

[Hitcher]

An addition for the pre-ride checklist:

Make sure any disc locks and other restraining devices are removed before attempting to ride away.

[Pwalo]

Actually I do it the other way 'round. As I commute every day on the bike I do my checks at the end of every day before I tuck up the GS for the night.

I dry off and clean/polish the machine, clean/oil the chain if it's been raining (otherwise it's a weekend job), clean off any brake dust or oilspray on the wheels. Then it's the usuals:

-go over the calipers and discs with brake cleaner
-check tyres (check pressures on the weekend)
-check all controls
-spray rear shock, linkages with CRC

Sounds a retentive, but it's only a fifteen to thirty minute job on a basic bike like the GS, and I like my bike to be as good as it can be.

[Motu]

Try to develope another skill at the same time,one you should already be using on the bike - maximum use of your eyes.While looking in one area,save energy and check out everything while your eyes are in that particular spot - tyres,spokes,hub,caliper....over to the otherside,tyre,spokes,hub,sprocket,chain etc.Your eyes should just be able to rove over the bike.With practice you will become familiar with your bike - a quick look over with a few caresses will tell you everything is in order.And if it's not - don't say I'll fix that when I get back,do it now!

[justsomeguy]

- don't say I'll fix that when I get back,do it now!

Uh....... how did you know

[Storm]

Congratulations Jim on cranking 6000 pieces of wisdom out. Well done- onwards and upwards to 10'000 now

[JWALKER]

i vant say i do that many checks, but thanks for a couple of things to look for, i will practice that when i get my bike back

[sunhuntin]

how does one check the tyre pressure?

i usually listen for any unusual noises while riding [have noticed a couple, so will give dad the keys and tell him to haul ass] and try and park in "clean" spots so any drips will be noticed readily enough. will sometimes hold my hand over the headlight so its reflected back at me to make sure its going...honestly, the bike is new so shouldnt have any majors just yet. the "noises" can wait till the next service.

[James Deuce]

You'll need a tyre pressure gauge. You can get a pencil type one for about $10-20, or one with an analogue dial and flexible hose for anything from $20 to $200. Most of the digital air pumps at service stations are pretty good, generally reading 1 to 1.5 PSI over the actual pressure in your tyres. There are valves poking through your rims with screw caps on them and you firmly press the guage or air hose to the valve making sure that you get a good seal so the reading is correct.

There's a few threads on getting your tyre pressures right, so a search may help. There's the manufacturers reccommended pressures and then there's a few ideas floating about for making them suit you and your riding.

One thing to bear in mind with a GN250 is that there is only 1.5L of oil in that engine and they use a tiny bit. Make sure you check your oil levels frequently, and remember that things do go wrong with new bikes. Early detection can save you some trouble. Indicator bulbs can blow, stop light bulbs, fuses, cables can fray.

[Drum]

While cleaning my bike I found that the nut holding the front wheel axle in place was loose enough to remove by hand! Now I can line up a certain edge of that nut down the front fork in a glance while riding and know that it isn't loose.

Further checklist item: Ensure chrome is sparkling