Why You Should Always Inspect Your Motorcycle before Riding It

Checking your motorcycle before you hop on and hit the road literally only takes a few seconds but it is one thing that so many motorcycle riders neglect to do. What’s the big deal if you take a few seconds to a minute to check out your bike before you ride it when your life could be on the line? Here are some of the important pre-ride inspection items to look for and the benefit you’ll get from it.

Look It Over Every Day

Your bike’s not brand new anymore, so you’re probably not gazing at it quite as often as you used to do. However, you should get back into the habit of giving your bike a quick look and visual assessment before hopping on. Just look briefly for anything that is out of sort or possibly loose. Identifying loose parts or small holes might not seem like a pressing matter now but it doesn’t take long for these small issues to become majorly disastrous.

Know Your Fuel Capacity

It might seem obvious, but it’s a good idea to know how much fuel you have filling your tank before every ride. Because many bikes don’t have fuel gages, and every fuel gauge is inaccurate at some point on the scale, it’s best if you can track this on your own. Either with pen and paper kept with your bike or on an app, it’s essential to track the type of mileage your motorcycle gets.

Check the Oil

It’s easy to quickly check the oil level on some motorcycles with the sight glass on the engine. If your bike doesn’t have a sight glass, make it part of your routine to check the oil at least once a week. While you’re at it, make a quick glance over your engine part of your daily routine. It doesn’t have to be a full-on inspection, just look over it to check for leaks. Staying on top of oil leaks will ensure your engine stays running and will prevent motorcycle trouble while you’re out enjoying your ride.

Watch for Worn Chains

Worn or improperly adjusted chains are a serious safety hazard. It’s not hard and doesn’t take more than a second to look at the chain on your bike before you get on to make sure there’s not slack on the chain line. If there is, it can stop the engine from sending power to your rear wheel and cause a serious accident. Just get in the habit of checking out the chain before you get on so you can make sure this doesn’t happen to you while you’re out on the road.

Check the Brakes

Be aware that you might have a leak or air in your lines if you squeeze your brakes and they pull back further than they did the last time. While you can’t tell brakes are faulty by looking at them, if you squeeze your brakes a couple times before your ride to be sure they’re tight and functional, this can help prevent brake failure while you’re out.

When you take a minute to check your motorcycle out before riding it, you could stay a lot safer out on the road and it could even save your life. In the grand scheme of things, that doesn’t seem like such a bad deal at all. This checklist will guide you through these brief but important inspections and help you stay safe on the road.