Every motorcycle ride should start with a pre-ride inspection. You take a few minutes to look over your bike and ensure everything will run smoothly when you hit the road. Usually, you’ll find everything is good to go. But you might uncover an issue.
Maybe your brakes are not functioning well. Maybe you are too low on necessary fluids. Maybe there’s a foreign object lodged in your tire that will pop it. Whatever the issue, you want to discover it as soon as possible. That way, you can get it fixed as soon as possible (rather than ride in a potentially dangerous situation).
It’s hard to remember every step of a pre-ride inspection. After all, there’s so many of them! We put together a handy checklist so you won’t forget a thing. If you find out your bike does need repairs, bring it to Bright Powersports in Lincoln Park, Michigan.
Most of your wheel inspection is preventative. You’re trying to catch problems before they become an issue on the road, like a blowout or losing traction. Proper tire inflation plays a huge role. It helps better distribute the forces placed on the tread by the vehicle’s weight, acceleration, and braking. This prolongs the life of the tread, gives you better traction with the road, creates a more comfortable ride, and improves the fuel economy.
Use a tire pressure gauge to measure your tires (aiming for the standard set in the owner’s manual). Try to check in the morning. The tire will be cold so you’ll get the most accurate reading.
Fluids help your bike run. They need to be the right amount, right color, and right consistency to help your bike run well. To check your engine oil, you can use a dipstick. Slide it in, wipe it clean, slide it in again, then check it. The oil should fall on the right spot on the dipstick (as in there should be enough of the liquid). It also should look golden, not dark brown or black.
For your brake fluids, check that you have enough. Some bikes have front reserves and back reserves for the brake fluids. Make sure you check both if your model does.
It’s also good practice to fuel up before you start your journey. You always want more gas in your tank than you think you’ll need. You never know - you may encounter a hitch that drains more gas than you expect. You might need to alter your route due to unexpected construction or a traffic jam.
You’ll need to be riding to check these. But you don’t want to hit the highway just yet. There still could be a problem with one of these that requires maintenance. Stick to riding around your house in low-traffic residential neighborhoods.
When you test your brake, be on high alert for any grinding, squealing, or vibrations. These could indicate an issue. When you test your throttle, make sure it closes fully and your bike doesn’t idle when it shouldn’t be. When you test your clutch, look for any grinding or rough feel to it.
Just like the lightbulb in your bathroom, your bike’s lights eventually burn out and need to be replaced. Turn on your headlights, brake lights, and turn signals to make sure they are bright enough. Glance over your lenses for any caked on dirt or mud that makes them hard to see.
Sometimes conducting a pre-ride checklist alerts you to an issue with your motorcycle needing to be fixed. Bring it to Bright Powersports! We have a large parts department and service department. We also sell new and used motorcycles if you are looking to upgrade. We serve those in Lincoln Park, Detroit, Wayne County, Oakland County, Livingston County, and Macomb, Michigan.
