Just a few Minutes for a Safety Check could Save your Life
If there is one word that is more important than any other when riding or dealing with a motorcycle, it is safety. Motorcycles are fun, no doubt about that, but they demand respect. If you are not safe, you could die (and that may not even be the worst thing that could happen to you). If you use some common sense, you should be fine.
One of the first things you do before you get on your bike is preform a quick safety check before you mount up. Even if you just rode yesterday, many things could have changed in just a few hours, any one of them could lead to a disaster.
There are organizations like the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) that can give you complete lists of things to check. Many times these lists are close to a state inspection. Should you do this? Yes. Will you do this? Probably not, you want to ride.
Here is a quick list of things to check that will take you less than 5 minutes and will help to ensure that you make it back home with no more than some bugs in your teeth and a sore backside.
Like most things, start with the simple, easy checks. Is there anything different about the bike since the last time you rode? Are there any fluids on the ground? Is there anything leaking or an odor of gasoline? Any of these can be a sign of serious issues that can cause a catastrophic break down.
Are the tires properly inflated? If they aren't, put air in them. It will save the tire as well as effect the handling of the bike (from either over or under inflation). While you are looking at the tires, check the tread pattern. Motorcycle tires tend to form a “chicken strip” which is a bald stripe down the center of the tire (especially the rear tire). Just like a car (only more dangerous), a bald tire can lead to a lack of traction on the road. As you can imagine, that is bad news.
Now to the less obvious (yet just as important) things to check before your ride. Start by turning on the ignition. Make sure that all of your “dashboard” lights come on. On almost all bikes, the headlight will come on when the ignition is switched on, but if this isn't the case, double check that you headlight works. While you are there, flip the switch and make sure both high and low beams are working.
Even though you may not legally need them in all states (hand signals can be used in place) blinkers or turn signals increase the chances of you being seen by other motorists. Make sure that they are working all the way around. That means right and left, front and back.
Your tail light should have come on with the headlight/ignition but you still need to check the actual brake light. Remember, with a motorcycle, the brake light is activated in two ways. The light should come on (or get brighter) when you press the rear brake lever as well as when you squeeze the hand lever for the front brake. While on the subject of brakes, once you are riding, do a quick low speed brake check. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Since it only takes (literally) a second, go ahead and check the tension on the belt or chain (if it is shaft driven all you can really look for is a leak). If there is too much slack, it is a serious problem as well.
The final check would be to start the engine. Once it roars to life, it is time to ride. Of course this may seem very redundant to do every time you plan on riding. If you make it part of your habit it will be no different than making sure you have your wallet or cell phone.
The few minutes that it takes to do all of this is nothing compared to the dangers involved if one of these systems fail. Check your ride, be safe, and enjoy the road the way that you only can on a motorcycle.
