Your Motorcycle Pre-Ride Checklist

Before you hit the open road, it is important to go through and do a pre-ride inspection. The following checklist will help you determine what you need to focus on to ensure that your motorcycle is in peak operating condition.

Inspect Tires

Both of your motorcycle’s tires take a lot of wear and tear on the road. Use a tire-pressure gauge to check their psi levels and air them up with an air compressor if they are low. Also, look for signs of wear, including bald patches or worn-out treads, which require replacement.

Top Up Fluids

The fluids in your motorcycle’s engine help it to operate smoothly. Check your oil and make sure that it is clear and runny, not sludgy. Always change your oil when it’s dirty and change out the oil filter at the same time. Make sure you have at least half a tank of gasoline as well, and fill up your tank completely before a longer ride. Check your radiator to ensure that you have sufficient coolant.

Test Brakes & Lights

You also don’t want to ride a motorcycle that has poorly functioning brakes or worn-out signals. Turn on your motorcycle and make sure that your lights and signals are working properly. Ride slowly around your block and brake a few times to see whether your brakes grind, squeal, or take too long to deploy. Once you’ve done this, you should be good to go!

Looking to buy a motorcycle? Check out the selection at Bayside Harley-Davidson. Our dealership is located in Portsmouth, Virginia, and we also serve those in Richmond and Chesapeake, VA.