Is your bike ready to ride?

Published May 10, 2010
By Master Sgt. Robert Staats
366th Fighter Wing Safety Office

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- It's Almost Time! Every person I know that loves to ride always gets a little excited around this time of year. The days are getting warmer and longer and you're looking forward to getting the bike out and riding as soon as possible! I feel the same way! I have been riding for about 25 years and every summer I get just as excited about riding as I did the first time I rode.

Although there's nothing wrong with being excited about something you really enjoy doing, you need to slow down for just a second, regain your composure, and prepare yourself and your bike for the riding season.

All too often, riders get so worked up about the approaching riding season that they fail to properly prepare for it. Not only do I mean getting mentally prepared, but making sure that your bike is safe and ready to ride.

Anyone who has gone through an MSF Basic Rider Course (BRC) or Experienced Rider Course (ERC) knows what T-CLOCKS stands for or at least you should! As an MSF Rider Coach I feel that this is the best way to establish a routine check of your bike prior to riding it every season.

T - Stands for "Tires and Wheels." Be sure to inspect your tires and wheels for obvious problems. Are your wheels straight and true, any loose spokes, no free-play between the hub and axle, etc ...? Are your tires dry-rotted and cracked, bulged, and do they have the proper air pressure? Here in Mountain Home the weather can take a toll on tires so be sure that you inspect them before every season, even if they are relatively new.

C - Stands for "Controls." You need to check all of your controls for proper operation. These include levers and brake pedal, all cables, all hoses and pay particular attention to your throttle. You don't want a sticky throttle or malfunctioning brakes when you hit the street for the first ride.

L - Stands for "Lights." Check all of your lights and make sure they work! It is imperative that you to have proper working lights and signals on your bike, they are the best way to communicate to other traffic as to your intentions when riding. This section of T-CLOCKS also includes your battery, wiring, lenses/reflectors and your mirrors.

O - Stands for "Oil." Oil, how important can that be? You tell me! No oil no ride, at least not for long. We all know that oil is the primary life blood for a combustible engine. Yeah, it needs fuel and water as well but if you run out of oil you are a candidate for a catastrophic failure. So check for leaks and ensure that your oil is at the proper level before you ride.

C - Stands for "Chassis." This is where we inspect our frame, suspension, chain or belt and all the fasteners you can see/find. Honestly, unless you've been involved in an accident, your frame and suspensions should not have any real problems but you can set you mind at ease by checking it over. For suspension, make sure that it is adjusted for your weight and riding style. Be sure to inspect you chain for cleanliness and proper lubrication. If you have a belt driven bike verify that the belt is not dry rotted. Look at your sprockets for excessive wear and lastly look for any loose, broken or missing bolts.

S - Stands for "Stands." This means your center and side stands or "kickstands". If your bike has a center stand it's there primarily for maintenance and cleaning. Some riders use it more often but most of us just use the side stand from day to day. You need to inspect them both. Obvious things to look for are cracks, good spring tension, condition of the safety switch (if equipped) and lastly if anything is bent. You don't want to be a victim of a broken or bent stand when your trusting it told hold your bike up when you aren't.

To download a copy of the T-CLOCKS Inspection checklist, you can go to the Mountain Home AFB wing safety Community of Practice (CoP) website at the following link, https://www.my.af.mil/afknprod/community/views/home.aspx?Filter=OO-SE-AC-36 You can also access it through the AF Portal. Click on the Air Force Knowledge Now link and double click 366th FW/SE. Once there, click on ground safety and then motorcycle safety where you can download a .pdf copy.

So there you go! Now you have a good tool to inspect your bike with before you ride. You don't have to do this before every ride, but you should definitely do it at least once before the season and once or twice during. It's better to know that your bike is safe and ready to ride before you leave than having something bad happen on the road ... it can have costly repercussions and really spoil the ride.

Is your bike ready to ride?

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